The psychedelic drug MDMA can reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers reported in a new study published Thursday.
The company sponsoring the research said it plans later this year to seek U.S. approval to market the drug, also known as ecstasy, as a PTSD treatment when combined with talk therapy.
“It’s the first innovation in PTSD treatment in more than two decades. And it’s significant because I think it will also open up other innovation,” said Amy Emerson, CEO of MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, the research sponsor.
16 Comments
FlyingSquid@lemmy.world · 20 pts · 2y
How many studies have we seen over the years that psychedelics help with all sorts of mental illness and trauma? And there's a couple of states where just mushrooms are decriminalized. It's ridiculous. It's dangerous. Our drug laws need substantial revision.
Fine, you don't think MDMA should be available to the general public. At least let psychiatrists decide whether or not to prescribe it.
ericisshort@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
Anyone else find it weird that MDMA is considered a paychedelic? Its effects have never seemed similar to other psychedelic drugs to me.
Anamana@feddit.de · 4 pts · 2y
I think your last sentence is super important. We shouldn't exclude a pharmaceutical option, just because the general public perceives it as dangerous. As long as science and doctors greenlight it, we should have it as an option.
LanternEverywhere@kbin.social · 2 pts · 2y
100% completely agreed
ryathal@sh.itjust.works · -4 pts · 2y
Decriminalization of psychedelics and medical treatment are opposite ends of the spectrum.
treefrog@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 2y
qooqie@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 2y
fear@kbin.social · 3 pts · 2y
Just to add to your point: in PTSD your brain will prioritize certain synapses over others that may help you survive through the trauma, but will result in a continued focus on the trauma after the event has passed. So those ~500 synapses in depressive PTSD aren't just lower than a healthy brain, but they're also the wrong synapses for your current situation. Psychedelics can help you develop new synapses that are more relevant to your current life. As someone who experienced this therapy, it's amazing how quickly it can happen, too. It's a total game changer and should be available to anyone who wants to try it.
catarina@kbin.social · 2 pts · 2y
😮 I want to believe your explanation, but it sounds too good to be true.
qooqie@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
FlembleFabber@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 2y
Yeah mate its cool to me nice info
egonallanon@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y
So all these years of rampant drug abuse have been good for me? Take THAT stupid school drug training.
Anamana@feddit.de · 1 pts · 2y
Well written post, thanks.
treefrog@lemm.ee · 0 pts · 2y
qooqie@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
treefrog@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y
dxc@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 2y
What do they mean "MDMA, also known as Ecstasy"? Isn't MDMA just one part of Ecstasy?
LanternEverywhere@kbin.social · 5 pts · 2y
(EDIT: it's possible that the terms ecstasy and molly may have changed meanings over time)
Nope, ecstasy means MDMA. I'm an old fart out of the scene for a long time, but that's what it meant for the first like decade or two of it's existence. I've heard that at some point it started getting cut with other cheaper drugs, which is part of why people generally don't call what you can get these days as ecstasy, they call it molly. I've heard that it's very hard to get pure ecstasy anymore, apparently the large majority of what's being sold these days is some random mix with ecstasy just being one ingredient in it.
CmdrShepard@lemmy.one · 4 pts · 2y
I think you have that reversed. Molly is supposed to be just MDMA in crystal form while ecstasy is the pressed pill mixed with other stuff.
dxc@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 2y
That's what I heard too and why I got confused in the first place. Maybe it's differing around the globe.
LanternEverywhere@kbin.social · 1 pts · 2y
As an old head i can tell you, the word molly didn't even exist until 10+ years after ecstasy became a thing. "Ecstasy" meant MDMA. If you want you can look up articles from the time and you'll see. The meaning of the words may have switched over time, but for the first decade-ish of its existence on the scene the word "ecstasy" meant MDMA. Ecstasy originally was just MDMA, but I can imagine a situation in which the drug called ecstasy started being cut with other stuff, so people had to come up with a new word to refer to the original uncut substance again.
Anamana@feddit.de · 1 pts · 2y
As MDMA is the most crucial part of ecstasy it's commonly used as a synonym. Especially when reporting to an audience who have no drug knowledge whatsoever..
Atmosphere99@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 2y
treefrog@lemm.ee · 0 pts · 2y