What is the Tuesday dip?
MDMA is a psychoactive drug known for its empathogenic and stimulant effects. It is used much more and in higher doses at parties and clubs as a recreational drug in addition to therapeutic sessions. A well-known phenomenon after using a lot of MDMA is the "Tuesday dip" or "Tuesday afternoon dip," in which people feel tired and gloomy on the Tuesday after the weekend when they have used MDMA.
Serotonin
There are several reasons why the Tuesday dip may occur after using MDMA. First, MDMA use can lead to depletion of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in the regulation of mood, sleep and appetite. MDMA use can deplete serotonin stores in the brain, leaving less serotonin available to regulate these functions. This can lead to feelings of fatigue, gloom and sleep problems, often associated with the Tuesday dip.
Lack of sleep
Another possible cause of the Tuesday dip after using MDMA is the further disruption of sleep due to the stimulant effect on the central nervous system. As a result, people often have additional difficulty falling asleep after using it. This can lead to sleep deprivation and fatigue, which contributes to the feelings of the Tuesday dip. In addition, the disruption of sleep can lead to disruption of circadian rhythms, which play an important role in the regulation of mood and energy levels.
Dopamine
A third possible cause of the Tuesday dip after using MDMA is the depletion of dopamine stores in the brain. MDMA increases the release of dopamine in the brain, which can cause a feeling of reward and euphoria. However, using MDMA can also lead to a depletion of dopamine stores in the brain, which can cause people to feel gloomy and depressed after using it. This can contribute to the feelings of the Tuesday dip.
Better sleep against Tuesday dip
So sleep problems and the depletion of serotonin and dopamine play a major role in getting the Tuesday dip. To avoid sleep problems as much as possible, it is advisable not to use MDMA too late in the day. With a therapeutic dose of MDMA, most of the effects are gone after 6 hours. Nevertheless, it is then still difficult to sleep for a few hours. We therefore recommend starting MDMA sessions before 5 p.m. and if possible even earlier. Starting between 10:00 and 15:00 is considered ideal to minimize sleep deprivation.
More serotonin against the Tuesday dip
Depletion of the body's own serotonin plays a major role in the Tuesday dip. Replenishing serotonin stores naturally can be done with foods high in tryptophan such as turkey, chicken, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds, tofu and fish. Regular exercise can also stimulate serotonin production in the brain. Sunlight stimulates vitamin D production in the body, which in turn can increase serotonin production (15-30 minutes in the sun is enough).
Using supplements to replenish serotonin can be done after an MDMA session but not too soon. To avoid too high levels of serotonin, MDMA should be fully worked out first and to be on the safe side take an extra 24 hours as a buffer. In many cases that means then the 2nd day after MDMA use you can start taking 5HTP or tryptophan in combination with krill or algae oil.
Learn more about serotonin: Serotonin and how to increase it
More dopamine against the Tuesday dip
At the MDMA sessions we host at Trip Therapy, we offer a legal analog of MDMA. The advantage of this analog is that less dopamine is consumed. This keeps dopamine levels at reasonable levels and these sessions contribute less to an and chronic loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. The depletion of dopamine that occurs to a lesser extent in our sessions can also be replenished with nutrition and supplements, just like the complete depletion in MDMA use. Through diet, you can boost production with bananas, avocados, oily fish, nuts, seeds and cocoa.
As with serotonin, the use of supplements is recommended only once MDMA has fully worn off and to be on the safe side with an additional margin of 24 hours. The following supplements help increase available dopamine in the brain: Tyrsine or Mucuna puriens combined with turmeric and magnesium.
More tips for increasing dopamine
Using MDMA wisely
The likelihood of Tuesday dips is lower with MDMA sessions because first, a therapeutic dose of 75-125mg and therefore not the party doses of sometimes over 300mg, which causes more depletion of neurotransmitters. Often taking more no longer makes sense and it is wise to stop using. So more is not always better. Even at doses of 75-125mg MDMA in MDMA therapy, it is wise to include a recovery period of at least one month to avoid chronic loss of dopaminergic receptors in the brain.
Live healthy and feel better
Psychedelic therapy including MDMA therapy can make it easier to make the healthy choice. With or without a dip, it is advisable to eat healthy, exercise and engage in social interactions. So take advantage of the push to do the right thing. For example, read one of our blogs on health through the links below:
Healthy fats | Sugars and sweeteners | Amino acids and proteins | Anti-depression diet | The best diet
Our MDMA sessions
The MDMA sessions we supervise at Trip Therapy are less likely to have Tuesday dips, and we take neurochemistry into account already during the preparation. Based on the intake, we recommend what foods and supplements you can use to get a better balance of dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine and GABA even before the MDMA session. This preparation contributes to better sessions and better results. Would you like to do an MDMA session with us? Then first fill out the intake through the link below. We will immediately check if you have any contraindications.