News Ecstasy... A Possible Treatment For PTSD

[mamachick]

Wow. This is one study I would not participate in. Guess Im cowardly in that respect. I even fear changing anti depressants. I think things can always get worse. Ive experienced it.

 

[Zef]

In college, I self-treated with psychedelics (LSD, mushrooms) about four times a year. They were successful in reducing symptoms for weeks at a time. Just mentioning that because I think the MDMA research has a very favorable chance of proving effective and is nothing for PTSD sufferers to fear.

If there were a brand new drug, with no stigma attached, that would allow us to do months worth of trauma processing in a single half-day therapy session, I think we would all be excited about it. This is what the early research in MDMA is showing.

Of course, at least in America, it will never be legalized for medical use unless the political landscape changes drastically, (or a drug company is able to patent it). Anthony, feel free to correct me, but I believe that right now, the MDMA research is showing more promise than any other current research being done.

 

[saffy]

Saffy, it is MDMA, not MDNA.

You are correct sorry should have checked my spelling. Thank you for pointing it out. I'll be more careful in the future. It's habit because we call it Mandy. :)
Saffy

 

[saffy]

There is one thing I definately got from the show though, is that it would not be suitable for those suffering from combat PTSD. The reason is this; Military people are trained to be in control and not loose it in times of possible threat. Therefore, a military man would see taking a substance that is not predictibe as a threat and so will fight the drug and cause self conflict.

In comparrison, the vicar who is much more trusting and open would embrace the feeling of pure euphoria and gain from it, in fact there was a female vicar who suffered from PTSD who took part in the live drug trial.

I find this very interesting and ill keep an eye on any more updates.

Best wishes
Saffy :)

 

[anthony]

There is one thing I definately got from the show though, is that it would not be suitable for those suffering from combat PTSD.

Actually it is quite the opposite. Veterans are typically open to taking any drug, regardless of the consequences, if it numbs their feelings and thoughts.

One of the reasons military get used, beyond just being a collective easy group to isolate, is that the training opens them to being easily experimented upon, being orders based. The affect of combat makes them susceptible to influence for a quick fix, ie. drug based.

There are more veterans who turn towards drugs than civilians, as a coping mechanism, due to being a direct consequence of numbing that is trained within the military.

 

[Girl3]

There is one randomized placebo controlled study reported in the medical literature. The other articles are case reports which are neither randomized nor blinded. The RCT from the Medical University of South Carolina enrolled 20 patients. The MDMA used in the study was compounded and standardized and both groups received the same talk therapy (two 8 hour sessions). There was a significant improvement in the MDMA group. Ketamine has shown similar improvement in different clinical use for PTSD.

No one should think that self-treatment with either drug is a good idea however.

 

[mamachick]

I am no expert by any means.

When I was in grad school I dated a therapist (former marriage counselor) who was so in love with me. (sociopath) Every 2 weeks my kids stayed with their father and I could stay with him. Every time I did, he brought out some pot and we had a couple hits in his hot tub. I would remember the beginning of sex and then there was a 4 hour gap before I remembered again. I became exhausted but disgusted-at myself-how could we have had sex for all these hours. I was aware that his best friend is the head of a sleep clinic and I saw him give the bf hash.? never used it with him. I was clearly being drugged with something and it was later suggested that it was MDMA. He also knew I took Ambien on occasion and it was a hypnotic. I never took it before these episodes. I know that I was being drugged with something., yet he was a real gas-lighter (crazy maker) and would be very comforting. Eventually other stuff happened, like sexual letters, dead animals, and threatening calls and I ditched him, painfully.

Does this sound like MDMA? combined with something else.?

 

[saffy]

Actually it is quite the opposite

I have also been emailing the researcher David Nutt on this theory and it seems that this is a definate factor that will be researched further.

Does this sound like MDMA? combined with something else.?

HI Brat17 Im sorry to hear that this 'therapist' may have 'spiked' you. That is the lowest of the low. Pure MDMA does cause euphoria but you are usually lucid through it, in my experience, however, there are a lot of date rape drugs, even speed or ketamin mixed with other stuff can cause unwanted behviours that can be out of our control, so it may be anything.

However, if a 'person' does this to you that is totally unacceptable and you should, however painfull at the time, loose contact as it certainly will be beneficial to you in the long run. I am disgusted that it was a therapist also and they should be struck off in my opinion.

best wishes
Saffy

 

[Philippa]

I've never known MDMA or ecstasy to cause blackouts or time lost. You are usually completely with it for the whole experience. If he was spiking you, it may have been with rufies or xanax, or some other sedative that might make you sleep?

Did you have anything to drink with him, that he could have slipped powdered substance into brat?

 

[Girl3]

Rohypnol or GHB would be the most likely. Ketamine doesn't guarantee lack of awareness - it dissociates the thinking brain from the limbic brain so it screws up your ability to think about things cogently. But if you give someone a big enough dose of Xanax - they could easily lose four hours.

 

[saffy]

HI

I have been sent this link to a research article in the Journal of Psychopharmacology by David Nutt.

It is a follow on from the live drugs trial recently.

http://jop.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/08/29/0269881112456611.full

best wishes
Saffy :)

 

[anthony]

I think someone should be smacked for trying to sell that after-study report as anything conclusive. It contained a small subject group, then they added a key piece of information which IMHO tossed it out the door near immediately, is that they're basing a success on less than 20 participants, of whom this follow-up is 3 1/2 years after the 2 month treatment.

That type of time frame after a treatment is simply silly for a follow-up claim. So much happens in a persons life, and time itself is a natural therapeutic intervention.

If they did this is 3 - 6 - 12 month type follow-up and had a high success, I would take more notice. But years... that is ridiculous to try and claim a 2 month process using 4 treatments of MDMA claimed any successes to those participants.