It has been proven that dancing can relieve stress and anxiety.  Late last year, the FDA approved testing of MDMA, the active ingredient in Ecstasy, the drug that makes you want to dance the night away, as a possible cure for PTSD.  Specifically, after promising results in previous studies, this Phase 3 study, slated to begin in June, will include more patients.  If successful, it will allow the medical use of MDMA in the treatment of PTSD, as soon as 2021.  Whatever your personal opinion of this treatment, the current administration will likely make sure that medical MDMA, if approved, is available for use in 2021 or earlier, as President Trump has previously discussed his support for the troops [many of whom have a TBI and/or PTSD] and his desire to deregulate the FDA.

“Because TBI is caused by trauma and there is symptom overlap [with PTSD], it can be hard to tell what the underlying problem is. In addition, many people who get a TBI also develop PTSD.”  Therefore, if approved, MDMA could help those who have had a TBI “regain” themselves, in some sense.  However, government studies have also proven that continued use of MDMA can cause long-term cognitive impairments.  Memory problems are, of course, already a significant side effect of traumatic brain injury.

Ultimately, finding a treatment for PTSD that does not worsen the symptoms of other medical issues for some potential users is a difficult task.