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| MDMA may have protected Nova attack survivors from trauma, study suggests | MDMA may have protected Nova attack survivors from trauma, study suggests |
| (3 days later) | |
| Michal is one of the festival-goers who believes MDMA helped her during the attack | Michal is one of the festival-goers who believes MDMA helped her during the attack |
| As dawn approached on the morning of 7 October 2023, many of the partygoers at the Nova music festival near Gaza's border took illegal recreational drugs like MDMA or LSD. | As dawn approached on the morning of 7 October 2023, many of the partygoers at the Nova music festival near Gaza's border took illegal recreational drugs like MDMA or LSD. |
| Hundreds of them were high when, shortly after sunrise, Hamas gunmen attacked the site. | Hundreds of them were high when, shortly after sunrise, Hamas gunmen attacked the site. |
| Now neuroscientists working with survivors from the festival say there are early signs that MDMA - also known as ecstasy or molly - may have provided some psychological protection against trauma. | Now neuroscientists working with survivors from the festival say there are early signs that MDMA - also known as ecstasy or molly - may have provided some psychological protection against trauma. |
| The preliminary results, currently being peer-reviewed with a view to publication in the coming months, suggest that the drug is associated with more positive mental states - both during the event and in the months afterwards. | The preliminary results, currently being peer-reviewed with a view to publication in the coming months, suggest that the drug is associated with more positive mental states - both during the event and in the months afterwards. |
| The study, carried out by scientists at Israel's Haifa University, could contribute to a growing scientific interest in how MDMA might be used to treat psychological trauma. | The study, carried out by scientists at Israel's Haifa University, could contribute to a growing scientific interest in how MDMA might be used to treat psychological trauma. |
| It is thought to be the first time scientists have been able to study a mass trauma event where large numbers of people were under the influence of mind-altering drugs. | It is thought to be the first time scientists have been able to study a mass trauma event where large numbers of people were under the influence of mind-altering drugs. |
| Hamas gunmen killed 360 people and kidnapped dozens more at the festival site where 3,500 people had been partying. | Hamas gunmen killed 360 people and kidnapped dozens more at the festival site where 3,500 people had been partying. |
| "We had people hiding under the bodies of their friends for hours while on LSD or MDMA," said Prof Roy Salomon, one of those leading the research. | "We had people hiding under the bodies of their friends for hours while on LSD or MDMA," said Prof Roy Salomon, one of those leading the research. |
| "There's talk that a lot of these substances create plasticity in the brain, so the brain is more open to change. But what happens if you endure this plasticity in such a terrible situation - is it going to be worse, or better?" | "There's talk that a lot of these substances create plasticity in the brain, so the brain is more open to change. But what happens if you endure this plasticity in such a terrible situation - is it going to be worse, or better?" |
| About 3,500 people were at the Nova festival when Hamas gunmen attacked | About 3,500 people were at the Nova festival when Hamas gunmen attacked |
| The research tracked the psychological responses of more than 650 survivors from the festival. Two-thirds of these were under the influence of recreational drugs including MDMA, LSD, marijuana or psilocybin - the compound found in hallucinogenic mushrooms - before the attacks took place. | The research tracked the psychological responses of more than 650 survivors from the festival. Two-thirds of these were under the influence of recreational drugs including MDMA, LSD, marijuana or psilocybin - the compound found in hallucinogenic mushrooms - before the attacks took place. |
| "MDMA, and especially MDMA that was not mixed with anything else, was the most protective," the study has found, according to Prof Salomon. | "MDMA, and especially MDMA that was not mixed with anything else, was the most protective," the study has found, according to Prof Salomon. |
| He said those on MDMA during the attack appeared to cope much better mentally in the first five months afterwards, when a lot of processing takes place. | He said those on MDMA during the attack appeared to cope much better mentally in the first five months afterwards, when a lot of processing takes place. |
| "They were sleeping better, had less mental distress - they were doing better than people who didn't take any substance," he said. | "They were sleeping better, had less mental distress - they were doing better than people who didn't take any substance," he said. |
| The team believes pro-social hormones triggered by the drug - such as oxytocin, which helps promote bonding - helped reduce fear and boost feelings of camaraderie between those fleeing the attack. | The team believes pro-social hormones triggered by the drug - such as oxytocin, which helps promote bonding - helped reduce fear and boost feelings of camaraderie between those fleeing the attack. |
| And even more importantly, they say, it appears to have left survivors more open to receiving love and support from their families and friends once they were home. | And even more importantly, they say, it appears to have left survivors more open to receiving love and support from their families and friends once they were home. |
| Clearly, the research is limited only to those who survived the attacks, making it hard to determine with any certainty whether specific drugs helped or hindered victims' chances of escape. | Clearly, the research is limited only to those who survived the attacks, making it hard to determine with any certainty whether specific drugs helped or hindered victims' chances of escape. |
| But researchers found that many survivors, like Michal Ohana, firmly believe it did play a role - and say that belief, in itself, may help them to recover from the event. | But researchers found that many survivors, like Michal Ohana, firmly believe it did play a role - and say that belief, in itself, may help them to recover from the event. |
| "I feel like it saved my life, because I was so high, like I'm not in the real world," she told me. "Because regular humans can't see all these things - it's not normal." | "I feel like it saved my life, because I was so high, like I'm not in the real world," she told me. "Because regular humans can't see all these things - it's not normal." |
| Without the drug, she believes she would have just frozen or collapsed to the floor, and been killed or captured by the gunmen. | Without the drug, she believes she would have just frozen or collapsed to the floor, and been killed or captured by the gunmen. |
| Survivors who had been on MDMA during the attack appeared to cope much better mentally in the months after, says Prof Roy Salomon | Survivors who had been on MDMA during the attack appeared to cope much better mentally in the months after, says Prof Roy Salomon |
| Clinicians in various countries have already experimented with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a trial setting - though only Australia has approved it as a treatment. | Clinicians in various countries have already experimented with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a trial setting - though only Australia has approved it as a treatment. |
| Countries that have rejected it include the US, where the Food and Drug Administration cited concerns about the design of the studies, that the treatment may not offer long-lasting benefits, and about the potential risk for heart problems, injury and abuse. | Countries that have rejected it include the US, where the Food and Drug Administration cited concerns about the design of the studies, that the treatment may not offer long-lasting benefits, and about the potential risk for heart problems, injury and abuse. |
| MDMA is classified as a Class A drug in the UK, and has been linked to liver, kidney and heart problems. | MDMA is classified as a Class A drug in the UK, and has been linked to liver, kidney and heart problems. |
| In Israel, where MDMA is also illegal, psychologists can use it to treat clients on an experimental research basis only. | |
| The preliminary findings from the Nova study are being closely followed by some of those Israeli clinicians experimenting with MDMA as treatment for PTSD after 7 October. | The preliminary findings from the Nova study are being closely followed by some of those Israeli clinicians experimenting with MDMA as treatment for PTSD after 7 October. |
| Dr Anna Harwood-Gross, a clinical psychologist and director of research at Israel's Metiv Psychotrauma Centre, described the initial findings as "really important" for therapists like her. | Dr Anna Harwood-Gross, a clinical psychologist and director of research at Israel's Metiv Psychotrauma Centre, described the initial findings as "really important" for therapists like her. |
| She is currently experimenting with using MDMA to treat PTSD within the Israeli military, and had worried about the ethics of inducing a vulnerable psychological state in clients when there is a war going on. | She is currently experimenting with using MDMA to treat PTSD within the Israeli military, and had worried about the ethics of inducing a vulnerable psychological state in clients when there is a war going on. |
| "At the beginning of the war, we questioned whether we were able to do this," she said. "Can we give people MDMA when there's a risk of an air raid siren? That's going to re-traumatise them potentially. This study has shown us that even if there's a traumatic event during therapy, the MDMA might also help process that trauma." | "At the beginning of the war, we questioned whether we were able to do this," she said. "Can we give people MDMA when there's a risk of an air raid siren? That's going to re-traumatise them potentially. This study has shown us that even if there's a traumatic event during therapy, the MDMA might also help process that trauma." |
| Dozens of people were kidnapped and 360 were killed in the festival attack | Dozens of people were kidnapped and 360 were killed in the festival attack |
| Dr Harwood-Gross says early indications of therapeutic MDMA use are encouraging, even among military veterans with chronic PTSD. | Dr Harwood-Gross says early indications of therapeutic MDMA use are encouraging, even among military veterans with chronic PTSD. |
| It has also upended old assumptions about the "rules" of therapy - especially the length of sessions, which have to be adjusted when working with clients under the influence of MDMA, she says. | It has also upended old assumptions about the "rules" of therapy - especially the length of sessions, which have to be adjusted when working with clients under the influence of MDMA, she says. |
| "For example, it's changed our thoughts about 50-minute therapy sessions, with one patient and one therapist," Dr Harwood-Gross told me. "Having two therapists, and long sessions - up to eight hours long - is a new way of doing therapy. They're looking at people very holistically and giving them time." | "For example, it's changed our thoughts about 50-minute therapy sessions, with one patient and one therapist," Dr Harwood-Gross told me. "Having two therapists, and long sessions - up to eight hours long - is a new way of doing therapy. They're looking at people very holistically and giving them time." |
| She says this new longer format is showing promising results, even without patients taking MDMA, with a success rate of 40% in the placebo group. | She says this new longer format is showing promising results, even without patients taking MDMA, with a success rate of 40% in the placebo group. |
| Israeli society itself has also changed its approach to trauma and therapy following the 7 October attacks, according to Danny Brom, a founding director of the METIV Psychotrauma Centre at Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem, and a senior figure in the industry. | Israeli society itself has also changed its approach to trauma and therapy following the 7 October attacks, according to Danny Brom, a founding director of the METIV Psychotrauma Centre at Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem, and a senior figure in the industry. |
| "It's as if this is the first trauma we're going through," he said. "I've seen wars here, I've seen lots of terrorist attacks and people said, 'We don't see trauma here'. | "It's as if this is the first trauma we're going through," he said. "I've seen wars here, I've seen lots of terrorist attacks and people said, 'We don't see trauma here'. |
| "Suddenly, there seems to be a general opinion that now everyone is traumatised, and everyone needs treatment. It's a wrong approach." | "Suddenly, there seems to be a general opinion that now everyone is traumatised, and everyone needs treatment. It's a wrong approach." |
| What broke, he said, is the sense of security many Jews believed Israel would provide them. These attacks uncovered a collective trauma, he says, linked to the Holocaust and generations of persecution. | What broke, he said, is the sense of security many Jews believed Israel would provide them. These attacks uncovered a collective trauma, he says, linked to the Holocaust and generations of persecution. |
| Some survivors say they are still struggling to return to normal life after the attack | Some survivors say they are still struggling to return to normal life after the attack |
| "Our history is full of massacres," psychologist Vered Atzmon Meshulam told me. "As a psychologist now in Israel, we are faced with an opportunity to work with lots of traumas that weren't previously being treated, like all our narratives for 2,000 years." | "Our history is full of massacres," psychologist Vered Atzmon Meshulam told me. "As a psychologist now in Israel, we are faced with an opportunity to work with lots of traumas that weren't previously being treated, like all our narratives for 2,000 years." |
| Collective trauma, combat trauma, mind-altering drugs, sexual assault, hostages, survivors, body-collectors, the injured and the bereaved - Israel's trauma specialists are facing a complex cocktail of issues from the clients now flooding into therapy. | Collective trauma, combat trauma, mind-altering drugs, sexual assault, hostages, survivors, body-collectors, the injured and the bereaved - Israel's trauma specialists are facing a complex cocktail of issues from the clients now flooding into therapy. |
| The scale of that mental health challenge is mirrored in Gaza, where vast numbers of people have been killed, injured or left homeless after a devastating 15-month war - and where there are scant resources to help a deeply traumatised population. | The scale of that mental health challenge is mirrored in Gaza, where vast numbers of people have been killed, injured or left homeless after a devastating 15-month war - and where there are scant resources to help a deeply traumatised population. |
| The war in Gaza, triggered by the Hamas attacks on Israeli communities in October 2023, was suspended in January in a six-week truce, during which Israeli hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. | The war in Gaza, triggered by the Hamas attacks on Israeli communities in October 2023, was suspended in January in a six-week truce, during which Israeli hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. |
| But there is little sense on either side that the peace and security needed to begin healing has arrived. | But there is little sense on either side that the peace and security needed to begin healing has arrived. |
| The truce expired last weekend, with 59 Israeli hostages still in Hamas captivity. Many Gazans are waiting, with their bags packed, for war to resume. | The truce expired last weekend, with 59 Israeli hostages still in Hamas captivity. Many Gazans are waiting, with their bags packed, for war to resume. |
| Meanwhile Nova survivor Michal Ohana says she feels that with the passage of time, some are expecting her to have moved on from the attacks, but she is still affected. | Meanwhile Nova survivor Michal Ohana says she feels that with the passage of time, some are expecting her to have moved on from the attacks, but she is still affected. |
| "I wake up with this, and I go to sleep with this, and people don't understand," she told me. | "I wake up with this, and I go to sleep with this, and people don't understand," she told me. |
| "We live this every day. I feel the country supported us in the first months, but now after one year, they feel: 'OK, you need to go back to work, back to life.' But we can't." | "We live this every day. I feel the country supported us in the first months, but now after one year, they feel: 'OK, you need to go back to work, back to life.' But we can't." |
| Additional reporting by Oren Rosenfeld and Naomi Scherbel-Ball | Additional reporting by Oren Rosenfeld and Naomi Scherbel-Ball |
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