MDMA -- the active ingredient in the banned street drug ecstasy -- is safe and enhances the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder when administered during psychotherapy, according to a new clinical trial.

 

David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, said the new study is "the biggest breakthrough in medicinal PTSD treatment for two decades" and "opens a potential new era in the treatment of PTSD."

 

Active ingredient in ecstasy may help veterans with PTSD, study finds - CNN

 

From Wikipedia:

 

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as ecstasy, is a psychoactive drug used primarily as a recreational drug. The desired recreational effects include increased empathy, euphoria, and heightened sensations.

 

I am glad to see we are studying it.

 

It certainly makes sense that a drug that causes increased empathy, euphoria, and heightened sensations would definitely have some medical benefits.

 

Good idea or Bad idea?

Good idea. Hope it helps. Anything for our soldiers. Probably helps in the bedroom too..:thumb:

:laugh:

Well I don’t have ptsd...

 

Buuuuut I have a friend who used to like mdma before going out to parties and bars and the like in college. He said it’s kind of like the song “the man” on repeat.

 

My friend can’t imagine it being bad for people with ptsd.

It was successfully used in couples therapy for some time before someone going through said therapy decided to find someone to synthesize it so he could sell it. Under professional guidance it was pretty helpful, but this guy realized he could make a fortune off selling it at clubs and then it became a real problem.

 

Oddly enough it was never made a Schedule I through legislative action but through a court order.

 

I know FSU has been doing some research into using the psychoactive compounds in hallucinogenic mushrooms for similar treatments. I probably should follow up on that one, I don't remember any results.

What gets me about about substances that actually help like Ecstasy, Marijuana, Mushrooms, etc. is the Federal Government is against them all at our expense.

 

Or put another way, the Government will put us in prison for using substances that actually work and feed us opiates which are very destructive and addictive.

 

I love America but our Government needs to do a much better job looking out for the people.

Interesting article. I like that it is only used during therapy sessions and not on a daily or long term basis. I would be all for it if it works. True victims of PTSD are so broken and so hard to treat.

 

FWIW, i am also strongly on favor of MJ for anxiety and some bipolar patients. I hear everyday from patients it works better than most drugs.