Comments on: Ecstasy for war trauma: a flashback to earlier treatments http://mindhacks.com/2011/08/19/ecstasy-for-war-trauma-a-flashback-to-earlier-treatments/ Neuroscience and psychology news and views. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:47:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Leslie http://mindhacks.com/2011/08/19/ecstasy-for-war-trauma-a-flashback-to-earlier-treatments/#comment-21289 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:34:13 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=19281#comment-21289 That is an interesting caveat to the possible effectiveness of the MDMA “cure.” I think what might make it work in some cases is the ability MDMA promotes to actually break through the intense denial and avoidance PTSD victims might have. Then, further work would be necessary to re-contextualize the experiences.

What helped me most to recover from PTSD was re-imagining the trauma multiple times, from different perspectives,in a gradual, visceral way. Allowing myself to feel safe took time but eventually writing down a complete story of the experiences was immensely effective. It is essential that we use narrative therapy as an adjunct to anxiolytics and SSRIs.

I might also mention that the drive to “re-traumatize” oneself after the incident, the “repetition compulsion” of Freudian days, seems like an attempt to develop mastery and re-expose oneself to similar traumatic experiences. If your theory (which makes sense to me!) is correct, then allowing people to have space for that behavior is beneficial.

]]> By: Ret. Elfman http://mindhacks.com/2011/08/19/ecstasy-for-war-trauma-a-flashback-to-earlier-treatments/#comment-21237 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 06:18:53 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=19281#comment-21237 Please try to think of a world where therE is no war, no crime, people have work that is meaningful. Decisions are made that are efficient and serve the greater good, Corrupt politicians do jail time. Bible thumpers stop deluding the masses. and real plans are presented toward solvency and growth so the kids of today have hope for a tomorrow.

We are all very sick of the JINGO JANGO Tax man takING our money to buy bombs. We need you to disappear, maybe fly one of your bombs into your house of cards.

Have a NICE DAY

]]> By: Nancy Lebovitz http://mindhacks.com/2011/08/19/ecstasy-for-war-trauma-a-flashback-to-earlier-treatments/#comment-21112 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:51:38 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=19281#comment-21112 Check out Somatic Experiencing, a system of gradually approaching traumatic memories (and perhaps never fully experiencing them) which teaches the path into and out of anxiety.

I have no opinions about whether using Ecstasy is more or less effect than somatic experiencing, but it’s something worth trying while the experiments with Ecstasy are going on.

]]>