Could ecstasy be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder?

TAKING the ecstasy drug MDMA could help people recover from traumatic experiences, research has found.

Scientists combined the drug with psychotherapy in an experimental study involving 22 military veterans, three firefighters and a police officer suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

They were given doses of MDMA, a Class A illegal substance which is the main constituent of ecstasy, ranging between 30mg, 75mg and 125mg. On average, those given the higher two doses experienced the biggest decrease in the severity of their PTSD symptoms. After two treatment sessions, 86 per cent of those given 75mg no longer met the criteria for PTSD, compared to 29 per cent of those who took 30mg. A year later, 16 of the 26 participants were no longer classed as suffering from the condition.

Lead researcher Dr Allison Feduccia, from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies in Santa Cruz, California, said the study showed MDMA ‘may have a role to play in the future treatment of PTSD’. However experts warned the drug should not be used without the direct supervision of psychotherapists.