The psychedelic drug MDMA can reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers reported in a new study published Thursday.

The company sponsoring the research said it plans later this year to seek U.S. approval to market the drug, also known as ecstasy, as a PTSD treatment when combined with talk therapy.

“It’s the first innovation in PTSD treatment in more than two decades. And it’s significant because I think it will also open up other innovation,” said Amy Emerson, CEO of MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, the research sponsor.

  • treefrog@lemm.ee
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    10 months ago

    Depression doesn’t have one cause.

    And MDMA and other forms of psychedelic treatment are more about the cultural factors than the chemistry. I.e. the ritual space we create around it. In this case, the therapeutic safe space where someone can unpack without tripping the fuck out as you put it.

    Not discounting the medicine you’re taking, but please don’t discount psychedelics just because you started taking cough syrup and Wellbutrin (DXM is the main ingredient in cough syrup).

    Additionally, Auvelity, as I just eluded too, isn’t a new game changing drug. It’s a mix of two older drugs. An SNRI/Dissasociative (mostly SNRI because the Wellbutrin keeps it from metabolising into it’s fun form) and a DNRI. In other words, you’re on every form of reuptake inhibitor we use to treat depression. One that slows your liver down (meaning you wiill have side effects if you take any other drug processed through this pathway) and gets you a little disassociated, like a very small bit of ketamine.

    That’s what you’re taking. I don’t know anything about neural pruning. I guess you’re talking about the need for neurogenesis to change patterns of feeling. Ketamamine (and DXM) do do this, but so do classic psychedelics.

    And what new patterns you form, are going to depend on set and setting (mindset and environmental context). DXM/Wellbutrin can change part of the equation. Psychedelic therapy looks at both.

    • qooqie@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      I’m not taking it I’ve seen patients take it and report how effective it is. It’s a new game changing drug combo great that we have to be picky about words. I’m confident that this is the new sertraline where everyone will be prescribed this in a few years. I learned how this drug works from a very high accolade psychiatrist so I trust him on it. And as I said at the end of my post I’m pretty sure neurogenesis is the reason these psychedelics work, but people aren’t fast tracking them because of potential for abuse and for potential of retraumatisation or worsening of other symptoms. So I’m not bashing psychedelics, just trying to offer to people a possible explanation for why these recreational drugs are working

      • treefrog@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        DXM is way more abusuable than psychedelics. And, as I said, Wellbutrin is a serious liver enzyme inhibitor that won’t allow you to take any drug processed through that pathway without serious side effects.

        The drug combination works by shutting down one of DXMs metabolic pathways. But because it has two, instead of causing you to overdose, it just doesn’t metabolize into DXO (a much stronger disassociative).

        And both chemicals cause physical withdrawal. And, DXM itself can be addictive in a psychological sense.

        I understand the hype, DXM is a fascinating compound and this is an interesting way to use it. But the drug does have serious side effects and tons of drug interactions because of the liver enzyme inhibition.

        I don’t think it’s the magic bullet the pharmaicutical industry pretends it is. And having tried it myself, it wasn’t a game changer but rather made me feel like shit and made me paranoid to put any other compound in my body.