From the studies and research being done that I have read, what is interesting to me about the trails involving PTSD and MDMA, is that the therapy really addresses some of what you are talking about in an interesting way.
A lot of the mechanism of PTSD and its repercussions is a physiological response (adrenaline, cortisone, etc) - almost a hormonal and epinephrine rush when you think about things that happened before or are in a situation that mimics them that make it difficult to process them. As other posters in a different thread mentioned, if you went through this in a previous experience (childhood, a marriage the ended, a war, etc.) and you cannot "relive it", it may be hard to work thought these emotions, though you have the repercussions. You can't necessarily talk through them because doing so triggers the hormonal and chemical responses that happened when you experienced the physical effects of being there (e.g. being abused, shot at, etc.). So, you can't get over them.
Medication to some extent or to no extent at all can numb these effects or subdue to reaction to it, but also has side effects, changes your personality, and also doesn't resolve the issue. If you go to therapy, you are usually with someone who, while well meaning, can't understand what you went through, but this is less the issue than that you physically and mentally have a block to processing and explaining/working through what you need to get to get to the other side of this PTSD issue. I think of it as being inside a dark room and knowing there must be something outside of it but not knowing where the door or window is, and having someone telling you to just get out of that room, and you been like, "um, dick, I have no idea how to do that".
At any rate. MDMA changes the chemical process of your brain in that instance where it causes a huge dopamine dump, essentially, during therapy, where you feel safe, happy, warm, and are able to confront the "bad things", negative experiences, without this adrenaline/PTSD response, work through them, find that door, and walk out of it with the guidance of that person helping you. Then you are on the other side and you can see back into that room and you are like "It is so sad that I spent so much side in that dark, small room being sad, and self hating and self medicating when there was a beautiful world out here, I just couldn't see it".
You need the structured guidance in this instance - that is why you have the studies that are giving the patients MDMA and they are going through the therapy while on it - it wears off in 5-8 hours. Usually after the first dose there is incredible improvement, and after 3 most people feel much better, "cured". Unlike with the medications we have available. But the importance of guidance by a professional is that coping mechanisms and connecting with support systems is usually essential because you have probably hurt people and left some destruction in your path and need to repair damage (no judgement - just a long path to recovery).
Not meaning to write a novel, but I find the avenue of a lot of medications and research that has previously been unavailable but could be so helpful for many people truly meaningful. There are studies going on. I would lobby congress, the FDA, the DEA, and others to make this more accepted. I would join studies that are ongoing if you can.
https://clinicaltrials.gov
Hang in there - there is hope.
A lot of the mechanism of PTSD and its repercussions is a physiological response (adrenaline, cortisone, etc) - almost a hormonal and epinephrine rush when you think about things that happened before or are in a situation that mimics them that make it difficult to process them. As other posters in a different thread mentioned, if you went through this in a previous experience (childhood, a marriage the ended, a war, etc.) and you cannot "relive it", it may be hard to work thought these emotions, though you have the repercussions. You can't necessarily talk through them because doing so triggers the hormonal and chemical responses that happened when you experienced the physical effects of being there (e.g. being abused, shot at, etc.). So, you can't get over them.
Medication to some extent or to no extent at all can numb these effects or subdue to reaction to it, but also has side effects, changes your personality, and also doesn't resolve the issue. If you go to therapy, you are usually with someone who, while well meaning, can't understand what you went through, but this is less the issue than that you physically and mentally have a block to processing and explaining/working through what you need to get to get to the other side of this PTSD issue. I think of it as being inside a dark room and knowing there must be something outside of it but not knowing where the door or window is, and having someone telling you to just get out of that room, and you been like, "um, dick, I have no idea how to do that".
At any rate. MDMA changes the chemical process of your brain in that instance where it causes a huge dopamine dump, essentially, during therapy, where you feel safe, happy, warm, and are able to confront the "bad things", negative experiences, without this adrenaline/PTSD response, work through them, find that door, and walk out of it with the guidance of that person helping you. Then you are on the other side and you can see back into that room and you are like "It is so sad that I spent so much side in that dark, small room being sad, and self hating and self medicating when there was a beautiful world out here, I just couldn't see it".
You need the structured guidance in this instance - that is why you have the studies that are giving the patients MDMA and they are going through the therapy while on it - it wears off in 5-8 hours. Usually after the first dose there is incredible improvement, and after 3 most people feel much better, "cured". Unlike with the medications we have available. But the importance of guidance by a professional is that coping mechanisms and connecting with support systems is usually essential because you have probably hurt people and left some destruction in your path and need to repair damage (no judgement - just a long path to recovery).
Not meaning to write a novel, but I find the avenue of a lot of medications and research that has previously been unavailable but could be so helpful for many people truly meaningful. There are studies going on. I would lobby congress, the FDA, the DEA, and others to make this more accepted. I would join studies that are ongoing if you can.
https://clinicaltrials.gov
Hang in there - there is hope.
