It could be that MDMA abuse just has negative affects versus something in a controlled setting for therapy.
I was a mess as a human being for a big chunk of that time frame, but ten years later I’m a senior software developer making very good money, with a wife and kids. As far as I can tell, I’ve had zero long term negative effects from years of poly drug abuse, even though if you had talked to me at the time, you’d have thought I was a drug casualty. (Though I was working as a network engineer and getting promotions and raises the entire time.)
I wouldn’t _recommend_ going crazy with it like i did, but part of the problem I had was that all of the scare tactics I had heard were transparent lies, and the real issues around drug use were much more subtle that I had need prepared to look out for.
During my final years of the university I had spent 1 to 2 years being absolutely stoned - even had the same routine described in Infinite Jest, where I would plan for the week, how much and when should I smoke.
Over that time those who would notice me being sober would assume I was actually stoned, due to the visible changes in my behaviour. Again, not a single person knew me sober: not coworkers and neither any of my friends.
I had successfully finished the university since then and I am currently working a senior software engineer in London City.
Neither would I recommend trying the same - but what I did learn was that anything officially stated about that drug is way far away from the truth, and that _is_ the problem. The devil is in the subtleties.