MDMA for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

MDMA, more commonly known as ecstasy, has an overwhelming reputation as an illegal drug that people at raves take. However, certain organizations have seen the potential of ecstasy for use in applications other than recreational drug use. The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has recently gained permission from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to conduct research concerning post-traumatic stress disorder using MDMA. Information obtained for this article may be obtained from the MAPS clinical plan at http://www.maps.org/research/mdmaplan.html

The purpose of the study is to "develop MDMA into an FDA-approved prescription medicine, initially for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This disorder is one in which damaging and lasting psychological consequences occur in an individual who has been exposed to a traumatic event, including such things as wartime combat or rape. Symptoms of PTSD include but are not limited to nightmares, flashbacks of the traumatic event, depression, and insomnia. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD in the United States is about 7.8% with women having twice the risk of developing the disorder as men. This doubled risk is likely due to the fact that women are raped much more frequently than men and although men outnumber women in the military, rapes occur more often than combat.