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Now that MDMA is illegal, some providers hidden MDMA therapy sessions, sometimes with disastrous results. A new article on Slate He detailed a man’s distressing experience after an underground psychedelic coach gave him methamphetamine “cut with a little MDMA,” instead of the pure MDMA he expected in a guided session in 2019.

Experts warn that it’s also risky for people to use MDMA on their own.

President of the American Council on Addiction Psychiatry, Dr. “This can include anything from a ‘bad trip’ to reckless behavior, to psychiatric symptoms such as panic attacks, or physical effects such as hypertension or interactions with other medications,” said Smita Das. Psychiatric Association.

Typical side effects of MDMA use include involuntary jaw clenching, nausea, heart palpitations, and hot flashes or chills. And long-term use to be able to damage nerve cells It contains serotonin, a chemical in the brain that transmits messages and helps regulate mood, sleep, pain, appetite, and more.

“There’s more to taking MDMA than making sure the compound is pure,” said Rachel Yehuda, director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Some mental health providers are looking for ways to help patients without breaking the law. Elizabeth Nielson, psychologist and co-founder of the company, said last year that Fluence, an organization that trains therapists to legally integrate psychedelics into their practice, has taught more than 300 clinicians how to self-support clients using illegal psychedelics.

Fluence tells therapists not to advise their clients on how to obtain or use an illegal drug. However, they can discuss why their clients want the drug, what happens when they use the drug, and how they can reduce the harm. They can then work with clients after taking the drug to process their experience.

Jayne Gumpel, principal instructor at Fluence and a couples therapist who sees clients in Woodstock, NY and New York City, said the public’s interest in psychedelics has “exploded”. In Oregon, Washington, DC and half a dozen municipalities decriminalized psilocybinand hundreds ketamine clinics It originates in the United States. Ms. Gumpel added that to stay current, therapists need to have an understanding of this and other psychedelics, including MDMA.