The military is always looking for a quick fix to get their soldiers back to active status and the therapy being used now just isn't cutting it. It's costing the government a large amount of money each year and the findings from other studies of treatments being used are not very effective. So what if we could use MDMA (ecstasy) to save money and find a faster route to allow veterans to become normal again.
One study looked at long-term follow up of patients who received MDMA (ecstasy) with psychotherapy. The article reviewed 19 of the 20 subjects, that either received the drug or with an inactive placebo. Eventually all 20 subjects were given MDMA but one did not want to take the drug. For the data collected about the risk of substance abuse, it was found that if used in a clinical setting, there was minimal risk for subjects to become dependent. The findings also found that non of the subjects developed any type of substance abuse with MDMA. It also showed that while PTSD patients usually have substance abuse, they use this to escape or self-medicate, the good outcome of this study showed that psychotherapy and MDMA use allowed for a subjects motivation for drug abuse would be reduced.
The study also found that the subjects had improvements in areas of self-awareness, improved relationships, an enhanced spiritual life, and more involvement in the community. The subjects also reported that there therapy sessions were more meaningful and that their lives improved. The down fall of a study like this is that some subjects were taking other medications and the sample size was very small.
The study has shown that the use of MDMA in psychotherapy is beneficial and promising because the methods being used now for PTSD patients, has proven to not be very effective, leaving patients with feeling helpless. This study reported no cases of substance abuse and no reports of neurocognitive decline. With all studies there are limitations but if studies in the future can design a better survey and designs and use military veterans with PTSD, the future may find better methods of using MDMA in a controlled therapy session. Further research could help validate MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and could become a very important treatment option.
Although this type of study is very controversal, it has shown in numerous studies that it has helped subjects with PTSD symptoms with little or no negative effects on the brain or drug use. I think more research needs to be done on the side effects, if there is neurocognitive decline, and if this would be a more effective quick fix that the military is looking for.
What do you think future research should do to get more participants? Or do you think this is just a joke and we should focus on legal ways to help PTSD patients?
Mithoefer, M. C. Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford). (01/2013) , 27 (1), p. 28 - 39.
It is interesting to read the results of this study, particularly that none of the patients became dependent and that they all experienced such improvement in their daily lives. I am a supporter of holistic medication and therapy processes so I think investigation and research that offers insight into anything that works is a good thing. Having said that I have major hesitations about the implications and long term side effects of MDMA. The study claims that the participants did not become dependent but they probably would with prolonged use. Additionally, an after-effect of the drug is depression because it depletes dopamine. With prolonged use, dopamine can stop being released all together. This is a very dangerous implication for soldiers who are already suffering and who have access to firearms. Although, I think it is important to note that the MDMA used in the study is likely manufactured safely in a lab with no synthetics or dangerous toxins so the lab MDMA is likely much more safe than MDMA found on the street. It also may be less strong and therefor have less extreme side effects. Also, as you mentioned, the doses are controlled. I would definitely give this treatment approach a chance if these findings could be extensively replicated.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I like the way you explain with clarity. It makes the article easy to understand. One thing I liked about the experiment was that it had a positive effect on their lives. As you mention that "subjects had improvements in areas of self-awareness, improved relationships, an enhanced spiritual life, and more involvement in the community" I think this was the best part. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if this can really help, then it should be done. This is a manufactured drug and for the most part, I do not see why it should be treated any worse than a prescription pain killer. MDMA could be considered a type of medicine for these situations and if it is regulated in the way it is consumed by the patients, then it should be okay. Many could say that it causes deaths and speeds up the heart rate of people, but so does red bull and that is perfectly legal. The only thing that could potentially be a serious problem is the after affects of the MDMA. They could possibly make the affects of PTSD worse after the use of the drug.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part about your post here is where you talk about how using a drug like MDMA for people with PTSD can actually help them get over and avoid other kinds of drug issues that people with this condition usually have. I think this is a very valuable piece of research that people who want to try and make MDMA legal for therapy can use to support their case that in the right setting the drug can be taken in a safe way that helps people overcome emotional and mental problems. Not every drug is the same as heroin, and some drugs like MDMA aren't really addictive at all.
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