MDMA May Have Helped October 7 Hamas Attack Survivors Cope With Trauma: Study
Early findings suggest that MDMA especially in its pure form may have provided some psychological protection against trauma to the survivors.
A deadly attack on the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, near the Gaza border left 360 people dead and many others taken hostage. Thousands had gathered for the event but the sudden violence turned the celebration into a nightmare. Some hid for hours, others ran for their lives and many were caught in the chaos. Among people who had survived the attack were those who had taken MDMA or LSD, common recreational drugs known for their hallucinogenic effects. Now, researchers from Israel’s Haifa University are studying whether MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, helped some survivors cope better with the psychological trauma of that day.
Scientists tracked more than 650 survivors, two-thirds of whom had taken substances like MDMA, LSD, marijuana or psilocybin before the attack, BBC reported. Some survivors experienced extreme situations while under the influence of these drugs.
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“We had people hiding under the bodies of their friends for hours while on LSD or MDMA," Professor Roy Salomon, one of the leading researchers, told BBC. “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?" he added.
Early findings suggest that MDMA, especially in its pure form may have provided some psychological protection against trauma to the survivors. “MDMA, and especially MDMA that was not mixed with anything else, was the most protective," the study has found, according to Prof Salomon.
He explained that these survivors slept better and felt less anxious than those who had not taken any drugs. The study, which is still under review, suggests that MDMA may have released prosocial hormones, like oxytocin, which promotes bonding. This could have helped reduce fear and create a sense of togetherness among those trying to escape. The drug may have further helped survivors accept support from family and friends which is important for recovering from trauma.
Many survivors strongly believe the drug helped them. Michal Ohana, who was at the festival, told the BBC that MDMA may have saved her life. “I feel like it saved my life, because I was so high, like I’m not in the real world. Because regular humans can’t see all these things – it’s not normal," she said.
MDMA is illegal in Israel but psychologists can use it to treat clients on an experimental research basis only. Some Israeli clinicians studying MDMA as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after the October 7 attack are closely following the early findings from the Nova study.
Dr Anna Harwood-Gross, a clinical psychologist and director of research at Israel’s Metiv Psychotrauma Centre, is testing the use of MDMA to treat PTSD in Israeli soldiers. She mentioned she was initially unsure if it was safe to take during a war.
“At the beginning of the war, we questioned whether we were able to do this. 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," she added.
Globally, the medical use of MDMA is being debated. Australia has approved it for PTSD treatment while the US has rejected it due to concerns about study design that may not provide long-term effectiveness and potential risk for heart problems, injury and abuse. In the UK, MDMA remains a Class A drug associated with heart, kidney and liver issues.
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