Noteboom The Law Firm

Ecstasy May Work as Treatment for PTSD

July 22, 2010 - Most veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) undergo psychotherapy to some extent as part of their treatment. A recent completely randomized, double-blinded clinical trial study has found the "club drug" Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, may very well make help the veterans' psychotherapy to be more effective.

When veterans' treatment for their PTSD involves psychotherapy, those veterans revisit and face the trauma that caused their PTSD in a therapeutic setting. Many of these veterans, however, become quickly overwhelmed or numb with emotion and therapy then becomes impossible. Introducing MDMA into the therapy session decreased veterans' fear without dulling their emotions. Once this was accomplished, veterans were able to more fully engage their therapy.

The study consisted of 20 patients who had suffered from PTSD over an average of 19 years and have consistently failed to respond to psychotherapy and medications. Participants attended two 8-hour psychotherapy sessions a month apart. 12 patients took MDMA and the other 8 took a placebo. Both groups were given psychotherapy every week and before and after each session that included the MDMA and placebos. Before and after each session the patients' PTSD symptoms were evaluated by an independent psychologist.

In the end, over 80% of the patients using MDMA in conjunction with psychotherapy failed to meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. With the placebo group that number only reached 25%. Maybe most surprisingly, three patients unable to work because of their PTSD prior to the study were able to go back to work following their psychotherapy being coupled with MDMA.

This is the first study of its kind to assess using MDMA as a partner in psychotherapy sessions. During the study, no drug-related side effects were reported. The possibility of side-effects must be studied before these types of trials are continued on any more in-depth level.