Post-traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD) is a disorder that affects over 50,000 Norwegians. It is triggered by one or more traumatic events that one has either experienced or witnessed, and causes symptoms such as sleep deprivation, nightmares, aggression and panic attacks. It has long been a disorder that has been difficult to treat with talk therapy and traditional medications (antidepressants), but in recent years some alternatives have emerged.
MDMA for PTSD
Several therapists have long believed that MDMA has a good effect on PTSD, and studies on this were first initiated in the mid-2000s. MDMA, also known as ecstasy or Molly in popular parlance, reduces fear responses in the brain and increases feelings of empathy and euphoria. After several years of phase 1 and 2, phase 3 (the final phase before approval as a drug) was initiated in 2018. After the results from six different phase 2 studies in the United States were published, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration, equivalent to the Norwegian Medicines Agency) in the United States chose to give the phase 3 study so-called "breakthrough therapy status", which means that they believe that the results from the first phases are so promising that they will ensure that the process goes through. In practice, this means that they pre-approve the various protocols before the work starts, which avoids delays due to errors along the way. A 2016 meta-analysis concluded that treating PTSD with MDMA yielded significantly better results than exposure therapy, which is the most common form of treatment today. The documentary Trip of Compassion covers the first phase of one of the clinical trials in Israel and provides insight into the process.
Why does it work and what does the risk picture look like?
MDMA is a rather special compound that makes it particularly well-suited for trauma therapy. When brain scans are done on people suffering from PTSD, they see increased activity in the fear center (amygdala) of the brain, and reduced activity in the part of the brain that rationalizes and processes memories (medial prefrontal cortex). There are many substances that reduce activity in the fear center (e.g. alcohol, opiates), but the stimulant part of the MDMA molecule also stimulates the prefrontal cortex. This makes the patients alert and motivated to process, while at the same time making them feel relaxed and brave.
When you hear words like ecstasy and party drugs, many people become skeptical. The image most of us have of MDMA comes from the media or outdated drug campaigns, while research shows that MDMA is generally a fairly safe substance . And especially if you take some extra precautions that are natural in therapeutic processes. More about these precautions here . The Norwegian Drug Information Service has good risk overviews for many drugs, including MDMA here .
A study has been initiated in Norway with MDMA for PTSD at Østfold Hospital. Read more about the status and what alternatives for psychedelic therapy exist today here.
I can guide you through the therapeutic process and can handle everything except the medication itself. Read more about the process here .