Motives for MDMA Use: A Comparative Study with Alcohol and Cannabis
European Psychiatry August 27, 2024 D. Zullino, L. Penzenstadler, S. Rothen et al.
Enhancement is the most common motive for using MDMA, followed by expansion motives—altering perceptions and increasing self-awareness—which reflects growing interest in MDMA-assisted therapy for conditions like PTSD. Social motives are third, coping fourth, and conformity least common. Compared to alcohol and cannabis, MDMA shows a distinct pattern of motives: social motives are less common for MDMA, and conformity motives are also less significant, possibly due to user maturity. These differences highlight the need for tailored harm reduction and intervention strategies. Data come from an online survey of 99 participants.