Research on psychedelic mushrooms, ecstasy as PTSD treatment shows positive results

AUSTIN, Texas - You may have come across news reports on using psychedelic mushrooms and ecstasy as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But, how legitimate is this research, and could these treatments really work?

Natalie Ginsburg with The Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) joins FOX 7's Mike Warren to discuss this.

MAPS conducts research on psychedelics as treatment for PTSD.

"So far our results have been very promising. Our most recent results showed that two thirds of participants no longer qualified as having PTSD after our study," Ginsburg said. "You compare this with zoloft and paxil- the other approved treatment of PTSD, is around 50 percent effective in reducing symptoms but not eliminating them."

Ginsburg says there are many theories in why psychedelics work to treat PTSD, one is that it helps address the root source of the trauma. 

"We are in the process of finishing our final phase of research, so we're looking at the next few years for the FDA to approve for MDMA therapies and other psychedelic therapies that are being studied right now," Ginsburg said. 

Ginsburg says that veterans with PTSD will qualify to participate in this type of treatment when available.