Ecstasy could help those suffering from stress after trauma
By IANSMonday, March 9, 2009
LONDON - Ecstasy may help sufferers of post-traumatic stress deal with painful memories more effectively by encouraging a feeling of safety, according to a new study.
Studies have shown that exposure therapy - where the patient recalls traumatic experiences or is exposed to stressful situations repeatedly, can be effective in relieving patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxious conditions.
The therapy works by helping the patient re-learn the appropriate response to the trigger situation, a process known as extinction learning.
But this approach can take some time, and 40 percent of patients continue to experience post-traumatic stress even after their treatment.
To improve outcomes, scientists have been investigating the use of drug therapies to enhance the effect of exposure therapy. MDMA (the pharmaceutical version of Ecstasy) is one such drug that makes the result of exposure to the fear trigger easier, faster, and more effective.
‘A goal during exposure therapy for PTSD is to recall distressing experiences while at the same time remaining grounded in the present,’ explained authors Pal-Orjan Johansen and Teri Krebs, based at the Norwegian University (NU) of Science and Technology.
Psychiatrists that have administered MDMA to anxiety patients have noted that it promotes emotional engagement and strengthens the bond between the patient and the doctor, a process known as therapeutic alliance. MDMA also decreases emotional avoidance and improves tolerance for recall and processing of painful memories, said a NU release.
These findings were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
