California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
1–10 of 212 posts
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#2I don't think this stuff should be sold, say, in a gas station beside the humpty dumpty peanuts... but it does have its place.
The mental health epidemic for returning veterans for example[1]:
"More than 45,000 veterans and active-duty service members have killed themselves in the past six years. That is more than 20 deaths a day — in other words, __more suicides each year than the total American military deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq__." "“One of the biggest battles is the military culture,” Ms. Ruocco said. “Seeking mental health treatment goes against everything they are taught in boot camp,” where service members are told “to push through pain, to think of everybody else before self, to solve problems with lethal force if necessary.”"
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#3After this whole debacle in Canada [1] where two therapists were doing some downright freaky cuddle puddle from hell with a blindfold on a traumatized person, I am more curious about what they're doing to screen the therapists. These people hardly met the guidelines that MAPS set for therapy, and as described quite ridiculously violated people's well being instead.
[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-mdma-ther...
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#4Will Complex PTSD patients be involved when developing and testing PTSD treatments?
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#5I don't think this stuff should be sold, say, in a gas station beside the humpty dumpty peanuts... but it does have its place. The mental health epidemic for returning veterans for example[1]: "More than 45,000 veterans and active-duty service members have killed themselves in the past six years. That is more than 20 deaths a day — in other words, __more suicides each year than the total American military deaths in A…
Right, it should be sold next to the other poisonous stuff at the gas station that has disclaimers for the consumer to keep it away from children.
The public itself needs to readjust its role with the government, where availability doesn't mean endorsement.
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#6After this whole debacle in Canada [1] where two therapists were doing some downright freaky cuddle puddle from hell with a blindfold on a traumatized person, I am more curious about what they're doing to screen the therapists. These people hardly met the guidelines that MAPS set for therapy, and as described quite ridiculously violated people's well being instead. [1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/…
Thanks for linking this.
That is… really fucked up. Predators in the healthcare industry need to face serious punishment. Unfortunately, they largely don’t and get away with things.
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#7Will Complex PTSD patients be involved when developing and testing PTSD treatments?
Given the DSM keeps CPTSD out in the latest version 5, no.
Frankly until it does mental healthcare in the US won’t move forward in a substantial way as they keep trying to treat people with trauma with CBT and medication. Still the PTSD dx works for those with CPTSD, so it’s not all lost. But it gets really tricky since so many diagnoses are almost subsumed with the concept of CPTSD.
Extremely hopeful for MDMA therapy though. It has huge potential.
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#8Will Complex PTSD patients be involved when developing and testing PTSD treatments?
Probably not, we need more recognition but as of now it's not an official diagnosis :/ I don't meet the official criteria for PTSD because there wasn't just one event. It hasn't restricted me getting treatment so much but you can get misdiagnoses and have to advocate for yourself more. Once this is approved it would probably be available off label for anyone with trauma but I doubt they'd let people with CPTSD in the trial. I have been turned down for trials in my city due to this.
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#9After this whole debacle in Canada [1] where two therapists were doing some downright freaky cuddle puddle from hell with a blindfold on a traumatized person, I am more curious about what they're doing to screen the therapists. These people hardly met the guidelines that MAPS set for therapy, and as described quite ridiculously violated people's well being instead. [1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/…
From MAPS's comments on the Yensen/Dryer case:
"Updated announcement March 25, 2022
This a public announcement of additional information obtained regarding the conduct of former sub-investigators for a MAPS-sponsored clinical trial, initially publicly reported in 2019. We make this information public as part of our commitment to creating a culture of safety in psychedelic therapy and in alignment with our core value of transparency.
The initial ethics complaint was reported to MAPS in 2018 by the participant. The complaint specifically identified the unethical conduct as occurring after the active treatment sessions had concluded in 2015. Yensen and former sub-investigator Donna Dryer verbally confirmed that Yensen engaged in a sexual relationship with the participant. Sexual contact between therapy providers and participants is unethical conduct of sexual abuse in violation of Section 6 of MAPS Code of Ethics for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and generally accepted standards of care. In 2018, as a result of the ethical misconduct, Yensen and Dryer were barred from all MAPS-related activities and from becoming providers of MAPS-affiliated MDMA-assisted therapy if the treatment is approved.
On Saturday, November 6, 2021, MAPS staff were interviewed by a reporter who had viewed videos of clinical trial therapy sessions for the participant described in the original announcement below. Session video is made available to participants in MDMA-assisted therapy clinical trials for private review upon request. The reporter characterized former sub-investigator Richard Yensen’s behavior in at least one therapy session as “disturbing.” This characterization triggered a compliance review which was initiated Monday, November 8, 2021.
The reopened review of conduct during the trial period includes a review of previous documentation, all available videos of sessions from the sub-investigators, and information reported in media accounts of the participant’s experience. Though the review is ongoing, MAPS has provisionally determined that Yensen and Dryer substantially deviated from the MDMA-assisted Therapy Treatment Manual on several occasions during the treatment period.
MAPS has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada, Ethics Committees, and relevant authorities that the review has been re-opened. We will continue to keep regulatory agencies, ethics committees, and relevant authorities apprised of any developments on this case. Changes to MAPS policies, practices, or materials made as the direct result of the review will be reported publicly at maps.org/safety."[1]
Also see MAPS's article on the Cover Story podcast regarding this issue here: [2] It contains a pretty informative FAQ in which MAPS addresses what it sees as misunderstandings in the media coverage of these events.
[1] - https://maps.org/2019/05/24/statement-public-announcement-of...
[2] - https://maps.org/2022/03/01/participant-experiences-cover-st...
Re: California study begins screening for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD
#10Will Complex PTSD patients be involved when developing and testing PTSD treatments?
Given the DSM keeps CPTSD out in the latest version 5, no. Frankly until it does mental healthcare in the US won’t move forward in a substantial way as they keep trying to treat people with trauma with CBT and medication. Still the PTSD dx works for those with CPTSD, so it’s not all lost. But it gets really tricky since so many diagnoses are almost subsumed with the concept of CPTSD. Extremely hopeful for MDMA therap…
Gave you an upvote. CBT has done so much damage and really is a step backwards for those with trauma. It's ridiculous how all the knowledge we have about trauma still hasn't hit the mainstream psychiatric institution yet and 9 out of 10 times with the average provider it comes down to "Have you tried CBT?" versus trauma informed treatments that actually work (somatic therapy, IFS, EMDR, ketamine/psychedelics, stellate ganglion block, etc)
The irony is you may not believe you're really traumatized if you've been spent 10 years in standard CBT being gaslit about your "cognitive distortions" and wondering why it's not working...