2024-01-11 20:11:53
Title: Researchers Push for Approval of MDMA as Treatment for PTSD
By: Nico Reiter
January 11, 2024, 7:11 p.m
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of California have found that MDMA, commonly known as a party drug, could be a potential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study, led by neurologist Jennifer Mitchell, tested the effects of MDMA on PTSD patients and yielded positive results, prompting a push for its approval as a therapy for PTSD.
The study, which spanned over 18 weeks, involved administering MDMA to participants three times in addition to regular psychotherapy. The results revealed that 71 percent of patients in the medication group no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD after treatment, compared to only 48 percent in the control group who received placebo pills. Importantly, no physical dependence on MDMA was observed, and the risk of addiction was found to be lower than with other drugs.
MDMA has empathogenic and entactogenic effects, meaning it increases social interaction and awareness of one’s own feelings. It can also reduce fear of memories and inhibitions about discussing them in therapy. According to Dimitris Repantis, co-head of the Psychedelic Substances Research Group, the use of MDMA in trauma therapy can facilitate interventions that would otherwise require strong intervention from the therapist.
The positive results of the study have sparked hope for the approval of MDMA as a PTSD treatment in the United States. This move follows similar approval in Australia in the summer of 2023. While a preparatory study for MDMA approval in trauma therapy is underway in Europe, the process is expected to take several years in Germany.
The research group’s findings are particularly important in addressing the PTSD needs of ethnically diverse groups, as minorities are more likely to be affected by traumatic events. With the potential approval of MDMA as a PTSD treatment, it could offer a promising alternative to traditional psychotherapy, providing new hope for individuals suffering from this debilitating condition.]
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