The psychoactive drug MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also known as ecstasy, E, and Molly, is commonly used recreationally by people seeking the effects of both stimulants and psychedelics. It’s a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception, increasing energy and feelings of pleasure while distorting the senses. People who use it recreationally take it as a capsule or tablet, though some swallow it in liquid form or snort the powder. The nickname Molly is slang for “molecular,” and it often refers to the supposedly “pure” crystalline powder form of MDMA, which is usually sold in capsules. Unfortunately, people who think they’re buying capsules or the powdered form of Molly frequently end up with bath salts or other drugs instead. It was originally synthesized in 1912 by the drug company Merck, but in 1976 a chemist named Alexander Shulgin discovered that it had potential as a psychotherapy drug after testing it on himself. He shared the find with some psychiatrists, who began using it to good effect in therapy sessions, under the nickname Adam. Unfortunately, it later found its way into clubs as a party drug, and the Drug Enforcement Administration made it a Schedule 1 substance and banned all use, severely limiting the possibility for clinical research.
Similar to marijuana, another Schedule I drug that is starting to emerge as medically relevant, people are again studying the possibilities for using MDMA in therapy. Researchers say it will be prescribed only by specialized doctors for people in specific situations, and the changes of people taking it home to use recreationally are slim.
The drug just finished a phase two clinical trial, which studies up to several hundred people with a specific condition or disease for up to two years. Twenty-six military veterans and first responders with chronic PTSD (lasting six months or more) were given psychotherapy and one of three doses of MDMA: 30 mg (active control), 75 mg, or 125 mg. The drug was administered in two eight-hour sessions about one month apart of psychotherapy, such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Each session was followed by an overnight stay onsite, followed by seven days of telephone contact, and three 90-minute psychotherapy sessions.
They concluded that active doses (75 mg and 125 mg) of MDMA along with psychotherapy applied in a controlled setting were effective for the treatment of PTSD with few adverse side effects. Some of the positive effects included enhanced mood and well-being, happiness, relaxation (physical and mental), increased emotional sensitivity and responsiveness, heightened openness, extroversion and sociability, the feeling of closeness to other people, slight visual, auditory, and tactile changes in perception and a considerable reduction in anxiety.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504.
