Facing death, returning to life: A qualitative analysis of MDMA-assisted therapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness
Frontiers in Psychiatry September 27, 2022 William Barone, Michiko Mitsunaga-Whitten, Lia Osunfunláyò Blaustein et al. 14 citations
Anxiety related to life-threatening illness is a common problem that current treatments only partially address. In a pilot clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for this condition, participants described key therapeutic experiences: processing trauma and grief, having mystical and existential experiences, engaging more fully with the present moment with less physiological arousal, and facing fears about illness and death. Outcomes included better ability to cope with their illness, reduced psychological symptoms, improved vitality and quality of life, and greater emotional resilience even after medical relapse. The findings suggest that MDMA-assisted therapy may help people reconnect to life and build emotional resources for dealing with existential distress.