Vets Being Given Ecstasy To Help With Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

This is a bizarre bit of news – researchers and psychiatrists are giving the notorious rave drug “ecstasy” to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and are asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand the program.

Does this mean that the VA hospital is going to start looking like a rave hall?

Not yet. While this may bring to mind glow sticks and pacifiers, the drug is being administered under controlled circumstances.

“It’s not going to be a normal prescription drug like the antidepressants,” says researcher Rick Doblin. “It’s only going to be administered under therapist supervision.”

“Patients would be required to spend the night in the facility. Our approach is catharsis, enhancing the psychotherapeutic interchange.”

Scientists say methylenedioxymethamphetamine produces an experience described as “inhibiting the subjective fear response to an emotional threat.”

“It’s basically like years of therapy in two or three hours. You can’t understand it until you’ve experienced it,” a former Army Ranger who took part in a recent study said in an interview. “It’s an extremely positive thing. I feel so lucky that I got to take part in the project.”

You have to wonder if adding loud electronic music, and the psychoacoustic effects that can go with it, would enhance the results that the researchers are getting, and the benefits for vets.

What do you think? Do you think ecstasy, and even “rave therapy”, could be legitimate tools for treating post-traumatic stress? And, if so, should treatment be limited to post-traumatic stress disorder?

via CNet; Image: US Army Korea – IMCOM

7 thoughts on “Vets Being Given Ecstasy To Help With Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

  1. Once I took some ecstacy with one of my friend at some electronic music related party and we ended up discussing about pretty much everything instead of dancing. Anyways he was able to talk about some seemingly very traumatic event which involved violence. He didn’t had said anything about it ever before and after that he is so much more happy and joyful and that also pretty much fixed his panic disorder. Now that’s some fine recreational drug use, I say!

  2. Personally, i think it would benefit most people alot in this regard, and hopefully make it more of a controlled substance than an illegal.

    People are generally so much nicer to everyone at raves than anywhere else.

  3. ecstacy was originally developed as an anti-depressant. Its illegal use and status came later after it was determined to be not quite as good as other anti-depressants. The fact that they have found that its useful for treating specific symptoms of a specific illness is not that surprising. If marijuana can help glaucoma patients then I dont see anything wrong here. If it helps, it helps.

  4. Very helpful post. Very clear commentary and suggested phrasing are most impressive, as are his and your generosity in sharing this explanation and example

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