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Study Study On Treating Ptsd With Mdma

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I have used mdma as a therapeutic tool. It has helped me a ton. I wouldn't recommend doing it the way I did as the process was horrendous - trust me there was no partying involved. All in all I am much better for it - but it was quite a ride. I believe strongly in the MAPS directive.

BTW I am not and never have been a drug user. I am not a drinker either. I was turned down for the study in BC, and was at wits end. It was that or death by insanity. Probably not a popular stance but I read and researched for 2 years before attempting this.
 
A cure? It isn't a magic pill that stops it immediately. There is still work to be done. Lots of it. However, when I was spun out on an internal conflict (which I believe is the root of PTSD - the bigger the traumas and the earlier they start the more conflicts) it allowed me to see things with a clarity that allowed me to detached from the ego - swallow some really hard truths about myself and digest them. I wouldn't be here without it. I would still be comatose and completely unable to function. It is not to be taken lightly. There was a time and a place for it and it has been years since I have ingested it. It must be looked at as a tool and NOT a way out of pain and suffering.
 
This is why titles like this should never be written at treating PTSD with MDMA, because that is inaccurate. Titles should reflect correctly the treatment, which is having excellent success (80% and better) in lowering symptoms below the PTSD threshold, being: "Treating Trauma with MDMA assisted Psychotherapy." That is what MDMA treats... trauma therapy. It doesn't treat PTSD. PTSD is lowered below the threshold for diagnosis by treating the underlying cause via therapy, being trauma.

This treatment would work for any trauma therapy, regardless of the end diagnosis.
 
This treatment would work for any trauma therapy, regardless of the end diagnosis.
Yes. Agreed. One thing I want to mention as a HUGE caution. I am not a drug user. Never have been, even as a teenager. I researched for two years as to the effects, I spoke to friends and family candidly about my plans, I made certain it was medical grade, and I prepared myself, had a safety plan etc. I did not take this lightly. If I had taken MDMA before I had proper processing tools, I would have gone stark, raving mad. I swear it was very hard work. I swore when I decided to use it that the moment I started to like it I would never take it again. That never happened. I NEVER liked it.

A for instance was my second 'session'. I saw the trauma clearly. It was a pillow over my head as a 9 month old baby and another even more grotesque trauma. Not only did I have to process what I saw in the moment but once I came down from the session (there was always someone with me), I also had to deal with how I felt after the session, the pieces I put together later (like why I hid under a bush at a sleep over as a pre-teen, where they had a pillow fight), the reactions of others when they heard that I had seen these things, the somatic responses that I had to deal with after the recovered memory came up (fainting whenever I saw a pillow), my T's reaction as I was always open about what I was doing, figuring out how the lies that were told to me when I saw the truth affected me, processing how I felt about a person who would do such a thing, the list goes on and on. I could write a book and nobody would understand. It was insane. My T's confirmed that my visions were exactly right as to the trauma and how it effected me but that was a small victory compared to the information I was processing.

I worry about teenagers that use this stuff. I saw terrifying things but I was cognizant of what my end goal was. Even thinking I was ready did not prepare me for what I saw when I sessioned. A teenager or older child with a past like mine or someone who was not prepared? It is no wonder that kids that use this stuff end up in mental wards. They haven't a clue what they are walking into.
 
Even thinking I was ready did not prepare me for what I saw when I sessioned.

Wow, I'm surprised. I've heard other sufferers say they really enjoyed it. Isn't it supposed to help you open your heart, feel empathy, and love for others? Were the things you "saw" accurate memories or dramatic recreations and visions? Were you full on hallucinating? Are you sure it was pure MDMA?
 
I am going to address each of these statements or questions directly as I think they are very important. Thanks for asking.

Are you sure it was pure MDMA?
Yes. I used the other form once by accident. I knew the difference immediately.

Were the things you "saw" accurate memories or dramatic recreations and visions?
Really good question. They were cognitive, reactive, sensory, somatic and sometimes dramatic re-creations. They were scarily accurate (as I found out two years later when I finally went for Children's Aid disclosure). Somehow, however, I already knew that the information garnered during the sessions were true. The disclosure just sealed the deal and for those who doubted that I wasn't just tripping out during my sessions - those who had been a part of them - well they just looked at me in awe. We were all changed by this experience dramatically, learning that the truth lies within and that our children remember every single thing that affects them. Everything.

Keep in mind that when sessioning, the mdma removes the user from the experience. There is no fear, the mdma regulates the memory so one is not overwhelmed in the moment. So for instance, with the pillow issue, I saw what happened (as if watching from above), I felt what happened, and of particular interest I saw my birth mother's eyes which wanted me dead. This would take on particular significance during a different session and drove an incredible need for me to see people's eyes as 'kind'. This opened up how I actually attract predators. This came to me over approximately 2 months after the session.

At the same time during this session, I wanted to deny the truth of it all. I kept seeing a pillow come down on me and my birth mother's face and said out loud over and over again 'NO!' It wasn't until I accepted the truth and resigned myself to a 'Yes' that the next thing hit me. Onwards..... Then it stopped and I processed what I had learned.

Were you full on hallucinating?
'Hallucination - experience a seemingly real perception of something not actually present'
as opposed to
'Delusional - a correctly sensed and interpreted stimulus (i.e., a real perception) is given some additional (and typically bizarre) significance'
So yes, given these definitions, what I experienced was definitely not delusional. It was a hallucination. However, I need to qualify that. These experiences were not based on something that was not actually present. You see, while I was sessioning I would get 'triggered'. For instance the pillow session was triggered by the pillow I was lying on during the session. The pillow was there. The perception of that pillow took on a new meaning which was inappropriate to the time I was resting on it - however, what I found to be fascinating was that I was triggering up all day every day to things that I didn't realize were triggering me because my memories of them were not conscious. As a result, after that session, I learned that pillows needed to be put away at all times - and the reason why they needed to be put away, whereas prior to the session I had no idea as to the significance of pillows in my trauma-esq behaviours and reactions and would walk into a room with pillows and react but have no idea what I was reacting to.

Wow, I'm surprised. I've heard other sufferers say they really enjoyed it.
I think many people who use Ecstasy (mixed mdma with other substances or sometimes no mdma at all!) can attest to having a bang up time. Pure mdma is something else altogether. I had an online friend who followed in my mdma footsteps. During one of her sessions (we did this via skype as she had nobody to be with her), I knew she was not using pure mdma immediately. She was having too much fun and not getting to issues. She switched her source and found true pure grade. I always knew if she was 'high' or truly sessioning. I refused to work with her if she was high. There one tends to fall into delusions rather than reality based sessioning. This can do severe damage as it will, in fact, implant false memories and thus a very real danger of making PTSD go from bad to horrendous.

Isn't it supposed to help you open your heart, feel empathy, and love for others?
Yes, it is meant to do that but again I warn that there is a difference between mdma and Ecstasy. Ecstasy is more the 'feel good' substance while mdma is more a 'see yourself and what constructs you have built and why' kind of substance. For me mdma was about 're-living the dream' but re-living it in such a way that I had a full-on, adult, executive functioning brain with which to process this information as opposed to a 13 month old brain. It was like a merging of the child and adult self that allowed for proper perspective. A once removed perspective. For instance, I had one session where I realized why I all of the sudden had a huge attachment to teddy bears. I couldn't protect myself, therefore I protected my teddy. That lead me to understand why I had always protected others fiercely when I could NOT protect myself. Eureka! I got it! When I came to this site I again fell into the 'protect other members' behaviour (which didn't go over too well :)) but recognized what I was doing and why.

Yes, the memories were real. There was no hallucinating - as I would call it something different. I felt like I was in a part of my brain that I had no business being in. It was, however, very real in the moment as I had been triggered and reacting to it in the moment. I saw the expressions,I saw and felt the intention of others, I saw and relived my reactions to what was done to me. It was quite a ride.

Love and Light
Shimmerz
 
I've heard other sufferers say they really enjoyed it. Isn't it supposed to help you open your heart, feel empathy, and love for others?
This is a little bit of fallacy between recreational use versus medical MDMA within a "therapeutic" environment. If a client sat their expressing their love and such for the world, then it really wouldn't have much purpose in psychotherapy. Again... it all comes down to the level of PTSD a person is suffering based on the level of trauma they've endured. Some people have PTSD for far less than others, some more, and every one reacts differently to both.

Psychotherapeutic MDMA sessions are supposed to only be used for traumatic discovery, and NOT just for therapeutic use. The whole concept, and associated studies on this, are all based on psychotherapy, not counselling uses. Giving it to a couple for couple therapy would be interesting, no doubt about it, but probably create more issues than do good. Giving it to someone keeping secrets and lots of trauma tucked deep within them that is causing disabling PTSD symptoms for them... MDMA should break down the barrier and allow the person to open up. So... according to studies use, technically a person in this situation shouldn't be feeling warm and fluffy as the effects wear off and the reality of disclosure, memory recollection and piecing together fragmented memories into an entire picture... I would imagine this to be the same as those who can disclose their trauma and endure this without the use of MDMA.

Same outcome... things are going to get worse before they get better, but the long term goal is huge symptom relief. Some can just get there themselves, some can't. This will have a huge impact, IMHO, in both complex childhood trauma and combat trauma. These are the two primary trauma types where lots of secrets are held / memories are fragmented.
 
@shimmerz, wow, thanks for all that information. I feel a lot more knowledgeable now.


I think many people who use Ecstasy (mixed mdma with other substances or sometimes no mdma at all!) can attest to having a bang up time. Pure mdma is something else altogether.

I only refer to people who have used pure MDMA in a therapeutic setting. I know "ecstasy" is usually bunk. What really made me want to try it was a video segment on "The Verge" called "Ecstatic States" where a Vietnam vet described his first experience with it. He was alone, if that's in any way significant, and he had - not a bang up time - but a healing, an epiphany; he reopened himself to the world around him and came out of hiding. I'm interested in the heart-opening properties because I am utterly agoraphobic and afraid of people. I can't even watch a movie anymore, because I'm made uncomfortable by the actors' faces on the tv screen.

Do you mind me asking about the circumstances of your session? Were you with a therapist?

This opened up how I actually attract predators.

Could you impart any of what you learned about how you attract predators? At one time in my life, I seemed to be a magnet for people on the sociopath/narcissist spectrum.
 
Erowid has ton of information on mdma and other people's reactions to the drug. I have heard a ton of good about their experiences. That might be a good place to start delving into experiences. @anthony I absolutely agree with. It depends on the depth of trauma and the constructs we have built around ourselves. Is it developmental or otherwise. Personally I think if we all did a few sessions this world would be a much nicer and healthier place. Perhaps not a popular opinion, but mine just the same :).

@Dana1010 , you ask me anything you would like to. I am happy to share my experiences. Fire away :)

So, in answer to your question of whether I was with a therapist....no, I was not. Not proud of it but lord knows I tried. However, I had a therapist and went to him after each session for verification that these sessions rang true to him. They did. One year after I left him I went back for a tune up. After speaking with him for a few minutes he dropped his pen on the pad of paper in his lap, mouth agape and eyes wide open 'How on earth did you do this?' I had greatly improved and was managing my dissociation, was fainting but not for five days at a time, was able to go outside, etc, etc, etc. It was incredible but I am still to this day integrating what I learned in those sessions.

Could you impart any of what you learned about how you attract predators?
Keep in mind this is what I was doing - not necessarily what you are doing. For myself, it was all in the eyes. I had a friend who drove me to a busy park in the area while I was sessioning because I could not seem to walk anywhere that people were. As it seems you may know, that is really freaking annoying. I was, at one time, a very social person.

Anyways, as I was sessioning, people were walking past my friend and I. What I noticed was that I looked everyone in the eye and I literally was begging for them to give me eye contact. Then I realized that once I got eye contact I needed a smile. This behaviour was broadcasting that I was wide open. As if I had a sign on me that said 'I need your approval'. All my life I had been like this and not known the implications of it. As a result from that epiphany, I recognized that I had to switch my behaviour. So, I forced myself not to look at those I was passing in the eye. Really freaking uncomfortable. So uncomfortable, as a matter of fact, that I felt like, as they walked past me that they were going to attack me from the rear. Wow! Talk about dismantling a behaviour!

So you see, my sudden fear of being in crowds, being in malls, being anywhere that I couldn't see everyone with absolute clarity and a direct line to all doors came down to the feeling that I couldn't manage everyone around me and this underlying feeling that from out of nowhere I would be attacked. That evening while I was with my friend, I worked on this issue. Mdma is supposed to obliterate fear. It did not this particular evening so I knew that this was a deep one. At the time I failed to realize the sociopathic/narcissistic magnet issue that this lead to all through my life. It took a while for this to unravel into a congruent (of the geometric meaning) thought pattern. The meaning of the eyes were super imposed upon by the meaning of the attack from behind, which were super imposed upon by the sociopath link, which had meaning in my relationship with my mother who wouldn't allow me outside as she was afraid I would be harmed, etc, etc, etc. A web made out of one simple patterned behaviour based on fear. Remove the fear you can see the behaviour. See the behaviour, you can remove the fear.

I no longer look people in the eye while walking past them. I no longer have the need to have people validate with a 'feel good' smile. That means to me that I no longer have to worry about attracting sociopaths. There are a ton of steps in between, but hopefully you find meaning in this to take away with you.
 
I forgot to address the tv issue as well. I would faint every time I watched tv. The eyes had a ton to do with that too. If there was a sudden flash of anger in the actors eyes I would drop to the ground no matter where I was. I learned from tv that I was sensitive to:
anger
frustration
ridicule
dismissal
contempt
'killing' eyes or body language

Also television combined with any screaming or arguing of any type on the tube. Oddly enough, I haven't watched tv most of my life. I now know why. I am slowly exposing myself to television again. I have to limit what I watch but I don't feel that is a bad thing really. The problem is though that if I can't see it on tv without reacting then I certainly can't deal with it IRL. So tv is (dare I say) a monitoring tool for me right now. It helps me to see what I am still vulnerable to in people's behaviours.
 
That means to me that I no longer have to worry about attracting sociopaths.

Good post, but one thing - how does needing to be validated with a smile lead to attracting sociopaths?

Also, did it help you feel less afraid of people and crowds? And do you think it's necessary to session around people like you did in the park?
 
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