Posted on 02/17/2005 7:37:17 PM PST by freedom44
American soldiers traumatised by fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are to be offered the drug ecstasy to help free them of flashbacks and recurring nightmares.
The US food and drug administration has given the go-ahead for the soldiers to be included in an experiment to see if MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, can treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Scientists behind the trial in South Carolina think the feelings of emotional closeness reported by those taking the drug could help the soldiers talk about their experiences to therapists. Several victims of rape and sexual abuse with post-traumatic stress disorder, for whom existing treatments are ineffective, have been given MDMA since the research began last year.
Michael Mithoefer, the psychiatrist leading the trial, said: "It's looking very promising. It's too early to draw any conclusions but in these treatment-resistant people so far the results are encouraging.
"People are able to connect more deeply on an emotional level with the fact they are safe now."
He is about to advertise for war veterans who fought in the last five years to join the study.
According to the US national centre for post-traumatic stress disorder, up to 30% of combat veterans suffer from the condition at some point in their lives.
Known as shell shock during the first world war and combat fatigue in the second, the condition is characterised by intrusive memories, panic attacks and the avoidance of situations which might force sufferers to relive their wartime experiences.
Dr Mithoefer said the MDMA helped people discuss traumatic situations without triggering anxiety.
"It appears to act as a catalyst to help people move through whatever's been blocking their success in therapy."
The existing drug-assisted therapy sessions last up to eight hours, during music is played. The patients swallow a capsule containing a placebo or 125mg of MDMA - about the same or a little more than a typical ecstasy tablet.
Psychologists assess the patients before and after the trial to judge whether the drug has helped.
The study has provoked controversy, because significant doubts remain about the long-term risks of ecstasy.
Animal studies suggest that it lowers levels of the brain chemical serotonin, and some politicians and anti-drug campaigners have argued that research into possible medical benefits of illegal drugs presents a falsely reassuring message.
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.
I thought that I read right here on FR sometime last yr that the Israeli Army is (or was?) giving their soldiers marijuana to help them cope w/ PTSD. That sounds very logical to me. It's been several months since I read the story, I wish I knew the details a lil bit further.
There's another four-letter acronym I would try before MDMA, namely EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. I wish I knew if it really works.
If it helps...good for them...do it.
From my perspective it makes sense that MJ smoking can lessen the effects of PTSD, but like I said I really don't have any hard evidence to support the claim, just anecdotal. Of course that doesn't mean its not out there.
A quick search via google really only offered anecdotal evidence as well, I will attempt to try getting some sources for you from a friend if you're interested.
Thanc for the reply. I'm already convinced that MJ works, & I'm speaking as one who knows personally. Now only if the government would accept the fact that it works & make it legal again!
BYW, things are (slowly but surely) lookin' pretty good as far as softening up on the personal use of marijuana in Canada & europe, aren't they???????
I bet the same (or better) effect could be acheived by having the person run a hard 5 miles and then sit down for a session of therapy. Better yet, just keeping running and afterwards take a swim in the ocean and skip the therapy altogether.
Mostly its a matter of most cops just not enforcing small use or just confiscating the MJ from people on the street they catch, and decriminalization is just that, decriminalized, its still illegal, just that the penalty for breaking the law will be lessened.
As for myself I stopped using about a year ago (it was making me stupid and I really can't afford to get any dumber!)
"I'm already convinced that MJ works, & I'm speaking as one who knows personally."
Were you in combat?
LOL...well, as long as the police focus their efforts on fighting REAL crime rather than wasting their time, blood, & $ against pot smokers, @ least that's an improvement.
what do you think about this one ?
No, unfortuneately, I was not allowed the privilege of serving my country. One if the 1st things I did after graduating high school in 1980 was go to the recruiting office for the US Air Force...& when they found out that I have epilepsy, they said "thanks, but no thanks". I was nearly heart-broken!
Well, your willingness is commendable.
Truth hurts, doesn't it????? The Libertarians are RIGHT (again!).
Thank you....but I wish they would have allowed me to serve in SOME manner. I woulda done just fine!
I guess you musta missed the post that I asked earlier this evening (#21). That post may have been the one that moved the subject over to pot a lil, but they are related in that they are both discussing PTSD.
Neither you nor I know yet whether the use of MDMA to help treat PTSD is "insane". Like I said in an even earlier post on this thread, let's wait 'til the clinical trials are done to find out the answer. We'll never know if we don't @ least try to learn about it, will we?
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