PTSD symptoms
More than half the population experiences a traumatic event that can lead to PTSD symptoms. This is a very concerning social phenomenon. It is essential to recognize and acknowledge the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a traumatic event. PTSD can be debilitating and have serious consequences for a person's daily life, including feelings of fear, intense stress, and discomfort. Some of the symptoms are listed below.
Reliving
Flashbacks in the form of images, dreams, and thoughts about the trauma. These flashbacks can manifest as internal dialogue, emotional or visual.
Negative worldview
An excessively and unrealistically negative view of the world in which everyone and everything feels unsafe. Safe people or situations are more likely to be perceived as threats.
Agitation
Always being on edge and alert, which often results in sleep problems, poor concentration and anger.
Evasive
Avoiding potential triggers creates a smaller social world, resulting in loneliness and addiction.
MDMA session against PTSD complaints
Exposure therapy is a form of therapy aimed at overcoming anxiety disorders/PTSD. It involves gradually and safely exposing the patient to situations that trigger anxiety or anxiety reactions, so that the anxiety eventually diminishes.
Several older and more recent studies show that using MDMA during exposure therapy can accelerate and improve treatment. MDMA can strengthen the therapeutic relationship, allowing patients to open up more. Furthermore, MDMA can reduce anxiety and increase positive emotions. This can help patients process difficult situations more effectively and thus progress more quickly in therapy.
Assignment as preparation
It's important to map out the trauma and triggers as much as possible before the first MDMA session. A week before the first MDMA session, in which exposure therapy plays a significant role, you'll independently start creating a trigger list.
Triggers can be sounds, situations, people, or other things. Think of things that trigger PTSD symptoms, such as avoidance, agitation, flashbacks, and the reinforcement of a negative worldview. It's also helpful to write down the primary response. By primary response, we mean the automatic reaction of the body/mind, which is often related to the fight/flight/freeze reaction. You can also write down the secondary response, which means the conscious choice you make after the trigger and primary response. For your convenience, create a table that looks something like this:
| Triggers | Primary response | Secondary response |
|---|---|---|
| Pop sound | Anxious feeling, remembering war | Listening to music to calm down |
| Smells? | ||
| Images? |
Meditation and exercise can help
If creating a trigger list causes too much stress, it can be helpful to take a break and do something calming. Exercise and various breathing techniques can help with this. So choose relaxation when necessary.
Other important preparation
People with anxiety often have an imbalance of glutamate and GABA in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. Increasing GABA levels in the brain can have a calming effect. A good balance of these neurotransmitters also increases the likelihood of a positive outcome from a psychedelic session.
During the preparation of psychedelic sessions, we provide advice based on the intake to balance neurotransmitters, including GABA, which can improve the mood before the session and make the session go more smoothly.
The support during MDMA therapy
In addition to ensuring physical safety, it is at least as important to provide a sense of safety to the person using the combination of exposure therapy and a MDMA therapy. Working without judgment and trying to understand that the "abnormal" behavior is actually quite normal given the circumstances can foster a strong bond between therapist and client. It's always important for both parties to see the person with PTSD as a victim of the situation and for treatment to offer a chance of reducing symptoms.
For emotional safety, it's important to note that all feelings and emotions are important and can play a significant role during MDMA sessions. Before the effects of MDMA kick in, shame, guilt, anxiety, and avoidance of sadness can get in the way during the first part of the session. However, this isn't a major problem during MDMA sessions because these forms of self-protection can disappear once the MDMA takes effect. It's important for the counselor to give the client time to feel safe talking about the trauma. All in all, it's a non-forceful approach with understanding for the individual's situation.
Indicate the stress level during the session
The SUDS score (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) is used to measure the level of emotional tension or stress someone experiences. It's helpful to be able to communicate during the session how stressful it is to talk about certain traumatic experiences or how much anxiety is aroused during exposure. It can be rated on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 indicating no stress or anxiety and 100 representing the worst stress or anxiety experienced during the traumatic experience itself. For a successful MDMA session, it's helpful to avoid triggering a major stress response to triggers, and communication can help with this.
After MDMA exposure therapy
After an MDMA session, it may be easier to do things you would otherwise avoid. If stress levels remain low, it's advisable to take advantage of the situation and seek out exposure. This can accelerate the exposure therapy process. It's recommended not to overdo it and to take small steps. Recording your SUDS score can help provide more insight into the progression of anxiety reduction.
Legal MDMA sessions in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, offering MDMA as a psychotherapeutic treatment is not yet legal, but it is possible to offer MDMA sessions. Using a legal MDMA analogue with 95% produces the same effect. This analogue is not subject to the Opium Act or the Medicines Act, making it legal. This substance activates the same neurotransmitters as MDMA and therefore has similar effects on feelings of connection and empathy.
By law, our current MDMA sessions are not considered medical treatments, although we strive to mimic future medical MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as closely as possible. If you're interested in an MDMA session, we recommend reading the information below.
MDMA session reviews
Psychedelic therapy can be exciting, so it's helpful to know how others have experienced an MDMA session and what the results have been. We've compiled a few reviews below.
Just over a week ago, I had an MDMA session guided by Ronald. Without realizing it, I had built up expectations for the session beforehand, and I noticed a part of me was a bit disappointed afterward. Fortunately, that disappointment was short-lived because it turned out to be much better than I'd expected. It was exactly what I needed to take the next steps. After the session, the process continued for a few more days and nights, physically and through dreams that addressed my specific themes. I've come closer to myself and have felt so deeply grateful since that Friday. I look to the future with confidence, and I now know that whatever may come… Bring it on… I'm ready.
Thank you Ronald for your wonderful guidance. The right person in the right place at the right time. Grateful 🙏
The hours flew by, and after six, Janneke was getting ready to leave. Because I felt so connected to her, I had become attached to her and found it difficult to see her go. Even during the session, when she briefly went to the bathroom, I felt a sense of loneliness and a slight sense of abandonment, but the MDMA quickly pulled me out of these feelings. After the session, a fear of losing that warm feeling surfaced, and I carried this fear with me for about three days. The "Tuesday blues" hit me hard, and I wasn't fully prepared for it. Now, two weeks later, I feel light, open, calm, and clear. I have a better self-image and feel peaceful in my daily activities. For the first time in years, I've felt stable for days; not too happy, not too sad, not chaotic, but content. Triptherapie has opened a door for me to psychedelics as a healing tool, and I'm curious about what else it will bring me.
Marcel helped me tremendously during my session. I was so scared at first! Yet, Marcel's calm approach helped me feel confident enough to do it. I still feel an oasis of calm and joy when I think back to that wonderful session. I'm less anxious and feel more connected. Thanks again, and I think I'll come back to you in three months!