MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy
MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy
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Introduction
MDMA. An empathogen is a medicine that changes a person's emotional state by acting on their
neurotransmitters. With the help of an empathy enhancer, people have a better time connecting
with people and feeling good about themselves. MDMA, frequently referred to as ecstasy, is a
psychoactive substance that shows great promise as a therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.
The FDA recognized the therapeutic use of MDMA as a novel treatment option in 2017. The
German drug manufacturer Merck initially produced and commercialized MDMA in 1912. Still,
psychologists did not start utilizing it in treatment to improve cooperation and contemplation
until the end of the twentieth century. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration outlawed
MDMA in 1985, and the FDA classified it as a Schedule 1 prohibited medication due to its
based therapy session, the patient takes 120 mg of MDMA orally, with a second dosage of 40 mg
provided two hours later if necessary. Within the eight hours that an impact can endure, the client
and the two psychotherapists can talk about significant previous occurrences and feelings.
Therapy benefits are more likely to stick when patients participate in preparatory and adjustment
meetings. Individuals often attend a couple of appointments in that time frame. Until therapy
using MDMA has FDA approval, interested clients should participate in a controlled trial. Since
the point of therapeutic use of MDMA is to give patients a safe space to work through stressful
feelings in the company of qualified psychologists, using MDMA for pleasure will not result in
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the same positive outcomes. Clients must go through a medical authorization procedure before
they may take MDMA due to its list of contraindications. Nonetheless, when used as directed,
MDMA has a relatively low risk rating. This article is a literature review that delves deeply into
previously published studies to demonstrate the value of the therapeutic use of MDMA and its
Literature Review
substance, was deemed illegal in 1970, it was not until the 1990s that MDMA gained broad
the US, a handful of psychiatrists made use of MDMA due to its harmless, mood-enhancing, and
non-hallucinatory qualities (Sessa, 2011). The therapists who first used MDMA were able to
come up with strategies and reasons or reasons not to use MDMA for private or group therapy.
This made it possible for MDMA to be used in later research studies (Passie, 2018). MDMA's
positive benefits were widely believed to have contributed to a global resurgence in the use of
MDMA has remained at the frontier of a new trend in treatment that makes use of
psychoactive substances from the 1980s. Because of this, many researchers in the 1960s gave up
on using LSD and psilocybin for treatment purposes (Sessa, 2011). The last formal research
using hallucinogen-assisted psychiatry concluded in the 1970s, and they employed MDA, a drug
very similar to MDMA (Passie, 2018). Subversion therapists frequently used MDA. With its
relatively harmless impacts, MDMA has been the medicine preferred by numerous
psychotherapists, and it seems reasonable that an MDA-related chemical exhibiting fewer mental
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and perceptual aberrations could serve as the next frontier in psychedelic-assisted psychiatry (Dr.
Yehuda, 2020). European College for the Study of Consciousness (ECSC) studies and
conferences (1986 - 2000) provide a bridge between the MDMA tribunal in 1985 and the
investigations performed by Swiss psychiatrists in 1988 - 1993 (Passie, 2018). Current plans
conclude with stage three experiments in the United States to approve MDMA as an FDA-
approved medicine for the adoption in psychological therapy for PTSD and an eventual FDA
A rising number of people with life-threatening illnesses (LTI) frequently endure anxiety,
therapies. According to Wolfson et al. (2020), patients who had not responded effectively to
after receiving MDMA-based treatment. According to the scholars' report, the MDMA group
showed a tendency favoring decreased mental symptoms, including anxiety and sadness, and
poor sleeping habits linked to LTIs, in contrast to the alternative cohort in the randomized
portion of the current trial. MDMA's short-term impacts on key neural pathways responsible for
remembrance and handling feelings may help users confront traumatic thoughts and recollections
with tolerance instead of dread (Dr. Yehuda, 2020). Previous research in healthy individuals has
shown that MDMA can boost the clarity and magnitude of emotionally favorable recollections
while decreasing the adverse assessments of an individual's worst experiences. This method,
when applied to psychological treatment, could benefit those with LTIs by lowering their anxiety
about relapse and mortality and increasing their empathy for themselves, others, and their
circumstances (Wolfson et al., 2020). Patients with LTIs who partake in three rounds of MDMA-
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advantages stemming from an LTI, attention (FFMQ), and interpersonal and familial wellness
(FACIT-S), in addition to a lasting decrease in apprehension. The fact that patients continue
Sessa et al. (2019) provided the first findings from a continuous investigation that aimed to
treatment for individuals diagnosed with alcohol consumption problems. According to Sessa et
al. (2021), a total of seven individuals successfully underwent the whole 8-week MDMA-
backed therapeutic program, which involved engaging in two treatment sessions per individual,
each incorporating the use of MDMA. The primary objective of this study was to assess the
efficacy and acceptability of the medication regimen in the initial cohort of four subjects who
drinking habit was deferred until the publication of the whole study data. The findings indicated
that the therapy was well-tolerated by all four individuals (Yehuda, 2020). According to the
research report from this study, there were no significant adverse effects associated with MDMA
usage, nor were there any unanticipated physiological reactions observed during the MDMA
when comparing measurements taken before and after the 8-week program. The researchers
concluded that the medication exhibited a high level of tolerability, prompting them to strategize
The relationship between sleep disruption and PTSD is complicated and encompasses
several dimensions. Existing data suggests a correlation between severe stress and sleep loss.
The study conducted by Ponte et al. (2021) demonstrates that addressing sleep quality can lead to
significant decreases in the intensity and impact of disorders related to post-traumatic stress
disorder. This finding underscores the need to include sleep interventions as an integral
the improvement of various signs associated with PTSD, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for
PTSD, which is a prominent therapeutic approach, typically fails to address sleep difficulties
fully. Ponte et al. (2021) performed additional evaluations utilizing aggregated data obtained
from the four aforementioned randomized, placebo-controlled studies in order to investigate the
standard of sleep and the correlations between sleep quality and the intensity of indicators related
to post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings of their study provide empirical support for the
persons diagnosed with PTSD. The study also observed that the subjects in the active-dose
manifestations related to PTSD when contrasted with the control population. Specifically,
roughly 53.2% of the active-dose subjects experienced a significant drop of 3 points or more in
their Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessments, indicating that MDMA-
based treatment has the potential to facilitate enhancements regarding sleeping habits and PTSD
signals or episodes. Furthermore, there was a notable improvement in the standard of sleep and
reduction in disorders related to PTSD from the time of treatment completion to the one-year re-
examination. This suggests that MDMA-integrated medical intervention has a lasting and
substantial positive impact on both sleep performance and PTSD symptoms. At the 12-month
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The issue of drug dependency and addiction is undeniably a substantial one throughout the
United States. The substances that are often utilized include cannabis, non-therapeutic usage of
ecstasy. Various therapies for drug misuse have been developed and have demonstrated
compared to conventional therapy (Yehuda, 2020). The treatment options encompass outpatient
replacements for specific substances such as methadone or with the aim of inducing aversion or
recovery centers, and therapeutic organizations are also utilized as part of the treatment regimen.
Jerome et al. (2013) assert that MDMA, similar to traditional psychedelics, possesses potential
utility in the treatment of drug abuse or dependence due to its pharmacological properties and
psychological impacts. The intricate monoaminergic actions of MDMA give rise to its capacity
to modulate neuronal circuits that are implicated in the development and maintenance of drug
misuse disorder. MDMA has the potential to mitigate the seriousness of mental disorders that are
often challenging to treat, therefore equipping individuals with alternative strategies to address
problematic drug use. Conventional psychedelics, like Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), may
offer a more favorable risk-to-benefit balance when used in a psychotherapy context for the
treatment of drug misuse. This is due to their lower risk profile and reduced propensity for
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abuse (Jerome et al. (2013). Nevertheless, MDMA induces modifications in cognition that are
psychological treatment, MDMA is seen as a more suitable option for people who may otherwise
substances. MDMA-based treatment has been found to be beneficial for individuals with drug
use disorders through its ability to alleviate co-occurring psychiatric problems and foster trust
and rapport within the therapeutic relationship, thus enhancing the overall efficacy of mental
health treatment.
An individual's ability to maintain emotional stability throughout their life is shaped by the
extent of their connection to their main parental figure throughout childhood. Physical and sexual
harassment, on interpersonal forces' radar, are not the only types of maltreatment that might
impede development (Sessa, 2017). Despite the fact that numerous individuals may not think it is
as bad as physical abuse, the psychological effects caused by abandonment and emotional assault
may be just as severe, leaving a victim feeling unloved and meaningless. An individual's
susceptibility to PTSD and other stress-based illnesses, as well as their ability to establish new
chemical messengers, particularly serotonin, though other processes are likely in play as well.
Anxiety, sadness, and the amygdala's panic sensitivity can all be mitigated and self-esteem
thinking about previous encounters and causes shifts in the way implication is perceived (Sessa,
2011). Dopamine and noradrenaline both have a role in alertness and consciousness. When both
are elevated, a person feels more prepared and may more easily recall unpleasant situations that
are reliant on their current psychological condition (Dr. Yehuda, 2020). MDMA's activation at
alpha-2 synapses causes both a surge in arousal—which might drive an individual to participate
hypervigilance impacts. The oxytocin chemical, which is linked to early infancy attachment,
Many people who have PTSD also struggle with dependency on drugs and alcohol. The
drug and alcohol consumption between participants undergoing MDMA-AT and those getting
placebo plus treatment (Placebo + therapy) was investigated by Nicholas et al. (2022). Adults
with chronic PTSD were randomly assigned to receive either MDMA-AT or Placebo+Therapy in
addition to three appointments of trauma-centered therapy. Each participant had to match the
DSM-5 standards for acute PTSD, and they could have experienced either a mild (current) or
intermediate (early relapse) alcohol or marijuana-related problem. Results from the Alcohol Use
Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Use Disorder Identification Test (DUDIT)
were analyzed both before and after participants were randomly assigned to treatment. The mean
(standard deviation) AUDIT rating changes decreased more with MDMA-AT than with placebo
+ treatment. There is no evidence that MDMA-AT raises the likelihood of engaging in illegal
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drug usage (Nicholas et al., 2022). These findings provide credence to the potential of MDMA-
Self-harm thoughts and attitudes are only two of the many devastating outcomes of post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This neurological disorder influences outlook, mental
processes, and physical and psychological wellness. Approximately 7.3–9.8 million people in the
US have PTSD yearly (Avancea et al., 2022). Several groups of former combatants have
documented PTSD incidences as high as 20% pre-treatment (Marseille et al., 2022). The present
incidence of PTSD among former military personnel is as significant as 13%. Therapy for PTSD
is more expensive and requires more medical attention than therapy for other psychological
illnesses (Marseille et al., 2020). Although 50% of those diagnosed with PTSD may improve or
go into relapse based on the standard of care (SoC), the other half will have prolonged or grave
symptoms of PTSD that will necessitate periodic therapy. Although sertraline and paroxetine are
now licensed FDA therapeutic medications, they are not without their limitations and undesired
negative consequences (Avancea et al., 2022). Recent research has revealed that individuals with
unlicensed psychedelic substance, and counseling than from a placebo plus a comparable period
of treatment alone.
Suicide-related thoughts and other negative consequences are not more common
in MDMA-AT patients, even people with co-occurring disorders, including detachment and
melancholy (Dr. Yehuda, 2020). Such encouraging findings suggest that MDMA-AT for PTSD
may be approved by the FDA (Avancea et al., 2022). Even with modest assumptions about the
advantages of therapy, MDMA-AT has been demonstrated to be less expensive than SoC during
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previous affordability assessments (Marseille et al., 2020). Avancea et al. (2022) sought to assess
the costs, health benefits, and net savings of greater access to MDMA-AT among the adult
population in the United States suffering from persistent and acute PTSD. MDMA-AT was
discovered to have the potential to reduce the high cost of treating PTSD (Marseille et al., 2022).
The lives of individuals suffering from persistent and grave PTSD can be saved, and medical
costs can be reduced if more people are granted access to this medication.
qualitative investigation that followed veterans, firefighters, and police officers with recurring,
drug-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who had MDMA-AT over an extended
time. Conversational qualitative assessments were carried out during the one-year inquiries of
individuals who completed a phase 2 medical investigation. The research focused on interviews
conducted with nineteen out of a total of twenty- four individuals. The relevant information
extracted from the transcripts of the interviews was subjected to coding and analysis, employing
the interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) analytical model. The researchers examined
significant theme components derived from the narratives provided by the participants in order to
get a deeper comprehension of the outcomes seen in this study. All individuals involved in the
study expressed lasting individual benefits and improved overall well-being that surpassed
advantages that extend beyond the alleviation of symptoms, emphasizing the need for qualitative
Conclusion
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provided in accordance with the established procedure, it exhibits a satisfactory safety profile.
In contrast to other alternative therapies for PTSD, most clients can enjoy a decrease in
symptoms following a solitary therapy session. Moreover, the enduring impact of MDMA-AT is
evident, as demonstrated by the fact that over two-thirds of the clients who had this treatment no
longer exhibited symptoms of PTSD when assessed one year after the course of treatment.
Academics ascribe these effects to the distinctive capacity of MDMA to help patients
explore past traumas without crashing into the associated distress, enabling them to address the
References
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