Objective: To determine incidence and patterns of natural course of ecstasy/stimulant/hallucinogen (ESH) use and disorders as well as cohort effects in a community sample of adolescents and young adults. Method: Cumulative incidence and patterns of ecstasy use and disorders were examined in a prospective longitudinal design (mean follow-up period=42 months) in a representative sample (N=2446) aged 14–24 years at the outset of the study. Patterns of DSM-IV defined ESH use, abuse and dependence were assessed with the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Results: (1) Cumulative lifetime incidence for use of ESH at second follow-up: 9.1%, 1.0% for abuse, 0.6% for dependence; (2) men used and abused ESH more often than women; (3) the younger birth cohort (1977–81) tended to start earlier with substance (ab)use compared to the older birth cohort (1970–77); (4) use of ESH was associated with increasing rates of concomitant use of other licit and illicit drugs; (5) the majority of the lifetime ESH users without disorder had stopped to use these substances and not consumed them during the 12 months preceding the second follow-up; (6) those who had stopped to take ecstasy and related drugs at follow-up also took other illicit drugs less often than those who continued to consume ESH. Conclusions: Use of designer drugs is widespread in our sample, but the probability of developing use disorders is fairly low (1.6%). The majority of the ESH users stopped their use spontaneously in their twenties (80% of the prior users without disorder, 67% of the prior abusers), but 50% of those that once had fulfilled DSM-IV criteria of dependence continued to use these substances.

In this qualitative phenomenological study, the researcher interviewed 18 hospitalised patients and community members in rural Appalachia to learn about their mystical experiences in the context of health care. A loosely structured interview format addressed factors that initiate mystical experience and essential qualities of mystical experience. In addition, the researcher examined the nursing process, focusing on assessments and actions which supported the participants in sharing their experiences. The researcher also considered her response to being the recipient of these shared experiences. Data were analysed using the crystallisation/immersion method and concept mapping. Mystical experience was conceptualised as a process incorporating initiation, occurrence, maturation, and integration of mystical experience. Essential aspects of the mystical experience itself were found to include sensory-motor perception, interaction with the supernatural, interaction with dead and living members of the family, conviction of reality, cognition, dynamic tension and emotional intensity. Nursing actions which supported the participant included listening and support. The researcher's response to the participants' sharing their experiences included tension, intimacy and empathy, sense of awe and autonomic responses. In addition, the researcher developed an appreciation of the mystical in everyday experience. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Denna uppsats undersöker ravekulturens nuvarande tillstånd i Stockholm. Ravekulturens primära produkt – den elektroniska musiken (EDM) – som innefattar många olika typer av musikstilar, bland annat techno- och housemusik, har blivit ett allt vanligare inslag inom de reglerade klubb- och festivalverksamheterna. Sedan ravekulturens storhetstid på 1990-talet har rave- och klubbkulturen utvecklats till ett internationellt, om inte globalt, fenomen med demografiska skillnader i förhållande till narkotikabruk, musik- och danstraditioner. Genom Durkheims ritualteori, tillsammans med Collins teori om gruppinteraktion närmas ravekulturen och dess relation till narkotikabruk. Respektive teoretikers begrepp; collective effervescense och emotionell energi, används som verktyg för att erhålla en större förståelse för ravekulturens utveckling och nuvarande läge. För skapa en förståelse av ravekulturens utveckling och nuvarande tillstånd har ett antal nyckelaktörer identifierats, vilka alla besitter stor erfarenhet av ravekulturen. Deras erfarenheter lyfts fram genom semistrukturerade expertintervjuer. Beröringspunkter intervjuerna emellan, samt till teorin har lyfts fram som teman till analysen. Intervjudeltagarna beskriver en ravekultur som i allra högsta grad är levande som har tydliga kopplingar till narkotikabruk, med ecstasy som den primära ravedrogen. Den emotionella energin som skapas på ravens dansgolv lyfts fram som den fundamentala dragningskraft till rave, vilket binder dess deltagare samman genom att etablera ett kollektivt fokus på dansen. Narkotikabruket används som en förstärkare för de gemensamma känslorna, och upprätthåller dansen genom hela nätter. Ravets sociala regler ställs upp för att enskilda deltagare inte ska kunna bryta det kollektiva fokuset genom att ta för stort individuellt utrymme i den sociala sfären. Detta fokus kan också förklara en DJ eller en narkotikalangares särställning inom kulturen eftersom deras roller förstärker fokus genom musiken eller försäljning av narkotika. Det att förklara ravekulturens beståndsdelar utifrån ravets emotionella energi.

Le sujet de ce mémoire s'attache à circonscrire le champ de l'extase chez Georges Bataille. Il s’agit de délimiter les frontières d’un concept qui, a priori, ne peut en avoir, d’où un paradoxe à résoudre : comment parvenir à poser des limites à ce qui est illimité par essence ? Nous verrons que l’extase bataillienne rompt de façon radicale avec la tradition mystique en créant un concept qui, au lieu d’embrasser l’absolu, le tout, demeure une expérience purement intérieure. Nous nous focaliserons ensuite sur le caractère érotique de ses fondations. Bataille revendique en effet l’essence érotique, et non mystique, de l’extase. Parce que pour Georges Bataille, la mystique c’est l’impossible, nous analyserons enfin l’impasse apparente de son extase. Car si le champ de ce dernier se borne au seuil du mystique, il en résulte une puissance et portée moindres que celles de l’extase proprement mystique. Dès lors, nous nous interrogerons sur les failles d’un tel concept. Étant donné que l’extase bataillienne rejette toute mystique de son champ, il nous faudra nous pencher sur la possibilité de la définir comme un échec. Georges Bataille a-t-il conceptualisé l'extase du drogué ? Ou les débris laissés par le mort de Dieu ? A moins que l'extase bataillienne ne concrétise simplement l'agonie du spirituel... Dans cette recherche, nous définirons des notions batailliennes telles que : « nudité », « angoisse », « dépense improductive », « souveraineté » ou « petite mort ». Et pour ce faire, nous nous concentrerons en priorité sur ces ouvrages : L’expérience intérieure, Ma mère, L’histoire de l’œil, Le bleu du ciel et L’Érotisme. / The purpose of this thesis is to define the topic of ecstasy as understood and explained by Georges Bataille. Our goal being to establish the frontiers of a concept which is, a priori, free of limits, we might be facing a paradox. In fact, how can we limit something which is by essence, unlimited ? We will see that the ecstasy of Bataille breaks in a radical way with the traditional notions of the mystic by creating a concept that, instead of embracing the Absolute, the All, remains an inner experience. Then, we will precise our search into the erotic nature of its foundations. Indeed, Bataille claims the erotic essence, not mystical, of the ecstasy. For him, the mystic is the impossible. Because of that, we will study the apparent deadlock of his conception of the ecstasy. The fact that Bataille’s conception of the ecstasy ends when the mystic begins, we conclude that the ecstasy is for him of a lesser power and scope than the mystical ecstasy. Therefore, we will discuss the possible weaknesses of such a conception of the ecstasy. Knowing that Bataille excludes all the mystical aspects from its vision of the ecstasy, we will ask if we should consider it a failure by nature. Has Georges Bataille actually conceptualized the ecstasy of the drug consumer? Has he tried to link his conception of ecstasy to the ruins left by the death of God ? Or could it be that Bataille’s ecstasy is simply the agony of the spirituality...? In this study, we will define some notions introduced by Bataille such as: “nudity”, “anxiety”, “unproductive expenditure”, “sovereignty” or “little death”. In order to do so, we will work on the following literature by Bataille: L’expérience intérieure, Ma mère, L’histoire de l’œil, Le bleu du ciel and L’Érotisme.

3,4-methlenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), the main constituent of Ecstasy, is a ring-substituted amphetamine commonly abused in recreational users. High doses of MDMA determined by allometric scaling produce serotonin (5-HT) axon deneveration. Studies suggest that this interspecies scaling does not reflect human use. An 'effects' scale comparing similar behavioral and physiological effects between species has been postulated as more accurate for translational studies. Experiment 1 examined the effects of MDMA on serotonergic forebrain innervation using immunohistochemical labeling targeting the serotonin transporter protein (SERT). Experiments 2 and 3 examined low and high doses of MDMA on spatial memory, prefrontal functioning, and serotonergic neurotoxicity using 'effects' scaling. Long Evans rats were given MDMA regimens of: chronic low dose (daily injections of 1.5 mg/kg for 10 days); binge low dose (2 days of 4 x 1.5 mg/kg spaced 2 hours apart), binge high dose (2 x 7.5 mg/kg sp aced 2 hours apart). Acquisition, retention, and spatial reversal (SR) were measured in a water maze task. A 2.0 mg/kg MDMA drug challenge was then given prior to a serial spatial reversal (SSR) task to assess performance while under the effect of the drug. Attentional set shifting and behavioral flexibility were assessed in an intradimensional extradimensionl (IED) task using odor/texture discriminations. MDMA chronic and binge low doses did not impair water maze or IED performance and produced no reductions in SERT expression. MDMA binge high dose resulted in significant reductions of SERT density in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, cortical mantle, hippocampus, amygdala, and many thalamic nuclei. Despite prominent 5-HT denervation, water maze performance was unaffected. Selective impairment in behavioral flexibility on the IED test was found. / This suggests that low doses of MDMA do not produce long-term deleterious effects. But, high doses of MDMA taken in 'binges' produces widespread loss of forebrain SERT fiber innervation and significant impairments in reversal learning, while leaving attentional set shifting and spatial navigation unscathed. / by Stephanie Brooke Linley. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

O êxtase místico costuma ser estudado a partir da análise de rituais de incorporação, possessão de espiritos, transe de curanderia e outros processos que não raro envolvem música para propiciar estados alterados de consciência. Considerando que os rituais sufis integram música, dança e poesia com propósito extático, este trabalho aborda a relação entre a poesia e a dança mística em Rumi e Hafiz, propondo uma metodologia que utiliza noções de linguagem da dança para a análise de poemas. / The mystical ecstasy is usually studied from the analysis of rituals of incorporation, possession of spirits, trance curanderia and other processes that often involve music to provide altered states of consciousness. Whereas Sufi rituals integrate music, dance and poetry with purpose ecstatic, this work addresses the relationship between poetry and mystical dance in Rumi and Hafiz proposing a methodology that uses notions of dance language for analyzing poems.

Le sujet de ce mémoire s'attache à circonscrire le champ de l'extase chez Georges Bataille. Il s’agit de délimiter les frontières d’un concept qui, a priori, ne peut en avoir, d’où un paradoxe à résoudre : comment parvenir à poser des limites à ce qui est illimité par essence ? Nous verrons que l’extase bataillienne rompt de façon radicale avec la tradition mystique en créant un concept qui, au lieu d’embrasser l’absolu, le tout, demeure une expérience purement intérieure. Nous nous focaliserons ensuite sur le caractère érotique de ses fondations. Bataille revendique en effet l’essence érotique, et non mystique, de l’extase. Parce que pour Georges Bataille, la mystique c’est l’impossible, nous analyserons enfin l’impasse apparente de son extase. Car si le champ de ce dernier se borne au seuil du mystique, il en résulte une puissance et portée moindres que celles de l’extase proprement mystique. Dès lors, nous nous interrogerons sur les failles d’un tel concept. Étant donné que l’extase bataillienne rejette toute mystique de son champ, il nous faudra nous pencher sur la possibilité de la définir comme un échec. Georges Bataille a-t-il conceptualisé l'extase du drogué ? Ou les débris laissés par le mort de Dieu ? A moins que l'extase bataillienne ne concrétise simplement l'agonie du spirituel... Dans cette recherche, nous définirons des notions batailliennes telles que : « nudité », « angoisse », « dépense improductive », « souveraineté » ou « petite mort ». Et pour ce faire, nous nous concentrerons en priorité sur ces ouvrages : L’expérience intérieure, Ma mère, L’histoire de l’œil, Le bleu du ciel et L’Érotisme. / The purpose of this thesis is to define the topic of ecstasy as understood and explained by Georges Bataille. Our goal being to establish the frontiers of a concept which is, a priori, free of limits, we might be facing a paradox. In fact, how can we limit something which is by essence, unlimited ? We will see that the ecstasy of Bataille breaks in a radical way with the traditional notions of the mystic by creating a concept that, instead of embracing the Absolute, the All, remains an inner experience. Then, we will precise our search into the erotic nature of its foundations. Indeed, Bataille claims the erotic essence, not mystical, of the ecstasy. For him, the mystic is the impossible. Because of that, we will study the apparent deadlock of his conception of the ecstasy. The fact that Bataille’s conception of the ecstasy ends when the mystic begins, we conclude that the ecstasy is for him of a lesser power and scope than the mystical ecstasy. Therefore, we will discuss the possible weaknesses of such a conception of the ecstasy. Knowing that Bataille excludes all the mystical aspects from its vision of the ecstasy, we will ask if we should consider it a failure by nature. Has Georges Bataille actually conceptualized the ecstasy of the drug consumer? Has he tried to link his conception of ecstasy to the ruins left by the death of God ? Or could it be that Bataille’s ecstasy is simply the agony of the spirituality...? In this study, we will define some notions introduced by Bataille such as: “nudity”, “anxiety”, “unproductive expenditure”, “sovereignty” or “little death”. In order to do so, we will work on the following literature by Bataille: L’expérience intérieure, Ma mère, L’histoire de l’œil, Le bleu du ciel and L’Érotisme.

Religious theater or erotic sculpture? A study of how the sculpture group Ecstasy of Saint Teresaand the Cornaro chapel have been described and used in literature of art history. This study aims to investigate how the sculpture group Ecstasy of Saint Teresa and the Cornarochapel has been written about and presented in literature about art history. The method has been tostudy literature, to visit the Cornaro chapel, and to make comparisons between pictures, texts andown experiences.The questions set out to be answered was; How has the Cornaro chapel and the Ecstasy of SaintTeresa been described and interpreted in literature of art history? What kind of pictures are beingused to illustrate the chapel? What is in focus and what is withheld in the presentation of the chapel,in text and in pictures? Is it possible to see a change, in how art historians write about the Cornarochapel, over time?Reading and comparing the texts and pictures that illustrates the literature, makes visible how thebaroque period, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Teresa av Avila and the Cornaro chapel has been presented inthe chosen literature, and answered the questions.The similarities between the Cornaro chapel and a theater stage, Bernini's interest in the theaterand his devout Catholicism, as well as the Counter-reformation's use of art to reach their goal ofmaking people more devout to Catholicism, is in focus. The erotic overtones in the sculpture groupare being withheld as well as Bernini's personality. Saint Teresa's work for the Counter reformationand how her texts and spirituality affected her contemporaries are also withheld.The pictures that illustrates the chapel in the studied literature are similar to each other, and oftenshow a close-up of the sculpture group with the saint and the angel, but also an overview of thechapel. The pictures are with no exceptions taken from a viewpoint inaccessible to a visitor of thechapel. The changes seen in the literature is that art history is becoming more contextualized.The sculpture group is not a religious theater, nor an erotic sculpture, but both at the same time.

This thesis will analyze the social life in metropolises in terms of technological changes and social transformations with their effects on everyday practices especially musical genres. This thesis also aims to understand the relationships between techno-culture, contemporary musical genres and clubbing as a subculture that reflects the aspects of techno-culture with its life style especially musical tendencies. The thesis will also make some illustrations of the features and life style of clubbers in Turkey. So, this study is composed of both theoretical and empirical structures. In order to make a comparative study, clubbing will be compared with the other subcultures appeared after the Second World War like Jazz, Punk or Acid House. The aspects of everyday life like drug use, consumption or appearance of those subcultures will be the base of this comparison.

This performance-as-research project documents, both through linguistic and non-linguistic texts, an investigation of the materiality of performative knowledges and analyses Music Theatre as an ecstatic and hyper-erotic creator of these knowledges. By actively engaging in a performative translation of an historical Music Theatre work, this research investigates how ecstatic inscription creates materiality within the performative knowledges of Music Theatre, and aims to provide further substance to the discourse surrounding performative knowledges and their relation to the epistemology and methodology of performance-as-research.