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Using a MDMA- and LSD-Group Therapy Model in Clinical Practice in Switzerland and Highlighting the Treatment of Trauma-Related Disorders

Peter Oehen, Peter Gasser

Frontiers in Psychiatry April 25, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863552 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case series Case report Peer reviewed
Population Patients with chronic complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), dissociative, and other post-traumatic disorders
Interventions MDMA LSD
Topics MDMA LSD
Keywords Psychotherapist Dissociative Clinical psychology
Citations 70
Key findings A psychedelic-assisted group therapy model using MDMA and LSD led to clinical improvement in most participants with c-PTSD, with no serious adverse events.

Abstract

The Swiss Federal Act on Narcotics allows for the restricted medical use of scheduled psychotropic drugs in cases of resistance to standard treatment, and preliminary evidence of efficacy of the scheduled drug for the particular condition. Since 2014, the authors have obtained 50 licenses on a case-by-case basis and developed a psychedelic-assisted group therapy model utilizing MDMA and LSD. The majority of the patients taking part in the psychedelic group therapy suffered from chronic complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), dissociative, and other post-traumatic disorders. Treatment modalities, typical developments and problems encountered during and after the psychedelic experiences are described. Recurrent depression poses a frequent problem, and requires special attention. Symptoms of c-PTSD predominantly addressed by the psychedelic experiences are the regulation of emotions and impulses, negative self-perception, alterations in relationships to others, as well as meaning, recall, and processing of traumatic memories. C-PTSD needs a larger number of psychedelic experiences in contrast to PTSD resulting from single trauma. In this model MDMA was most often used in the first phase to enhance motivation to change, strengthen the therapeutic alliance, allowing it to become more resilient, stress-relieved and less ambivalent. When emotional self-regulation, negative self-perception and structural dissociation had also begun to improve and trauma exposure was better tolerated, LSD was introduced to intensify and deepen the therapeutic process. The majority of participants improved by clinical judgement, and no serious adverse events occurred. A short case vignette describes a typical process. The experiences with this model can serve to further develop the method of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) and to give directions for future research.

Comparable studies

Other case reports and case series on LSD, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Lasting Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of (??)Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (???Ecstasy???) in Recreational Users Persons who ingested large doses of MDMA 1991 Case study n = 2
Further Studies in the Therapeutic Value of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Mental Illness Patients with mental illness 1957 Case series
Coma, Hyperthermia, and Bleeding Associated with Massive LSD Overdose a Report of Eight Cases People who self-administered large amounts of pure LSD powder intranasally 1975 Case series n = 8
Persistent Palinopsia Following Ingestion of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Patients who developed persistent palinopsia after LSD ingestion 1996 Case series n = 3
The dangers of LSD. Analysis of seven months' experience in a university hospital's psychiatric service Patients with adverse reactions to LSD taken outside medical or research settings 1966 Case series n = 70

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MDMA LSD Depression PTSD Psychedelic-assisted therapy