Despite the health risks associated with ecstasy use, some mental-health professionals are incorporating the drug into sessions for patients suffering from severe trauma, the Los Angeles Times reported July 16.Sue Stevens, 32, was given ecstasy, or MDMA, by her psychologist to help her overcome severe depression resulting from the death of her husband, Shane, from kidney cancer.
"Somehow, I knew Shane was no longer hurting, which made it possible for me to let go," said Stevens. "It was like a wire that was disconnected got reattached and jump-started the healing process. Even if this feeling was just an effect of the drug, it's what I needed to do to move forward."
Prior to trying ecstasy, Stevens was taking large doses of antidepressants and receiving conventional therapy, but neither helped her. But in just one session with her psychologist, she was able to come to grips with her husband's death while under the influence of ecstasy.
"There's a whole network of 30 to 40 people around the country, some are psychiatrists, some are psychologists, who risk their licenses to use MDMA with their patients," said Rick Doblin, president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a nonprofit group in Boston, Mass., that funds psychedelic research.
Lester Grinspoon, professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, said that ecstasy "greatly accelerates" the therapeutic process. "It enhances one's capacity for insight and empathy, and melts away the layers of defensiveness and anxiety that impedes treatment," he said. "In one session, people can get past hang-ups that take six months of therapy to untangle."
Given the dangers associated with the synthetic drug, some doctors say the use of ecstasy for therapeutic purposes is too dangerous. "There's no scientific evidence that MDMA is beneficial; it's all anecdotal," said Dr. George Ricaurte, an associate professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md.
Ecstasy is a popular drug among youth, and has been linked to a number of overdoses. Several studies have shown that the use of ecstasy may alter the brain, impair memory and concentration, dull a person's intelligence, and cause chronic depression and anxiety.
But some researchers contend that critics have overstated the dangers of the drug. When used under professional guidance, they say, ecstasy can be a valuable therapeutic tool.
"The issue has become so politicized that it's impossible to get a fair, objective hearing," said Dr. Charles S. Grob, director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif.
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