- Veterans Affairs reports that 18 veterans perish each day from suicide, and many suffer from PTSD.
- MDMA could be approved by the FDA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in 2023.
- MDMA paired alongside therapy has shown remarkable improvement in PTSD sufferers.
Maybe you or someone you care about has suffered from PTSD. MedicationTherapy and psychotherapy. It is heartbreaking to see someone you love struggling, especially when efforts to find relief only lead to frustration and hopelessness. People with PTSD often feel unsafe and distrustful. This can make treatment more difficult.
As a psychotherapist, many of my patients have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. I’ve seen them take antidepressants or anxiety medication. But, there have also been many others who weren’t helped. Some patients find them less effective with time. Many people can’t afford long-term care or can’t handle the trials and errors it takes to find a combination of medications that works.
I’ve noticed an increase in PTSD symptoms after the pandemic. PTSD could be caused by traumatic events such as the death of a loved member or COVID-19.
Many people have found hope in the therapeutic use of MDMA and other psychedelics.
There have been no new treatmentsOver 20 years of research has been done on PTSD. There are many side effects and the existing treatments don’t work for everyone. The Department of Veterans Affairs reportedEach day, 18 veterans commit suicide. Many veterans also suffer from PTSD.
To speed up the approval of drugs for people suffering from PTSD, a new team was formed at the Food and Drug Administration.
This May ResultsThe results of a phase three clinical trial were published in Nature Medicine. They showed that 67% patients suffering from PTSD after receiving a combination MDMA/psychotherapy treatment did not meet the criteria of PTSD.
In fact, FDA was so impressedMDMA’s effectiveness in treating PTSD made it a very fast track drug to approval. A person with PTSD might be able, as early as 2023 to see a doctor and therapist to receive treatment. MDMA-assisted treatment.
This is how MDMA therapy in trials works
The clinical trials involve patients sitting with a team consisting of two therapists. These sessions last between six and eight hours and include additional pre- and after-therapy to prepare for the experience. The clinical trials are conducted in three sessions. “trip,”To maintain their inner focus, they listen to specially-designed music and wear an optical mask.
Many people with PTSD find it difficult to talk about their trauma. The clinical trials showed that patients were able revisit trauma without panic attacks or terror, often with more empathy.
After three sessions of eight-hour MDMA-assisted therapy, many reported having a different perspective and a better understanding of what had happened. Many also said that their ability to feel many emotions (grief), rage, fear or joy) without feeling overwhelmed was improved.
These medications are not recommended for everyone. A psychedelic experience can lead to vivid memories and insights that may not be possible for everyone. Combining them with antidepressants and medications can make them dangerous. Studies have shown that psychotherapy and the medicines work best together.
MDMA therapy would be a revolutionary treatment if it was legalized by FDA. revolutionizeOur mental-health system and provide PTSD patients with only a few treatments with lasting effects.
Rebecca HendrixNew York City-based integrative holistic psychotherapist, writer and author. Follow her Instagram @rebeccahendrixlmft.