Mdma Therapy. Experiences? Opinions?

[shandemonium]

OMG HOOK ME UP!!! :)

Side note, back in the day, Tim Leary used LSD in psychotherapy and had great results, especially with alcoholics.

Sometimes good drugs get outlawed while bad ones get commercials...

 

[anthony]

Before this gets out of control, like every time this subject comes up, please be specific in responses relating to MDMA as "assisted psychotherapy" which is not to be confused with LSD, Ecstasy or any other street drug. This is pharmaceutical grade treatment by dose with zero addiction, whilst under the controlled supervision of a therapeutic professional, and not taken at home to chill out or such.

 

[joeylittle]

I do not know for certain that he has practiced this sort of thing before. However, he has practiced hypnotherapy in the past, so he is experienced with altered states of consciousness. We've only had one discussion on the topic, last week, but your question is well suited for followup for this week.

Definitely worth talking about. Personally, I'd be thinking about how to make him better prepared on the trauma end, that's all. But I don't think lack of experience would stop me from doing this, so long as I trusted my therapist to be good at their job. I don't think (from what I've read) that there's any crisis risk - it's more a question of does he know how to prompt without leading? Hypnotherapists I think are more trained in suggestive prompting.

Keep us posted. I'm really excited for you.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I somehow don't think you're going to get the results you're looking for as you approached this T, he's learning how to do the therapy out of a manual......not with hands on training. I understand wanting to use this technique, but it seems like you're sugar coating it all.

Bottom line, you are getting the drug, taking it to your T who hasn't received proper training, and hope it all goes well.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[anthony]

I somehow don't think you're going to get the results you're looking for as you approached this T, he's learning how to do the therapy out of a manual

Any therapist should be able to deliver the therapy, as MDMA treatment is not a therapeutic technique, it is using MDMA to relax the client to break down their barriers of fear and other controlling emotions that stop them sharing entirely, or openly, about an issue. Every therapist should use it IMHO, it would cut therapy down significantly by removing a lot of the issues from the clients, thus cutting through the process faster for all concerned.

I do agree that buying it yourself and doing it this way is not exactly what I had in mind versus the sponsored trials of MDMA therapy. Not sure whether the T could lose their license for that one or not... treating a client under the influence of illicit drugs without endorsement.

Saying that... I also understand the people are getting desperate with therapy intervention. Its like an immovable object. The therapist can see the client holding back, keeping secrets, not fully disclosing, and can't do much to get it. The client holds back due to fear of symptoms, shame, guilt and a laundry list of emotions and reasons, thus stalling their own progress until they finally disclose, if ever.

In the scheme of the US VA and other government clinics delivering therapy for free, this would free them up 10 fold, getting more people through with faster results, let alone longevity results.

 

[shimmerz]

Every therapist should use it IMHO,

Thank you. I wish before people ranged out over this topic that they would educate themselves. This therapy has been proven to expedite the therapy process.

http://www.maps.org/research/psilo-lsd

Tim Leary used LSD in psychotherapy and had great results, especially with alcoholics.

please be specific in responses relating to MDMA as "assisted psychotherapy" which is not to be confused with LSD

@anthony
Our recently completed Phase 2 pilot study in 12 subjects found positive trends in the reduction of anxiety following two LSD-assisted psychotherapy sessions. The study results also indicate that LSD-assisted psychotherapy can be safely administered in these subjects, and justify further research.

Before this gets out of control, like every time this subject comes up, please be specific in responses relating to MDMA as "assisted psychotherapy"

The problem with this is because MDMA and LSD are Schedule 1 drugs, the 'assisted psychotherapy' information is so very limited. Here is a link for MAPS, which has been working for 30 years, (30 years!) to bring these drugs to completed trial. LSD is in trial. It will be decades, if not more, before this potentially life saving drug becomes available.

I shake my head at the reactions to all of this on this board. I understand not wanting to hear about people who do this without a therapist, but goddammit! They can't get a therapist! Do you understand that these drugs (MDMA and LSD) may work to truly enhance the quality of our lives???? Do you understand how many children may not be raised by an alcoholic parent if LSD was given a fair shot at trial and roll out if successful? What is wrong with talking about this?

We should all be really mad about the government shutting down the potential for a drug that would greatly ease our suffering. But I can't even really say that because they won't allow proper trials, leading us down the rabbit hole of, when wanting to talk about it, everyone ranting for proof that it works! Arrrrrggggghhhhh! We should be pissed that the governments are not testing the crap out of these substances! 30 years MAPS has been ringing the bell on MDMA! If studies are done then at least we at least have a chance at a definitive answer. We all deserve that.

If you want to be pissed off at something, put your energy into getting the government to get moving on this stuff. Sign petitions, support MAPS, keep up to date on their studies, write letters to the powers that be and spread the word. We deserve proper studies ffs.

Sometimes good drugs get outlawed while bad ones get commercials...

Because the above statement is perhaps true, and that is a joke. A sick, twisted joke.

 

[WhisperingUnicorn]

Wow, I have never heard of this kind of treatment .. I have had some prejudices about this kind of "medication" because of how it is prohibited in recreational use, but this has given me a whole new set of things to research as I investigate best options for my SO's struggles. Hm ... thank you for this!

 

[digger]

The therapist can see the client holding back, keeping secrets, not fully disclosing, and can't do much to get it. The client holds back due to fear of symptoms, shame, guilt and a laundry list of emotions and reasons, thus stalling their own progress until they finally disclose,

Absolutely the reason why I'd seriously consider it if a safe opportunity to were to present itself.

 

[Lucycat]

http://www.talktofrank.com/drug/ecstasy

Before this gets out of control, like every time this subject comes up, please be specific in responses relating to MDMA as "assisted psychotherapy" which is not to be confused with LSD, Ecstasy or any other street drug.

Now I am totally confused. You will see from the above UK link that here MDMA is Ecstasy so I don't understand what you are saying.

 

[digger]

If you read down on that link @Lucycat, it explains it a bit

"A big problem with ecstasy is that it’s rarely pure. Sometimes, there is no MDMA at all. Sometimes, it contains other drugs, like PMA, which can be fatal. Regardless of what it looks like and what it is called, you can’t be sure what’s in a pill or a powder and you can’t predict how you’ll react"

MDMA is the pure form of the drug. Street bought ecstasy is rarely pure, it is often cut with other stuff and you never know exactly what you're getting.

 

[moonbeam]

Side effects of MDMA are benign unless I fail to hydrate properly or I have a heart condition. Precautions are taken against both. I quote from MAPS: "No study participants have had a severe adverse reaction."

I was going to say sign me up. And then I realised I may already be disqualified.

Still please let us know if you do decide to try it and how it goes.

 

[anthony]

They can't get a therapist! Do you understand that these drugs (MDMA and LSD) may work to truly enhance the quality of our lives????

If they can't get a therapist that is willing to treat them with LSD or MDMA psychotherapy, then I don't understand your reference here. This to me implies you want people to just get high without the therapy, to treat PTSD. LSD and MDMA don't treat PTSD by themselves... and statements like this imply they do. Lets hand out drugs for people to get high, jump in their car thinking they're A-O-K and then kill a family of kids and their parents driving down the road because the high person didn't react, didn't see them, was too busy spaced out, laughing at something idiotic, the list goes on.

Not sure about your context there...