Facing death, returning to life

A qualitative analysis of MDMA-assisted therapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness

Bibliographic Data

ID15529210
AuthorsWilliam P Barone (0000-0002-5108-0149, corresponding author), William Barone, Michiko Mitsunaga-Whitten (Behavior Therapy Associates), Lia Osunfunláyò Blaustein (John F. Kennedy University), Phillip Perl (0000-0001-5854-1502, Public Service Electric and Gas (United States)), Marisa Swank (University of Essex), Thomas Cody Swift (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
Year2022
Volume13
Pages944849-944849
Publication date2022-09-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2022.944849
PMID36238946
OpenAlexW4297173008
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited36

Anxiety associated with life-threatening illness (LTI) is a pervasive mental health issue with a wide impact. A spectrum of traditional pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies are available, but offer varying success in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. We explore a novel therapy for this condition by assessing prominent thematic elements from participant narrative accounts of a pilot phase 2 clinical trial of 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) for treating anxiety associated with LTI. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a subset of adult participants 3 months following completion of this trial. This qualitative analysis sought to complement, clarify, and expand upon the quantitative findings obtained from the clinical trial to further understand the process and outcomes of the treatment. Interviews were coded and analyzed using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodological framework. Participants described in detail their experiences from before, during and after the trial, which were analyzed and categorized into thematic clusters. Specifically, participants explored what they felt were important elements of the therapeutic process including processing trauma and grief, exploring mystical and existential experiences, engaging with the present moment with reduced physiological activation, and facing illness and existential fears. Outcomes of the treatment included increased ability to cope with LTI, reduced psychological symptoms, improved vitality and quality of life, and feeling more resourced. Participant narratives also showed a reconnection to life and greater emotional resilience in response to trauma and medical relapse. These findings are compared to similar treatments for the same indication. Limitations and challenges encountered in conducting this study are discussed along with implications for theory and clinical treatment

Anxiety · Feeling · Grief · Interpretative phenomenological analysis · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Qualitative research · Quality of life (healthcare · Thematic analysis · Vitality · Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research · Clinical Psychology · Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies · Medicine · Psychedelics and Drug Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology

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