Sam GreenwoodThe debate about whether MDMA can be used to treat various mental illnesses such as post traumatic stress disorder and addiction has been that has been raging online and various parts of the world for quite a while now.
Last month it was announced that for the first time ever, the drug most commonly associated with ecstasy would be used as part of a clinical trial to cure alcoholism in the UK. That landmark moment has been followed up by the news that similar trials in the US have been proven successful in curing post traumatic stress disorder among army veterans and others.
The studies took place on a group consisting of 22 army veterans, 3 firefighters and a policeman and placed the group into three different groups that were given 125mg, 75mg and 30mg doses respectively depending on the severity of their PTSD.
After only two sessions 88% per cent of the 75mg group displayed no signs of the clinical definition of PTSD, with 58% of the 125mg group and 29% of the 30mg group having similarly positive results.
16 of the 26 reported that they no longer suffered from the illness after a year of treatment, with two renewing the diagnosis.
The side effects of the treatment included anxiety, insomnia, headache, muscle tension and seemed to increase suicidal tendencies in patients that had experienced suicidal thoughts in the past, with one individual on the trial having to be admitted to hospital throughout the trial.
With all that being said doctors have of course stated that using the drug to treatment mental illnesses is not recommended without medical supervision, as all patients involved were given their dosages throughout 8 hour psychotherapy sessions, followed by an overnight stay at the clinic, seven days phone contact and three 90 minute sessions afterwards.
Read more on the drug’s use in treating alcoholism here.
Source: Sky News