MDMA, Trauma and Addiction Recovery

MDMA Ecstasy

There is a common theme among addicts and alcoholics, most of us have experienced some type of trauma in our lives. That is not to say that trauma caused the addiction, but rather that addressing trauma could help treat the disease. However, there is a wide variety of opinions on how to treat such trauma to ensure the best outcomes.

It is no secret that some people living with addiction have a hard time working a program of recovery. There could be a number of reasons for this, but one of the more common factors involves an untreated co-occurring disorder. Conditions which can include: anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Research supports the belief that people attempting to recover from addiction fare best when co-occurring disorders are treated simultaneously. Addiction treatment centers that focus on the whole patient typically have the best track-records. But, there are cases when clients do not respond well to practices that work well for others. In turn, researchers are constantly on the lookout for novel approaches.

Alcohol and MDMA

Around the world, people abuse alcohol more than any other mind-altering substance. It makes sense. Think about it, alcohol is legal for adult consumption in the western world. The substance is pervasive and can be found with little effort and be purchased on the cheap. More people die from alcohol-related illnesses than any other drug. The longer one imbibes in unhealthy ways, the greater the risk of health complications. Increasing the effectiveness of accepted treatment methods can go a long way. And addressing trauma may be the answer.

A new clinical study is about to kick off in the United Kingdom involving heavy alcohol users and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, The Guardian reports. The latter of which you may know as MDMA, the main ingredient in the club drug ecstasy. All the study participants have not responded well to the more common form of addiction treatment, being chronic relapsers. The patients will be given nearly pure MDMA in conjunction with psychotherapy.

“We know that MDMA works really well in helping people who have suffered trauma and it helps to build empathy, said Ben Sessa, a clinical psychiatrist on the trial and senior research fellow at Imperial College London. “Many of my patients who are alcoholics have suffered some sort of trauma in their past and this plays a role in their addiction.” Sessa adds: “After 100 years of modern psychiatry our treatments are really poor. The chances of relapse for these patients are really high—90% at three years. No one has ever given MDMA to treat alcoholism before.”

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

We will continue to follow this important story and the outcomes of the clinical study. There is much that is not understood about drugs with hallucinogenic properties. It’s possible that this study will shed some light on the subject.

At this juncture, however, the best opportunity of achieving long-term addiction recovery is go to a treatment facility that focuses on dual-diagnosis. Treating co-occurring disorders is possible. At 10 Acre Ranch, we are fully equipped to address your addiction and other mental health disorders. Please contact us today.

Treating Soldiers With PTSD and Addiction

photo of psychologist and a soldier with PTSD

It is a well known fact that experiencing trauma can have a serious impact on the course of one’s life. A severe accident, or the loss of a loved one can scar people in seemingly ineluctable ways. If you have ever experienced such trauma, then you know firsthand the scars the event can leave with you, possibly even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An insidious mental illness that if left untreated can lead people to engage in self-destructive behavior. The paradox is such behaviors often take the form of self-medicating with drugs and alcohol, which initially can alleviate some of the symptoms of the disorder, but actually make the symptoms worse in the long run. What’s more, self-medicating can also lead to addiction, and what one finds themselves with is a co-occurring disorder—otherwise known as a dual diagnosis.

Symptoms of PTSD can include:

  • Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms).
  • Avoiding situations that remind you of the event.
  • Having more negative beliefs and feelings.
  • Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal).

PTSD In The Military

While the condition can develop in anyone who experiences trauma, most people you probably associate post-traumatic stress with is the military. Young men and women who go off to fight in armed conflict witness and experience first-hand the horrors of war. In the field of battle even the survivors are victims. After nearly two decades of continuous involvement in the Middle East there are thousands of military personnel who have come home from Afghanistan and Iraq changed.

Ideally, such people would have access to the best treatment money could buy. That is, effective methods of therapy and medication that can counter the symptoms and even repair some of the damage. Unfortunately, the Veterans Administration (VA) isn’t always on top of treating affected personnel, which means many service men and women take to calming their symptoms with substances. In many cases, it is a choice that leads to a dishonorable discharge, which can actually cut individuals off from receiving VA benefits. Therefore, upsetting one’s prospects for obtaining a good job after the military

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that during a four-year period, almost two-thirds of the 91,764 U.S. troops kicked out of the military for misconduct had received a diagnosis for post-traumatic stress, The Washington Post reports. The GAO is urging the Defense Department to do a better job at ensuring commanders consider medical conditions like PTSD when determining how to handle misconduct cases.

Treating Mental Illness – PTSD and Addiction

It is quite common for people with any form of mental illness to suffer from addiction as well. Which condition comes first is not as important as treating both disorders at the same time. Failure to do so usually results in an inability to recovery. At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand that drugs and alcohol can prolong a cycle of avoidance and delay treatment. For more than 25 years, we have treated many clients who courageously served overseas, who self-medicated their PTSD with drugs and alcohol. By addressing both the addiction and the co-occurring disorder they could get back on their feet and lead a fulfilling life.

If you or a loved one is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, and self-medicates, please contact us today. Recovery is possible.