Can psychedelic drugs have mental health benefits? This is what a new study says
The popular psychedelic drug MDMA, also known as Ecstasy or party drug, could be used as a new treatment option to reduce PTSD symptoms as revealed by a new study from Australian scientists.
Recent findings highlight the potential of the psychedelic substance MDMA in alleviating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, according to a study unveiled this past Thursday.
The study’s financial backer, MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, expressed intentions to pursue authorization from U.S. regulators later this year to introduce the drug—commonly known as ecstasy—as an effective PTSD remedy in conjunction with psychotherapy by the year’s end.
Amy Emerson, the head of MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, remarked, “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.”
Earlier in the year, Australia led the way by permitting psychiatrists to prescribe both MDMA and psilocybin, an active compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms. Meanwhile, in the U.S., these substances are seeing a broader societal embrace, thanks in part to the endeavors of the nonprofit Multidisciplinary Association championing psychedelic research.
The study in question evaluated PTSD indicators in 104 participants. They were divided to receive either MDMA or a control pill in three separate sessions spaced a month apart. Concurrently, all subjects underwent talk therapy.
Among those who took MDMA, a few experienced muscle discomfort, loss of appetite, sweating, and nausea. However, the dropout rate was minimal, with just one participant leaving.
Post-treatment outcomes were striking: 86% from the MDMA cohort displayed marked progress on a PTSD scale, as opposed to 69% from the control group. By the conclusion of the study, an impressive 72% from the MDMA set didn’t fit the PTSD diagnostic bracket anymore. This contrasted with the 48% improvement rate in the placebo group.
Barbara Rothbaum, steering the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program in Atlanta and not part of the study, remarked on its significance, “The results that they got are very exciting.”
The findings of the study were published in Nature Medicine.
While existing PTSD treatments involving medications or psychotherapy show results, Rothbaum emphasizes, “They are very effective, but nothing is 100% effective. So we absolutely need more options for treatment.”
For MDMA’s medicinal use in the U.S. to become a reality, approvals from the Food and Drug Administration and a reevaluation by the Drug Enforcement Administration are essential. Presently, MDMA sits on the Schedule 1 list, suggesting it lacks medicinal utility and possesses a high abuse potential.
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