Researchers Look to Ecstasy as PTSD Therapy Option
Aaron R. Levin
Psychiatric News October 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1176/pn.45.19.psychnews_45_19_027 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | News report Randomized Placebo-controlled Double-blind Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | MDMA psychotherapy |
| Topics | MDMA PTSD |
| Keywords | Euphoriant Psychotherapist Clinical psychology |
| Key points | A small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 pilot trial indicated that MDMA may be useful as an adjunct to psychotherapy for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD. The report states that overcoming objections to using an outlawed compound may present difficulties even if efficacy is verified. |
Abstract
Ecstasy might take some of the agony out of psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), if findings from a phase 2 pilot study are any indication. Outcomes of the small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial indicated that MDMA, better known by its street name of ecstasy, may be useful as an adjunct to psychotherapy for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD. However, overcoming objections to using an outlawed compound may present difficulties, even if efficacy is verified. The federal government categorized MDMA as a Schedule I controlled substance in 1985, although it was sometimes used earlier as an experimental medication in conjunction with psychotherapy.