MDMA therapy in the Netherlands against PTSD
Because of the news that MDMA works well during treatment for PTSD, which means post-traumatic stress syndrome, we get many requests to use MDMA as a psychedelic during therapy. What most news reports forget to mention is that MDMA has a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to psilocybin treatment. For some people, an MDMA session will be the best choice and for others psilocybin might be better. We will describe in this article what the right rationale for an MDMA therapy might be.
How does MDMA work?
Half an hour after ingestion, MDMA gradually causes a temporary greatly increased release of serotonin in and it blocks the reuptake and production of new serotonin. In addition, MDMA blocks the reuptake of the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and dopamine. After 1.5 hours, the peak of this effect is reached. Gradually, the effect diminishes and after 6 hours, MDMA's effect is gone. Serotonin stores in neurons are then depleted and the concentration in the brain decreases. Moreover, at the higher doses, receptors for signalling substances withdraw into the cell, making them less sensitive.
The benefits of MDMA therapy
The advantage of MDMA during therapy is that due to the increased activity of serotonin, depressive feelings and fears are pushed into the background. When dealing with PTSD without the overwhelming fear it can produce, it is better to think in terms of solutions rather than problems. This can benefit processing the past. MDMA therapy is often combined with exposure therapy to help the brain make new connections to what was previously a trigger for anxiety.
The disadvantages of MDMA therapy
At MDMA therapy have drawbacks in addition to the benefits. The dip in serotonin supply is because serotonin depletion occurs and because serotonin receptors are less able to be stimulated. This causes depressive feelings, the return of anxiety and thus PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, MDMA is illegal and pure MDMA is still rarely encountered because it is often mixed with other substances similar to it. High doses of MDMA can cause dehydration, kidney failure, liver damage and brain damage. In therapeutic sessions, overdosing should be avoided to minimise negative effects. Sometimes it is difficult to determine the correct dosage, as some individuals react abnormally to MDMA.
An alternative to MDMA therapy
From our experience and looking at the biochemical reactions, we can tell you that MDMA is not the best psychedelic to treat depression, but MDMA can be useful for PTSD and trauma. Psilocybin has several benefits that MDMA offers, namely increasing the activity of the serotonin receptor 5HT2a. Psilocybin can stimulate the 5HT2a receptor much more than MDMA because psilocybin does not deplete its own supply of serotonin but acts as an extra presence. Also, the receptors do not withdraw so there is no Tuesday dip. Another advantage is that dopamine does not play a role of psilocybin, but it does with MDMA. While serotonin creates a sense of togetherness, dopamine will actually make you feel more like an individual. Partly because of this fact and the fact that you can achieve a much higher stimulation of the 5HT2a receptor with psilocybin, it is easier to create an ego death with psilocybin and almost impossible with MDMA therapy. An ego death can go a long way in processing trauma, resolving anxiety and fighting depression. Especially if depression is a factor, we tend to lean more towards a psilocybin session and if medication is involved, it can mean that MDMA should not be used anyway and psilocybin often can.
Who is an MDMA session suitable for, though?
An MDMA session can provide more than the aforementioned drawbacks, and then MDMA is a very useful tool for processing PTSD and trauma, for instance. MDMA can also be useful for couples therapy. An MDMA session can help if you want to change triggers that normally trigger anxiety, if anxiety prevents you from talking about your feelings or problems, or if you think your memory is blocked by anxiety and therefore cannot process the past. For now, MDMA therapy is most often used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where it can help reduce symptoms such as anxiety, re-experiencing and avoidance.
More than just therapy with psychedelics
We do more than just supervise psychedelic therapy. Before the trip, we make a plan to physically prepare someone for the trip through diet, supplements and exercise. The aim of this is to ensure that our clients come to see that taking good care of yourself is rewarded. This insight only really becomes clear during the trip because the trip works better then, for example because the receptors are made more sensitive and because during the trip everything suddenly starts to "land". During the preparation we sometimes give some assignments, the meaning of which often only becomes clear during the trip. These assignments can develop into certain insights when the psychedelics do their work.
What a trip therapy process looks like
We believe that a healthy body provides a healthy basis for being psychologically healthy. We do everything we can to address all facets of life and that is why we also advise our customers on nutrition, exercise and supplements. The complete approach for body and mind ensures the best results in the short and long term. Typically, we use a schedule that looks like this for most customers:
- Registration/intake
- Advice about nutrition, exercise and supplements based on point 1
- Review a period of 2-3 weeks of progress from point 2
- An individual psychedelic session
- Same-day session review
- After about 1-2 weeks there will be another discussion
Extras during the sessions
Our psychedelic therapy includes the extras below to make the experience even better, but our therapists can choose additional helpful therapeutic additions of their own:
- Personal preparation
- Individual guidance
- Aromatherapy (during session)
- Musical support
- Integration interview
Possibilities of trip therapy
The biggest advantage of a trip therapy session is that through introspection (looking within yourself) we can guide you to change your self-image. Many addictions, fears, stress, depression and other personal problems arise from a (negative) incorrect self-image, from non-real thoughts or from subconscious stress, which arise from fears in the subconscious. If you give yourself the best based on nutrition, thought and exercise, this will have a positive effect during and after the trip because these lifestyle changes are considered logical during the trip. Be good to your body and mind and they will be good to you. You are worthy of being the best version of yourself.
What others say about trip therapy
A client's story can often tell more and tell the experience more honestly than what we write about ourselves. It looks like around 70% of sessions are successful in achieving the goals people set. In any case, read through our clients' reviews to get more insight:
Are you curious about what we can do for you?
Before signing up with us, it is best to learn as much as you can about trip therapy. After all, Triptherapie works best when someone is ready. Of course, we are ready for you if you are ready to make your life more pleasant and healthy through physical health and psychedelic therapy. You can expect the best personal service available from us. To get started, you can apply by filling in the intake form free of charge or by contacting us (see footer below).
