Introduction to the Empathogenic drug class
The group of drugs refered to as Empathogens or empathogenic-substances is a special group of chemicals which very comonly produce a strong state of empathy amoungst a human ingester. These chemicals are said to induce quite realistic, and sometimes forcefully, natural, human empathetic states. These drugs have been proven to be great therapy tools. They are claimed to be altruistic in effect in opposition to a selfish profile that other abusable drugs are claimed to be, with negligable addiction potential for most users. Although, even though these substances are considered altruistic, it should be realized that these substances or more of a catalyst to empathy, problems solving, therapy, and social reinforcement, which means that they are not magic, per se.
Examples of Empathogenic substances
There are no legal medications or chemicals that have came even close to the efficacy of drugs in this class as therepeutic tools or anxiety angents, or etc. The most popular empathogenic drug known with remarkable and unique effects, is MDMA, which is known on the street as ecstacy. MDMA and it's unique empathetic anlogues are not approved for therapy or medication as of now, which is supprising, because it once was, and may be in the future. There currently is ongoing research and studies and even trials with MDMA in order to possibly legalize it. Other MDMA analogs that exist, include: MDA, MDEA, MBDB, bk-MDMA, bk-MBDB, AET, amoung literally dozens of others. MDMA is the only one being studied, funded by the US govenrment.
Theorized and anecdotal effects of empathogens such as MDMA
MDMA for example, was shown in rodent tests, to release oxytocin, the chemical of love and bonding. MDMA and it's empathogenic analogs are proven to work by strong Serotinin(very prominent brain cell and receptor system) activation via a few different theories of how they cause intense happy and empathogen-entactogenic effects. The serotonin activation indirectly causes a high for the user at high doses because it secondarily activates the dopamine system, which is what drugs of abuse also happen to activate, which makes a user more talkative and open and energetic. Although, what makes these empathogens work is the oxytocin activation, by theory. Wether or not we are talking about normal human empathy, or drug-catalyzed empathy, oxytocin plays in both roles which is highly theorized and shown in studies today. Oxytocin is also proven to be released in a large amount during sexual orgasm. Dopamine activation is also in better activation during normal love aswell. Also, there are other neurotransmitters involved with MDMA, one other being norepinephrine. MDMA also causes alot of positive ions to be released witch excites the user. Although oxytocin promotes "love" from this drug class, it is only part of the action of these drugs so it should be realized that this class of "Empathogens" do more than just create empathy which means the name isn't too specific. Empathy in general, can be an axious, unwanted feeling, even though it appears to be an altruistic term, so unique analogues may not be therepeutical if they only allow empathy. In the case of MDMA as being the "king" of the empathogen class, this special most-unique drug induces great therapy because it allows most people to feel confortable and close with there inner-selfs and the coupled empathy in which they experience. So conclusions about empathogens or the state of empathy in general is that they both cause similar actions in a human-being, during the imfamous state of "love". This is why MDMA is called a love, or hug drug.
Other uses
Other people have used empathogens for other reasons aswell because it also creates a "high" similar to other drugs, or very mild, supposed psychedelia states. But the popular drugs in the empathogens group commonly create a mix of effects, with an exception to unique analogs such as butylone, perhaps. These mixed effects create the "empathogen" class even though it's not specific to the term empathogen, which means that this class is very unique compared to "dirty drugs", or tipical ones. Some believe that it is similar to alot of other drug classes like stimulants, psychedelics, opiates, etc. These drugs(mainly MDMA, and MDA) are very popular in the rave scene because ravers can "connect", dance freely, open up, and also have have alot of energy aswell.