The anxiety disorder called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur when a person witnesses or is involved in a traumatic experience. In most cases, the person is present at the trauma, but other times the trauma happens to someone very close. The event generally involves a serious threat of death or injury. The person feels intense horror, fear, and helplessness. Here are three examples of PTSD.Although most people don’t have all of these, symptoms of PTSD which occur after a traumatic event include:
For those with PTSD, cognitive behavioral therapy is a very good therapeutic choice. Like those with OCD, exposure to the feared event is part of the treatment. The problem in the past has been that many people with PTSD avoid getting help because of a strong desire to avoid anything that reminds them of the trauma–and exposure certainly does that.
A few recent studies have introduced a new way to perform exposure. The patient is given 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) during the exposure. Although the studies are preliminary, it appears that MDMA may facilitate exposure.
MDMA, aka, Ecstasy, is known for its positive effects on mood and empathy. The behavioral treatments with exposure and MDMA take no longer (usually 10-12 sessions) than standard behavior therapy. The drug is given under medical supervision only during the session and is discontinued after exposure is complete. Considerably more research is required before we can wholly endorse this approach. However, we thought you might find it interesting to know what’s in the pipeline of possibilities for treating PTSD.
Finally, this should not be tried at home! Nor are we recommending MDMA for other purposes. And we recommend that you avoid Raves as well.
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FYI - This treatment for PTSD isn’t new. MDMA was used by some psychologists in the 1970s to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD and to facilitate couple’s therapy. However, the treatment wasn’t widespread and the evidence for its efficacy was largely anecdotal. Any possible clinical trials never got off the ground once MDMA was placed on the Schedule I list of banned substances. It’ll be interesting to see the results of these formal studies…
Dr. Elliot,
I would encourage you to investigate the use of low dose naltrexone at 4.5 mg night for anxiety and depression from PTSD. It is entirely safe as compared to the risks of MDMA. Of course the patient may not return to see you! The MOA for low dose naltrexone is that it blocks receptors for endorphins for about 4-5 hours, thus increasing endorphin levels the following day. This makes the patient feel better and also improved immune system function. Check it out.
I have been diagnosed with PTSD from losing a very good job that was full of reward and self gratification. I would like to see an article related to PTSD and job lose. Especially in this day and age of high unemployment and higher level managers losing lifetime jobs.
Thank you for your newsletter, I read nearly all of the articles every time I receive one.
Sincerely,
Vern Metcalf Jr
Ps. I also suffer from major depression and have since sustaining an injury on another job that was extremely important to me. Im now disabled and find myself in a depressed state nearly 100% of the time. Iam receiving treatment for this.
I thought Ecstasy was the drug of abuse for which there was the strongest evidence of resulting brain damage, as it has actually been shown to damage dopamine and serotonin axons in lab animals, so presumably does the same for humans. How can use of a drug with such consequences possibly be a responsible treatment method for any condition?
Great comments. As we said, we’re not endorsing this as a treatment, just reporting on an interesting research finding.
@Vern sorry to hear about your loss. There are effective treatments for PTSD and depression please get the help you need.
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