Are There Mental Health Benefits of MDMA?

Mainstream Mental Health Radio with Dr. John Huber

GUEST: Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D.

 

MDMA which is commonly known as ecstasy may have a much greater purpose beyond being an important aspect of rave events nationwide. Our guest today on Mainstream Mental Health radio is Matthew Wayne Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus. Dr. Johnson has studied the therapeutic effects of the psychedelic compound psilocybin in the treatment of addiction, and in the treatment of cancer-related anxiety and depression. He has also studied Psychopharmacology of psilocybin, salvinorin A, and other psychedelics/hallucinogens. 

WEBSITE OF INTEREST - http://psychedelicscience.org/conference 

Dr. Johnson based on your research, do you think that MDMA provides any medicinal purpose in treating people with mental health disorders?

How does MDMA affect the brain and basic cognitive function?   

How can Post Traumatic Stress be perceived on MDMA and can MDMA cause a person to have a permanent shift in perception on their PTSD?

Why do you think that MDMA and other psychedelics are being slowly embraced by the medical community as legitimate means of treatment?

Do you think that there is a danger of using MDMA as a form of treatment – as the individual could become addicted to it?

How would you compare regulated MDMA to anti-depressants in terms of their short term and long term effectiveness or harm?