MDMA therapy

[Agara33]

I just recently by coincidence heard about a very good therapist who works in this method and had passed her name to my friend who was had been searching for it. He had complex ptsd from childhood sexual abuse and growing up with a narcissist parent. Its 11 sessions, 3 of which are 5 hour long trips, the others are 60-90 minutes. He says it changed his life and that he feels he no longer has cptsd. This was also after years in therapy and he was in a pretty stable position in life... I wanted to put it out there for anyone who feels that despite the work they do can’t get around certain blockages

[Nathalie99 Partner]

Good to hear about this experience, Agara.

I read an article that MDMA assisted therapy is in the proces of being researched and may be approved by FDA in the US for PTSD.

I think it's very tricky to find the right therapy as each of us responds differently.

Finding what works for us is really a huge breakthrough.

[peacefulandcalm Encourager]

hi agara, is this a drug like part of a drug or something? thank you, just looked it up, but not well enough to read well....

[Agara33 in reply to peacefulandcalm]

Yes it is a drug. MDMA is the active component in ecstasy.

[AussieNeil Moderator in reply to Agara33]

The clinical trial process which may result in FDA approval, involves using MDMA to enhance the effectiveness of PTSD therapy sessions with a skilled practitioner - just as you described. It's definitely not something you can undertake on your own Peacefulandcalm.

Neil

[NeuronerdDoaty in reply to AussieNeil]

It has MDMA but not the adulterants you find in street drugs. In psychotherapy it’s used a limited amount of times with a practitioner. Think of Native Americans and Shaman. You aren’t going to pop a street drug and feel high. It only takes a small amount and it’s only for 2-3 treatments.

[AussieNeil Moderator in reply to NeuronerdDoaty]

Here's some relevant coverage:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The decision marks the first time that a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy will be evaluated in Phase 3 trials.

psychiatryadvisor.com/home/...

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy is effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans, firefighters, and police officers, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind, dose-response, phase 2 clinical trial published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

psychiatryadvisor.com/home/...

Getting to phase 3 is quite an achievement, given only 10 percent of all drugs started in human clinical trials become an approved drug. According to Wikipedia, phase 3 involves "Testing with large groups of people (typically 1,000–3,000) to confirm its efficacy, evaluate its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow it to be used safely." In the USA, it's the stage that hopefully results in FDA approval.

IF MDMA is approved for use by therapist practitioners, those contemplating this as a possible therapy option should bear in mind that real world usage of approved drugs generally doesn't result the same degree of encouraging outcomes seen in the trial phases. Trial participants are (understandably, given high trial costs) carefully selected to ensure a high chance of success of approval and they are far more carefully monitored than when a drug goes into general use. Also as Nathalie noted above, "it's very tricky to find the right therapy as each of us responds differently." You'd want to find a practitioner experienced with using it and make use of the reports into the study outcomes, where you'll find the equally important records of adverse outcomes to the records of beneficial effect. Every intervention comes with a risk - you have to assess whether the likely reward outweighs the potential risk. Perhaps for some, as Agara shared, MDMA in the hands of a skilled practitioner helps get around therapy blockages.

Neil

[NeuronerdDoaty in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil !!

[Agara33 in reply to AussieNeil]

In thus situation the therapist does not accept any patient who is interested. He didn’t go into why she did agree to work with him but it seamed like it was because he was in a position of autonomy and responsibility in his treatment and life. He also had his therapist of 20 years speak with her to give her background info on him as well as make sure she was trusted as there is a very specific protocol and system in place for how this works. I also must say that this is not legally approved in my country. Personally that doesn’t effect my opinion towards it at all, same as in my country marijuana is difficult to get a prescription for though for me has been very helpful. Therapy is always individual. My impression is that coming to this therapy with the right practitioner and in the right stage of treatment can have extremely effective results. What my friend spoke to me about mostly was that it introduced him to a head space he had not known before-of safety and relaxation as he had been raised in fear and simply did not have the neural pathways to reach safety without knowing what it looked like. Amongst a few other transformative epiphanies that he couldn’t reach with intellect as he had always done before. Anyway when I come across things that I feel can really change peoples lives I want them to be known in case anyone feels called to this.

[AussieNeil Moderator in reply to Agara33]

I wholeheartedly agree that sharing hope from new, promising approaches is very important. Thanks for expanding on your friend's experience, so members can better assess whether this approach is worth personally considering.

[Hidden]

I’ve heard good things too. However I actually tried it 3x what I can say is it gave me acid reflux one year now never got over it. I felt like worst hangover ever had in my life. The first one seemed to help a bit after that it was awful. It helps people but it didn’t help me. Caused me a lot more stress from side effects. Tried to keep going but was not for me. So if you have tummy issues run down think twice.

[distracted2019 in reply to Hidden]

Try d-Limonene for gerd. Also search online for an article called "the importance of the vagus nerve". I just came across this info and it's amazing how many functions it regulates. Digestion is one.

[Hidden in reply to distracted2019]

I know about the vegus nerve I know for me it’s bothered 24/7 though I do right things it’s why I’m frustrated and thank you but citrus apple cider vinegar all that makes my life a living hell its no answer. That’s why I’m frustrated. Ever since I was put on meds my vegus nerve won’t shut down and can’t eat normal foods can barely walk. I’m exhausted from it. My throats stuck open.

[phoenix42]

Been reading about this. Very interested. I have complex PTSD as well as single event trauma. I was arrested and my six year old twins dragged from their beds on the basis of a hotline phone call by a misinformative phone call by a professional. I was not allowed to reassure them for over 24 hours. Next day the police told me in a corridor all charges dropped. When I asked what narrative I could give the children, they just turned on their heels and walked off. Independent Investigation totally exonerated me but denial of son's decline to school action plus removed from remit. Since then a cover up by NHS. No record of acute separation anxiety, educational decline or severe bullying of one son.

Retraumatised by referral to NHS by NHS surgeon re chronic pelvic pain and hyperarousal to NHS psychiatrist failing to refer to either pain or hyperarousal.

Bullied son referred himself for help twice for reactivation of his feelings re being bullied in the past prior to GCSEs. No response. Eruption of rage directed against my self.

I had to get the police as hands around my neck. They failed to get a psychiatric assessment and just discharged him back on the street. My complaint got nowhere. He is now a housebound isolate who cannot leave his house as he thinks it may be attacked. Distrusts everyone and feels that I have totally failed him.

I am full of grief by constant betrayal by the system.

I would appreciate more information on MDMA as my symptoms are chronic.

[Agara33]

The system in my country and it sounds like in your country is deeply flawed. Life situations are so complex that they don’t fit into the system. Please stop expecting anything from them. You really have to find things that will work in creative ways and those special therapists of all kinds that are dedicated and sincere. Nlp is what works for me, there’s a lot of info about it on the internet