XTC for PTSD

[undergroundpanther]

Undoubtedly there is also a significant percentage of young American soldiers who are deeply troubled when they realise they have taken an innocent human life, but for far too many it appears that there is no such thing as "combat stress". Perhaps, in the end, we will have to conclude that there really are two different races on this planet. The good news however, is that this means Bush can reduce the cost of the Iraq war by saving the Ecstasy for those unfortunates who understand the meaning of the word "empathy".

(scroll down)
http://signs-of-the-times.org/signs/signs.htm

XTC for PSTD....

The South Carolina study marks a resurgence of interest in the use of controlled psychedelic and hallucinogenic drugs. Several studies in the US are planned or are under way to investigate whether MDMA, LSD and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can treat conditions ranging from obsessive compulsive disorder to anxiety in terminal cancer patients.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/drugsandalcohol/story/0,8150,1416150,00.html

[Nothing Without Hope]

1. I can only shudder at what might happen to someone suffering from

PTSD, with horrible bloody memories that already give them nightmares and flashbacks, when some experimenting doctor looking for a publication feeds him or her LSD.

[JohnnyCougar]

2. I agree.

MDMA maybe...but acid is too unpredictable. It can either work wonders or become a living nightmare.

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. Absolutely, and I also fear that some real fools will be among the ones

wanting to try it out on "their" PTSD patients. It could do some serious damage to people who may be barely holding themselves together already.

[ConsAreLiars]

4. Trips depend on guides.

PTSD is hell, and any way out is worth a chance. Look into the uses of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a true horror flic, as a tool for healing. In an ideal world those suffering from the guilt and trauma of PTSD would have a wise teacher to help them, but maybe, even in this poor place, under half-decent conditions, such an approach might help. One thing is certain, untreated PTSD will almost certainly assure a lifetime of misery, something these poor victims of war do not deserve any more than those who suffered at their hands.

[zann725]

6. And with no ban on the sale of Assault Weapons, how countless

mass murders of innocent American citizens will occur as the result of UNTREATED "PTSD." And suggesting the use of Ecstasy to treat PTSD??? I won't even qualify that with a reply. Except to say that as a Woman, the thought of that strikes fear in my heart...not only for myself, but for every woman in America.

[politicat]

7. Do you have any idea how MDMA works and what you're talking about?

MDMA, before the DEA got involved, was used as a psychotropic as an empathogen, a drug to accelerate the client's ability to feel empathy and recognize and deal with negative emotional states (such as PTSD). It's not meth, it's not PCP. The research that had been done prior to DEA interference was that it did not cause or exacerbate disassociation, paranoia, or schizoid features. There was evidence that it could prove useful in treating paranoia and disassociation, as well as traumatic stress events and repression.

While chemically similar to methamphetamines, MDMA's physical structure works far differently on the brain, in a manner far closer to short-term antidepressants or anesthetics. However, the client retains lucidity and control over actions during use of the drug. MDMA does not produce hallucinations. Present time sense enhanced, and a in-depth communication is facilitated, but whether these are related or not is unclear. Eloquence and fluency in written and oral communication is usually seen; aphasia is very rare. Drug onset is acute and short lived and metabolism is rapid. MDMA half-life is 12 hours.

Repeated dosages have not been studied conclusively; earlier studies citing brain damage turned out to be tainted because the drug studied in rats was methamphetamine, not MDMA. Current street MDMA is frequently cut with meth or meth is sold as MDMA, so street versions are suspect. Nerve toxicity is noted in lab animals at equivalent dose of 175 mg; toxicity is reversible. (Standard doses run 100 mg oral).

Obviously, you feel that there is a risk to women from men being treated with MDMA for PTSD. As a psychotherapist and a military family member, let me assure you that the bigger risk to you and "every woman in America" is 100,000 untreated PTSD returnees, not not returnees being treated with anything that will help them cope with their experiences. With PTSD, any treatment is better than none.

Are you insinuating that returning personnel are potential rapists or batterers?

MDMA is not LSD. They are not the same, cannot be compared. One has therapeutic use, the other does not. I don't know what you're trying to hint at, but you're not being clear. So if you have any real evidence that you'd like to post links to, I think you should, or at least clarify what it is you're trying to say.

On Edit: Do I think MDMA is safe? Not safe enough to be an OTC drug. I think it should require a prescription as a psychotropic, and given my druthers, I'd prefer it to be a clinical use only drug, rather like an anesthetic. I don't think it should be prescribed the way Ambien is prescribed. However, anesthetics are "safe" when administered under controlled conditions. MDMA is, from all of the evidence so far gathered, equally safe in controlled settings.

[ultraist]

8. What is MDMA? The OP article refers to it as a hallucinogenic.

Vietnam Vets were given LOTS of drugs while in combat, including heroin & LSD. They had to set up extra rehabs to detox them upon their return.

[politicat]

10. MDMA is known on the street as Ecstacy; it is not a hallucinongen.

It is an empathogen and an entactogen. The entactogenic effects provide both an ego-buffer and emotional clarity to break down internal barriers so that the empathogenic effects - the ability to understand emotions and communicate them - can be used therapeutically.

It is not, not, not a hallucinogen. It is in no way even chemically related to LSD. It's not heroin, it's not LSD.

MDMA is far better understood in effect than LSD was at the same time, and the psychoactive effects are also better understood.

[Jamastiene]

5. But not if the person is sorta paranoid.

I can't take any types of hallucinogenic drugs. I'm not a soldier, but have ptsd from another thing that happened. I've heard that xtc is good for it though. I'll stick to DU. ;)

[ultraist]

9. smart decision

XTC is awful. Everyone reacts differently to different drugs. It's always somewhat of a guess.

[politicat]

11. Exactly. I would never suggest you touch LSD...

MDMA is different.

Good luck finding effective treatment. DU is not that (though as a substitute for hallucinogens, it's not bad!!)