Did you know that more than half of all people experience at least one trauma at some point in their lives?
Even though most people suffer from trauma, it can feel like you are alone if you’ve unsuccessfully tried many kinds of therapy. But don’t give up hope. More people are choosing to participate in MDMA therapy to treat their traumas.
We’ve written a guide to help you understand what this therapy is all about and how it might be able to help you to get better. Read on if you are interested in finding out more.
What Is MDMA?
MDMA is a stimulant that can sometimes cause hallucinations in those who take it. It was originally created in 1914 as an appetite suppressant. Most people had never heard about MDMA until it started gaining popularity in the 1980s.
It was during this time that younger people started taking it at music festivals and all-night dance parties known as raves. Its street names include Molly, X, Ecstasy, and XTC.
Those who consume MDMA report feeling euphoric, and full of energy. They also tend to feel more receptive to intimacy, which means that it’s easier for people to form emotional connections with others when they take MDMA.
The mainstream media began publishing many news stories about MDMA in the 1980s about the dangers of taking the substance. These stories focused on vilifying it as a dangerous street drug that needed to be banned.
In response to its surge in popularity on the street, US politicians passed a law in 1985 to classify MDMA as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
This means that the law started treating it as a substance that had a high potential for abuse. As a schedule 1 substance, it was also deemed to have no legitimate medical purpose.
Medical Value of MDMA
The problem with classifying MDMA as a schedule 1 substance is that scientists believe it does have immense medicinal value.
Few people realize that when the United States government made the move to classify MDMA as a schedule 1 substance, various important scientific studies were underway.
These studies were exploring the substance’s potential to help people who suffer from conditions such as PTSD.
Scientists had to shut their studies down once the government restricted the use of MDMA.
It was not until 2017 that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the green light to restart research on the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy for those who suffer from trauma.
In recent years, researchers have learned a lot about the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy: Promising Studies
An organization called the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is currently wrapping up phase 3 clinical trials to find out how effective the substance is at treating PTSD.
The organization is finding that when MDMA is combined with talk therapy, it is much more effective at treating PTSD than talk therapy alone.
Rick Doblin, who is the founder of MAPS, has a lot to say about the therapeutic benefits of using MDMA for trauma. He reports that during their recent study “we had really great effect sizes, and we had a great safety record.”
The researchers worked with ninety participants. They offered half of the participants MDMA-assisted therapy.
They gave the other half of the participants a placebo. Members of both groups received identical talk therapy.
Amazingly, more than two-thirds of the people who were offered the MDMA-assisted therapy no longer had PTSD after participating in just three sessions. Only about a third of those who were in the placebo group no longer had PTSD.
It’s important to understand that since there were only ninety participants, this was a very small trial.
This is why many researchers are waiting to jump to conclusions about the therapeutic benefits of using MDMA.
They want to make sure that more studies are done that work with people who suffer from addictions and other kinds of psychiatric conditions.
How MDMA Works
MDMA increases the activity of important neurotransmitters. This includes serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. These neurotransmitters bind to the brain’s receptors.
Scientists are still in the process of figuring out why and how this changes how people think and feel.
People who use MDMA find it easier to shift their attention towards more positive experiences. At the same time, they don’t feel held back by their negative feelings.
People find it easier to connect with others when they use MDMA. Researchers believe that this is because it increases how much oxytocin is in the brain.
This neurotransmitter is an important hormone that plays a role in how humans bond. Women tend to release high amounts of this hormone when they are breastfeeding, which strengthens the bond between a mother and her child.
MDMA Therapy for PTSD: How it Can Help
After somebody experiences a traumatic event, it’s possible that they will develop PTSD. It’s especially common for people to suffer from PTSD if they have been in a serious accident, have been a victim of sexual abuse, or have been in a war.
Those who suffer from PTSD often have flashbacks or nightmares. This means that they must relive their memories. Those who have severe PTSD are often suicidal.
There are no medications on the market that can treat this condition. But there are various medicines that people take to treat their symptoms.
More people who suffer from PTSD are also choosing to participate in ketamine-assisted therapy.
It’s also common for those who suffer from PTSD to participate in talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. The problem is that more than thirty percent of those who participate in talk therapy end up dropping out.
And more than half of all participants still have PTSD symptoms after they’re finished with talk therapy.
This is one of the reasons why so many clinical psychologists and researchers are excited about the therapeutic potential of using MDMA as a tool for therapy.
Experts have noticed how people tend to open up about and start working through traumatic experiences when they use MDMA in therapeutic settings.
People also find it easier to process challenging emotions, do self-reflection, and draw meaning from events that have triggered their conditions.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy: What it Looks Like
It’s important to realize that it can take time to go through MDMA-assisted therapy sessions. Most participants will need to complete three sessions. It might take up to three months to start seeing the benefits.
At the start of every session, a therapist will offer participants a capsule of MDMA and instruct them to swallow it. It can take up to forty-five minutes to start feeling the drug’s effects.
It is possible that a therapist will offer participants another half dose after two hours.
The drug will last for up to eight hours. This means that people who participate in MDMA therapy for PTSD have plenty of time to work through traumatic experiences from their past.
There will be several psychotherapists present to help participants during the process.
MDMA for Trauma: Much Different than Recreational Use
It is important to work with a healthcare professional within a clinical setting if you want to participate in MDMA-assisted therapy.
People often make the mistake of confusing MDMA-assisted therapy with using ecstasy for recreational purposes.
Unfortunately, those who buy drugs on the street don’t know how pure these substances are. They also won’t know what the right dose is.
In fact, people who buy MDMA on the street don’t realize how common it is for these illegally purchased pills to contain substances such as methamphetamines and ephedrine. These substances can be dangerous.
The Future of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
The United States government still classifies MDMA as a schedule 1 controlled substance.
But experts believe that the FDA will soon approve MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for those who suffer from trauma. This could happen as early as 2023.
A growing body of evidence suggests that MDMA-assisted therapy can also help those who suffer from anxiety, depression, addictions, and eating disorders.
Therefore, it’s possible that the DEA rescheduled MDMA by removing it from the list of schedule 1 controlled substances. If this happens, it will become much easier for researchers to conduct clinical studies.
More influential public figures are choosing to share their perspectives about the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
For example, pro football player Aaron Rodgers recently spoke publicly about his experience of drinking ayahuasca.
Understanding the Benefits of MDMA Therapy
If you have experienced trauma or suffer from PTSD, MDMA therapy might be able to help you to get better. Many recent studies show the benefits of using MDMA for trauma.
If you are looking for a way to heal from trauma, we are here to help you.
