MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Analysis
MDMA’s Journey from Molly to Medicine, written by Alfonso Serrano and published by Scientific American, analyzes a MDMA-assisted psychotherapy created by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, MAPS, that is ready for phase III trials. This is the last step before the treatment would be approved by the federal government. Phase III will test the treatment on a larger sample size, one that would be more effective of providing a significant and representative sample. MDMA is a psychoactive substance that is currently identified as a schedule one substance by the federal government. According to the DEA (2017), Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. When in the hands of the public, MDMA is considered a dangerous drug that does significantly more harm than good. In the case of the MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, doctors and researches oversee the treatment to ensure that the patients do not suffer from any negative effects.
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According to MAPS (2017), the phase II trial showed that MDMA can reduce fear and defensiveness, enhance communication and introspection, and increase empathy and compassion, enhancing the therapeutic process for people suffering from PTSD.
Of the 107 patients in the trial, 61% no longer qualified for PTSD after three treatment sessions. This data does not stand alone either. In a study conducted by Michael Mithoefer, Mark Wagner, Ann Mithoefer, Lisa Jerome, and Rick Roblin, and published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, MDMA-assisted therapy was found to be a successful treatment as well. 83% of the participants no longer qualified for PSTD after four months of treatment. This study also supports the claims that MDMA has medical
uses.
MDMA is not the only psychedelic that has recently stirred up news about possible benefits. A study conducted by scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that an active ingredient in mushrooms, psilocybin, produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer. This treatment was only provided to 51 cancer patients, a relatively small sample. The trials, however, were randomized and double blind. They found that up to 80% of the patients felt decreases in anxiety and mood after six months of treatment.
Scientific American does not appear to possess a bias viewpoint. The author presents the MDMA-assisted therapy as a potential scientific breakthrough. Serrano acknowledges the vast benefits the treatment could have if it succeeds in Phase III trials, but understands that MDMA is a federally banned substance that has dangerous side-effects when in the wrong hands. He also addresses that PTSD has no accepted treatment as of now, according to a National Academies Report. Although psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies may help aid PTSD, there is no conclusive treatment for recovery in PTSD. Serrano uses this as the foundation of why this treatment could be of such importance. Before we can assume that MDMA-assisted therapies are an acceptable solution for PTSD, there are many questions that need to be answered. Will researchers be able to produce statistically significant data? Are there any side effects? Will the federal government reconsider the schedule I classification? These questions will be answered with research as long as time and funds continue to be allocated to investigations.
According to MAPS (2017), the phase II trial showed that MDMA can reduce fear and defensiveness, enhance communication and introspection, and increase empathy and compassion, enhancing the therapeutic process for people suffering from PTSD.
Of the 107 patients in the trial, 61% no longer qualified for PTSD after three treatment sessions. This data does not stand alone either. In a study conducted by Michael Mithoefer, Mark Wagner, Ann Mithoefer, Lisa Jerome, and Rick Roblin, and published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, MDMA-assisted therapy was found to be a successful treatment as well. 83% of the participants no longer qualified for PSTD after four months of treatment. This study also supports the claims that MDMA has medical
uses.
MDMA is not the only psychedelic that has recently stirred up news about possible benefits. A study conducted by scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that an active ingredient in mushrooms, psilocybin, produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer. This treatment was only provided to 51 cancer patients, a relatively small sample. The trials, however, were randomized and double blind. They found that up to 80% of the patients felt decreases in anxiety and mood after six months of treatment.
Scientific American does not appear to possess a bias viewpoint. The author presents the MDMA-assisted therapy as a potential scientific breakthrough. Serrano acknowledges the vast benefits the treatment could have if it succeeds in Phase III trials, but understands that MDMA is a federally banned substance that has dangerous side-effects when in the wrong hands. He also addresses that PTSD has no accepted treatment as of now, according to a National Academies Report. Although psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies may help aid PTSD, there is no conclusive treatment for recovery in PTSD. Serrano uses this as the foundation of why this treatment could be of such importance. Before we can assume that MDMA-assisted therapies are an acceptable solution for PTSD, there are many questions that need to be answered. Will researchers be able to produce statistically significant data? Are there any side effects? Will the federal government reconsider the schedule I classification? These questions will be answered with research as long as time and funds continue to be allocated to investigations.