For those suffering from PTSD, traditional treatments oftentimes fall short when it comes to alleviating symptoms. Antidepressants are effective in only about 40 percent of patients, and benzodiazepines—while commonly prescribed as a treatment for PTSD may actually worsen symptoms. A study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry revealed that PTSD patients who were prescribed benzodiazepines were almost twice as likely to attempt suicide. It goes without saying that PTSD patients need and deserve a more effective suite of treatment options.
Fortunately, researchers are actively studying new treatments for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Ketamine infusions are one highly effective treatment option, currently available for patients suffering from severe or treatment-resistant mental health disorders. However, studies continue to show promise for other unexpected and innovative drugs—one of them is MDMA.
MDMA is a psychoactive compound more commonly known as the recreational drug ecstasy. Over the past few years MDMA has been recognized as a potentially effective treatment for depression, anxiety and PTSD. The recent findings from Phase II of an FDA-regulated clinical trial echo the positive findings of earlier trials, and suggest that MDMA may have a bigger place in psychiatry than expected. In this most recent study—the biggest of its kind—researchers used MDMA to support psychotherapy, and found that, after one year, 76% of the study participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD.
Even more promising is that researchers did not note any severe adverse events during or after the MDMA-supported psychotherapy sessions. Phase III clinical trials were set to begin in September—if these trials demonstrate the successful use of MDMA-supported psychotherapy for PTSD patients, the drug could receive FDA approval as early as 2021.
For now, PTSD patients may find relief with ketamine infusions. Some VA hospitals have even begun to offer ketamine infusions to veterans suffering from severe and chronic PTSD. Ketamine is effective in up to 70% of patients—even those who have resisted other methods of treatment. For PTSD, depression and anxiety, ketamine is arguably the most effective treatment available today.
Contact Vitalitas Denver
If you or a loved one is suffering from PTSD—or from another psychiatric condition—you may be eligible for ketamine infusions. We have performed thousands of ketamine infusions at our Colorado area clinics, and have seen ketamine treatments change and save lives.
