MDA

(Tenamfetamine, Sally, Sass)

TrippyWiki score: 7.1/10

What is MDA?

MDA is an entactogen of the amphetamine class. MDA’s effects are extremely similar to those of more popular MDMA. The main difference between the two is that MDA is more stimulating and psychedelic. The MDA trip also lasts for longer.

Why choose MDA over other psychedelics?

MDA…

Tends to be purer than MDMA.
Is one of the most effective psychedelics for treating PTSD
Doesn’t cause a “bad trip” nearly as often as most other psychedelics
Is physically safe if you follow the safety guidelines
Usually doesn’t cause nausea or physical discomfort
Allows you to have cleaner thoughts than if you were to take magic mushrooms, for example
Is extremely effective for treating autism and social anxiety and helps you strengthen relationships with other people

Long-term benefits & side effects

Many of the benefits will only occur if you follow the tips below.
Most (if not all) of the side effects are preventable and they will not happen if you follow the Safety checklist.

MDA…

Might help treat PTSD (nearly all of those who received an MDMA treatment no longer suffer from PTSD and similar benefits likely apply to MDA)
Can lower your levels of stress and anxiety, including social anxiety
Is being used to cure addictions
Makes you more creative and open-minded
Might help you form positive habits, such as meditation and exercise
Increases neuroplasticity
Helps you look at your life from a different perspective
Allows you to heal your childhood trauma and forgive people who’ve hurt you
Makes you more conscious and loving
Gives you insights into the nature of reality
Has helped many people improve their immune system and cure allergies
Makes you appreciate nature more
Is being used for strengthening romantic and other relationships
Helps treat autism
Helps treat depression
…

Often isn’t pure MDA and can be cut with physically dangerous substances
Can lead to dehydration or severe depletion of sodium
Can cause your body to overheat, which can be fatal
Has led to self-harm by people who took it in an unsafe environment
Might speed up the onset of schizophrenia if you’re genetically predisposed to it
Can cause HPPD and physical damage if you combine it with other substances (such as alcohol or stimulants)
Could cause you trauma due to bad set and setting
Might lead to drug-induced psychosis if you’re predisposed to it
Can be psychologically addictive, especially if you take the substance recreationally
Is illegal in many places and you might get arrested for getting involved with the substance
Can lead to serotonin syndrome if you combine the substance with other drugs
Might be neurotoxic at high doses (although not as much as most people believe)
Can be fatal if taken at high doses
Temporarily lowers your baseline production of happy chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, specifically)
Makes you more likely to end up in bed with a stranger, which can lead to STDs and regret
Can cause heart problems
…

How to take MDA

Pills vs. Powder

MDA mainly comes in 2 forms: powder and pill form.

Taking a pill is not recommended for 2 reasons:
1) The pills are notoriously cut with other drugs that are cheaper to produce (methamphetamine is a common substitute).
2) The amount of MDA in a pill can vary greatly.

Whichever form you choose, always test your substance with a Marquis Reagent Testing Kit. Be especially careful if the test turns orange or red.

If you take a pill form, start smaller than you would because you cannot know how much MDA is in there.

Administration

The substance is either snorted or taken orally. You could also inject MDA or plug it but these methods are not recommended.

Snorting MDA will lead to a faster onset but has multiple risks associated with it. This is why the best way to consume the drug is to swallow it.

Dosage

20 mg = Threshold dose
Surprisingly, this dose seems to have anti-therapeutic effects. This is because it is extremely hard to let go and dive into your traumas on such a low dose.
40-60 mg = Light dose
The high end of a low dose is likely the most effective dose for treating PTSD in therapeutic settings. This is because you are able to relax and face your traumas. However, taking less than that doesn’t have many long-term benefits.
60-100 mg = Regular dose
Counter-intuitively, higher doses aren’t more beneficial when it comes to MDA. Once you get over the regular dose, the trauma may become too overwhelming if you are using the substance to heal.
100-145 mg = Strong dose
Such strong doses shouldn’t be taken unless you’re using MDA for pure enjoyment.
145+ mg = High dose
If long-term well-being is your priority, never take high doses. The side effects definitely outweigh the benefits at this point.

The high end of a low dose seems to be the best dose to take if you are taking MDA for long-term benefits.

Unlike with LSD or magic mushrooms, there is no correlation between mystical experiences and therapeutic effects when it comes to MDA.

The benefits of a low-regular dose are as big as they can get while the negatives are multiple times smaller than if you were to take higher doses.

Strong doses are neurotoxic and will likely cause long-term damage to your neurotransmitter receptors. On top of that, high doses of MDA can be lethal.

With that said, people with autism or those who weigh a lot need a higher dose to achieve the same effects as other people.

The same can be said about people who have been taking entactogens in the past since it can take multiple months to become sensitive to the substance again.

Safety checklist

Maximize the benefits

Keep in mind that integration is even more important than the trip itself. Taking psychedelics would be almost useless if you didn’t retain any lessons in your day-to-day life.

What will help you the most is contemplating about the experience – be it by journaling, thinking about the trip, or sharing your memories with a trusted friend.

Distracting thoughts can get in the way, which is why you want to spend the day after your trip without TV, social media, and other distractions.

If you can, spend time in silence and solitude. Meditate, go for a walk, contemplate the experience.

Duration

Onset = 30-90 minutes
Come up = 15-30 minutes
Peak = 3-4 hours
Offset = 2-3 hours

You should notice the first effects within 60 minutes after you take the psychedelic
You will reach the maximum effect around the 2-hour mark
The whole trip usually lasts for 5-8 hours
At heroic doses, your trip may last for even longer
If you eat before your trip, the substance will take longer to kick in
MDA trip can be followed by an afterglow or by a crash (come down). More on these later

What does MDA feel like?

MDA’s effects are extremely similar to those of MDMA. The main difference between the two is that MDA is more stimulating and psychedelic.

Even though MDA is more psychedelic than MDMA, the drug still isn’t nearly as psychedelic as LSD or mushrooms.

After you take the drug, your brain releases dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, norepinephrine, and other “happy chemicals”. This is why the experience tends to be extremely pleasant.

On MDA, it is common to feel extreme euphoria, love, compassion, connection with everything and everyone, and every other positive feeling you can imagine. You will feel like everything is perfect.

MDA is reported to have slightly lower entactogen effects than MDMA but the difference is not dramatic.

People become way more social and talkative on MDA. Because of this, the drug is a powerful tool for treating social anxiety and even autism.

The downside is that you may share some secrets with people around you that you will later regret. You may also end up in bed with a stranger who has an STD.

Users report that MDA is better than MDMA in high-intensity environments, such as parties and festivals.

For those who take MDA or other entactogens with the purpose of healing their trauma, the experience isn’t always pleasant. In fact, most therapy participants describe the experience as challenging.

MDA can make you anxious but this mainly happens during a come-up. After that, the anxiety usually dissolves.

Other common short-term effects include:

Higher self-esteem
Tingling sensation
Increased creativity and open-mindedness
Mindfulness, being present
Higher capability for love and compassion
Pain relief
Feeling one with all that is
Seeing life from a different perspective
Appreciating small things
Higher energy
Increased awareness
Stamina enhancement
Feeling your emotions more intensely
Memory suppression
Time distortion (time speeds up)
Visual effects (especially during the offset)
No appetite
Shaking
Jaw clenching
Headaches
Muscle tension
Fatigue
Inability to focus
Nausea, vomiting
Increased body temperature
Increased heart rate
Worse thermoregulation
Difficulty urinating
Anxiety, paranoia
Vulnerability
Insomnia

The higher the dose you take, the more intense these effects will be.

After the trip, some users find it difficult to fall asleep.

MDA will almost always give you a pleasant experience. Bad trips can happen but you can prevent them by following the tips below.

After the trip, there is a chance that you will experience an afterglow or a crash, also called a comedown.

MDA Comedown

After the trip, your brain will be depleted of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. When this happens, you may have to suffer through a period of not having enough of these happy chemicals.

During the crash, people often feel extremely depressed and have no motivation to do anything. Many MDA users report having suicidal thoughts.

This period usually lasts a few days but can sometimes take weeks or even months.

How to prevent a comedown

Do not take MDA more than once a month
Take a low dose, don’t exceed a regular dose
Look inward during the trip instead of trying to maximize pleasure
Take 2-4g of piracetam an hour before the trip
Do not redose
Exercise
Eat high-quality food
Sleep enough and well, especially before and after the trip

In a psychotherapeutic setting, MDA crashes would only happen to 1/3 of participants and would be very mild. If you don’t follow these rules, the chance will be much higher and the crash will be longer and a lot more unpleasant.

How to cope with a comedown

Don’t try extra hard to be productive
Supplement with NAC
Take low doses of piracetam and 5-HTP
If nothing else helps, take kratom

Bad trips

Bad trips mostly happen because people take the substance irresponsibly. If you take this psychedelic the right way, there is virtually no chance you’ll get a bad trip.

In case you still do, that’s good! A “bad” trip isn’t bad, it can actually be the most healing and insightful moment of your life!

During a “bad” trip, negative emotions are coming up from your subconscious mind. They have always been there whether you are aware of it or not. They have been damaging your life and a difficult trip is an opportunity to process these traumas and unpleasant feelings and let go of them.

The more painful the experience, the more you can heal.

So instead of calling bad trips bad, call them challenging.

If you understand that bad trips are awesome in the long run, not only will you feel more comfortable diving into these challenging states, it will actually excite you!

Why they happen

The most common reasons for getting a bad trip are:

Tripping in an unsafe environment (in public, at a party, even nature doesn’t feel safe if you take higher doses)
Facing difficult times in your day-to-day life (a break-up, death of a loved one, …)
Rejecting to let go and trying to hold on to your ego and control the state
Being afraid of the trip (either because of the stigma around psychedelics or because you are not sure how pure your substance is)
Mixing the psychedelic with alcohol, weed, or other drugs
Expecting a bad trip (it can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy)

How to cope with a bad trip

Do not perceive this experience as something bad, remember that facing these difficult emotions is extremely healing
Fully surrender to the experience, do not try to feel good
If you’re alone, call a trusted friend to come over and keep you safe
Put on music or switch up the location

Interactions

Qualia Mind
This nootropic is comprised of 28 ingredients designed to support and maximize your brain function. These ingredients act synergistically and many of them will protect you from the neurotoxic effects of psychedelics. Qualia will also make your trips more pleasant and help you retain more benefits from them.
NAC
NAC decreases the neurotoxicity of entactogens and reduces comedown symptoms.
Green tea
Tea makes you both more alert and calm at the same time. It also contains neuroprotective antioxidants, such as EGCG.
CBD
CBD has a calming effect.
Piracetam
2-4g of piracetam before the trip will potentiate the effects of the entactogen, allowing you to take less of the substance. Furthermore, piracetam makes entactogens less neurotoxic and will decrease the chance of an unpleasant comedown.
Magic mushrooms
The substances have a synergistic effect but shrooms might increase the neurotoxicity of entactogens. Also, do not combine the two if you suffer from heart problems.
LSD
The substances a synergistic effect but LSD might increase the neurotoxicity of entactogens. Also, do not combine the two if you suffer from heart problems.
Weed
Marijuana will greatly intensify the trip. The combination may not be safe if you suffer from heart problems.
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide will multiply the intensity of your trip. The combination may not be safe if you suffer from heart problems.
Ketamine
The combination brings the best out of both psychedelics but it might cause neurotransmitter imbalances in the long run.
Other psychedelics
Entactogens shouldn’t be combined with 2C-B, 5-MeO DMT, and other psychedelic substances since the data on the safety of these combinations is limited.
Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, …)
Combining benzos and entactogens can lead to serotonin syndrome and can be fatal.
Alcohol
Alcohol minimizes all the potential benefits of the experience and increases the risk of overheating. It also greatly increases your chance of having a bad trip.
SSRIs or MAOIs
Not only will these antidepressants greatly decrease the intensity of your trip, but they can also lead to long-lasting side effects. The most dangerous one is serotonin syndrome, which is more likely to happen with MAOIs but taking SSRIs with entactogens is pointless anyway.
Lithium
Combining psychedelics with lithium significantly increases the risk of seizures and psychosis.
Stimulants or caffeine
The combination can easily lead to overheating and heart problems, even if you’re a healthy individual.
Tramadol
Combining the two can cause seizures.
St. John’s Wort, DXM, AMT, 2C-T-X
These combinations may lead to serotonin syndrome.
5-HTP
5-HTP can be taken days after the trip to decrease the comedown symptoms but it should never be taken before or during the trip as it can lead to serotonin syndrome.

Legality

As of 2021, MDA is illegal in the vast majority of countries.

In some countries, you can legally own a small amount of the substance for personal use.

FAQ

Do not take the substance more than once a month if you value your brain health and mental well-being. If you take a dose larger than 150 mg, you preferably want to wait for at least 2-3 months before you take the drug again.

Even though most entactogens aren’t physically addictive, psychological addiction is extremely common because of how pleasant the substance feels.

If you take the drug on a regular basis, you will quickly build a tolerance to the substance and you will need more of it to get the same effects. On top of that, the side effects will get much worse.

After you take the drug, your brain releases dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, norepinephrine, and other happy chemicals. It also acts as a reuptake inhibitor for these neurotransmitters. This is why the experience tends to be extremely pleasant.

Take the substance in a safe and comfortable environment. Make sure the place where you are is not too hot. Not only does heat increase your chance of overheating and dehydration but also the possible neurotoxicity of entactogens.

Most importantly, you need to trip in a safe place, preferably where there are no strangers around unless your intention is to meet new people.

If you are a mentally stable individual who does not suffer from psychosis or have a predisposition to schizophrenia, there is virtually no way you would develop any mental illnesses because of taking the psychedelic.

The drug can be detected in your blood for 2 hours after you’ve taken it.

It stays in your urine for 3-4 days.

In your hair, the drug can be detected for up to 3 months.

The taste is bitter and unpleasant.

Order a Marquis Reagent Testing Kit from the internet and follow the instructions on its label. Most importantly, make sure to avoid the drug if the test turns red or orange.

Keep the substance in a cold dark place, preferably with no air. When you store the drug well, it will last for decades.

On a low dose, it can already be difficult to look sober, especially during the peak experience.

At doses larger than a low dose, it becomes nearly impossible to act sober so do not talk to your boss or your parents when you’re tripping.

Eating before you take the drug has some advantages as well as a few disadvantages.

One reason you’d want to eat before your trip is because people sometimes lose their appetite on Molly.

Preparing and eating food can also be a distraction.

If you don’t eat anything and become hungry during your trip, it can make you feel fatigued and irritated.

However, eating before your trip can cause nausea and even make you vomit.

The substance will also take longer to kick in, sometimes up to 2 hours.

So the best way to go about food is to eat a little bit 1-2 hours before the trip and have some snacks prepared next to you.

Those who value their long-term brain health and are willing to use other psychedelics, such as LSD
People with cardiovascular problems
Immature people who are not willing to follow the safety guidelines
People who suffer from psychosis
People who have a familial history of schizophrenia
Those who suffer from HPPD
People who are going through a manic phase of bipolar disorder
If you’re going through extremely challenging times, you can take psychedelics but the trips might be unpleasant, beware of that

The drug is not suited for microdosing. Taking it regularly will lead to neurotransmitter imbalances and neurotoxicity. If you wish to microdose with a psychedelic, choose LSD, ibogaine, or magic mushrooms instead.

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