MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: What to Know

 MDMA, also referred to as ecstasy or Molly, is a stimulant that releases chemicals in the brain to give you an energetic sensation, heighten your senses, and increase feelings like self-awareness and empathy.

Nearly 3.5% of American adults suffer from severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health ailment that experts are using MDMA's effects to treat.

How Can MDMA Help?

After a person experiences a traumatic incident like a catastrophic accident, sexual abuse, injuries, or war, PTSD develops. Some people may be forced to repeat dreadful experiences by memories that manifest as flashbacks or nightmares. Suicide can also result from severe PTSD.

Although PTSD cannot be treated with medication, some medications may help with symptoms. Additionally helpful are therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and conversation therapy. However, over a third of patients leave therapy early, and up to 58% of them continue to experience PTSD symptoms after they leave. Herein lies the role of MDMA.

According to experts, when PTSD sufferers receive a certain dose of MDMA in a professional context, it encourages individuals to open up and process traumatic situations.


MDMA itself is not approved for legal use because of its history as a recreational drug with the potential for harm, abuse, and addiction. But since 2017, the FDA has deemed the drug’s beneficial effects on PTSD symptoms to be “breakthrough therapy.”


How Does MDMA Work?

Known as MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), this drug alters brain activity by releasing neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers to brain cells. They comprise oxytocin, prolactin, cortisol, and vasopressin in addition to "feel-good" hormones including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.


The effects can include feelings of:

  • Empathy

  • Self-awareness

  • Sensory pleasure

  • More energy

  • Less anxiety

  • Ability to open up about emotions

  • Differences in how you see time and space


What Does MDMA-Assisted Therapy Look Like?

Therapy sessions including MDMA can go on for a while. To observe the results, you could require two or three sessions spread over 12 weeks. More information about what to anticipate and how to get ready will be provided by your therapist.

You'll be given a tablet or capsule with a 125-milligram d    ose of the medication to swallow before each session. It often takes 45 minutes to start working.

If your doctor or therapist thinks it's necessary, they could administer a half-dosage two hours following the initial dose.

The drug's effects on your body and brain can linger for up to 8 hours, giving you time to reflect on and process traumatic experiences.


What to Know About MDMA Use for PTSD

Remember that MDMA-assisted therapy should only be carried out with qualified assistance in a therapeutic setting if you have been diagnosed with a severe type of PTSD.

Ecstasy used recreationally is not the same as MDMA-assisted therapy. Street medications may not be as pure or have the same therapeutic effects, and you may not be aware of their precise dosage.

According to studies, ecstasy purchased illegally may also contain methamphetamine, ketamine (a form of anesthetic), caffeine, or ephedrine. Your health may be endangered by the combo.

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