Legalizing MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Trauma-Related Mental Health Disorders
Keywords:
3, 4–methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, trauma, treatment-resistant, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)Abstract
3, 4–methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA as it is commonly known, is classified as a “Schedule 1” substance in Canada and the United States. For decades, the compound has been shrouded by the stigma of being a dangerous party drug thought to kill brain cells and be severely addictive. However, when it was originally discovered, it was experimentally used in clinical settings as an adjunct to therapy. This idea is now resurfacing as researchers are turning back to MDMA as an innovative way to treat trauma-related mental health disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder. Considering the limitations of existing treatments for trauma-related disorders, MDMA’s pharmacological and psychological effects, and the growing body of methodologically sound research on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, legalizing this type of therapy could provide much-needed relief to people struggling with the severe, painful, lifelong effects of trauma and related psychological disorders.
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Copyright (c) 2021 Prakash Thambipillai
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