Psychedelics for the Frontlines: A Police Officer on the Healing Potential of MDMA for PTSD

Sarko Gergerian, a lieutenant and psychotherapist in the Winthrop, Massachusetts Police Department, believes MDMA and other psychedelics could be game-changing tools for treatment-resistant PTSD. His commentary is part of a wider conversation about psychedelics featuring physicist and World Science Festival co-founder Brian Greene, activist Rick Doblin, neuroscientist Gül Dölen, and musician/comedian Reggie Watts.

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This program is part of the Big Ideas series, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.

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[Tacit_Tern]

Psychedelics definitely saved my life after the military.

[lcamjrlc]

As a former Marine I can attest to the PTSD issue and how by experimenting with MDMA myself it's proven to me that it works.

[energiesrising]

If only the world could be as open minded, brave and honest as this individual then we could all start to heal this world together. Understandably different areas of the world hold different beliefs using many different "gifts from the mother" to aid in healing.
We could all learn alot from one another. Also the benefits of having an open mind is that more information comes your way. This information most definitely will hold the answers that you need to find what works for you alone.
Either way if we do not allow the flow of information then we simply will not have the correct tools to heal or help others heal.
This has worked for this individual and those that share in his experience.
Not everyone will have the same benefits However there are many different types of Psychedelics available around the world with many natural options that come along with therapy. This isn't a go home by yourself and get high kind of therapy but rather a guided journey ✨ 😊
Much love all

[okjosh]

I put a shotgun barrel in my mouth 26 years ago and had my finger on the trigger when a friend I hadn’t heard from in a while called me. Thats one hell of a coincidence I thought, why not answer? He says he was just thinking about how much of a difference I made to his life in middle school when I intervened between him and some bullies. We talked for a bit and he asked how I was. I was going to erase myself a few minutes ago, so I told him the truth. He proposed we met up and drop some acid and if I still felt like leaving, he wouldn’t try to stop me.
We met up and he gave me a hit of acid and we sat on a park bench and watched people feeding geese. When it started kicking in, I noticed the ground had started rippling, almost taking the effect of the surface of the lake ahead of us. Then the geese were just popping with color and everything seemed different. After about an hour of this, my friend says to me something along the lines of “This world isn’t as it seems. Take that to mean what you want but I felt you needed to know before you made the decision you were about to make.”

Psychedelics lifted the veil. I only did them for a few years after that, but they changed everything and made life worth living.
As I read so many other comments in this thread, it makes me happy that others have found a way to continue this game for a little longer.

[ThorPalsson]

"We need to get together; we need to take walls down". A very refreshing perspective from mr.Gergerian.

I dream of a day when 800k people don't commit suicide each year, if these medicines are legalized, it will be a huge step towards that dream.

[scythe]

it’s really sad that all of the times I’ve had MDMA in my possession I was terrified of going to prison for many years even though I knew if that happened it would be out of sheer ignorance. Just glad that the world is finally starting to wake up and see that there is a massive benefit to this substance and that even recreationally it’s not a bad thing, especially compared to some of the things we are allowed to ingest now legally.

[davidbryden]

This dude gets it! "US vs THEM" isn't working. Never did! Police should be a part of the community, not against it! Imho✌️🌏☮️

[williamrommel]

I can’t help but to agree with this. I’ve served as a first responder (fire and police) and an 18 year military career. Ayahuasca / mdma - could most certainly turn out better officers for sure. Graham Hancock said “every politician should drink ayahuasca ten times before taking office”. Officers SHOULD be able to have a psychedelic experience - and I would bet we would see LESS violent interactions. This video needed to be put together and I’m glad to see an officer advocating it.

[fabiocaetanofigueiredo]

Anyone that puts her/his life on the line to protect others has my deepest respect
👏🙏👏

[haunteddanelle]

Its so sad that it has to be like that. Thank you for your service

[allisonL-]

As someone who is studying to become a psychotherapist, I am someone who plans to approach treatment options as openly as possible. So long as treatment (ANY treatment) is done in a safe, supervised way that does not become a maladaptive coping mechinism- USE IT. People are struggling- why gatekeep something that can so beneficial?

[jaimeortega]

Finally, a voice of reason in a sea of stupidity, even if it is a cop. MDMA and psychedelics in general should never have been placed in Schedule 1 to begin with and need to be reclassified as totally legal or schedule 3. Why? Psychedelics are not addictive. There are numerous recently published studies showing the profound efficacy of psychedelics in the treatment of depression, drug and alcohol addiction, anxiety and PTSD. In many instances Psychedelics perform far better than current drugs or treatments at these tasks. So, if something works why not use it?

[baby.nay.]

Remember kids, mdma is not Molly, is not ecstasy, is not something you can likely find outside a lab . If you got it outside, it’s not pure mdma . I saw so many of my peers and own family become super addicted to it. They became so skinny I thought I was going to lose my little bro. I would say it’s more in line with cocaine than other psychedelics like mushrooms or acid . Please be safe.

[lcamjrlc]

No you have to become an open minded individual in order to understand the positive utilization of MDMA to help not only Police Officers, our Soldiers, those with traumatic experiences.. To think in A Negative frame of mind is counter productive to solving our Nations Health and PTSD issues.

[paulcooper]

Training makes police officers feel they are in constant danger and that you are a threat.
No doubt it wears on them.

[ricardobimblesticks]

I can't help but wonder what it is about MDMA that terrifies those that have made it a controlled sunstance?
Are they afraid it will aid the population in understanding we have more that unites than divides us?
That it could help us change our patterns of thought and behaviour?
Is it pressure from an already established, legal, yet harmful recreational drug industry?

Maybe they just don't like dancing, hugs and deely bobbers.

[evongreiff]

I’ve noticed that THC gives me an overwhelming sense of empathy for others almost to a fault; my mind experiences what they feel!

[sumeshrajurkar]

The danger in use of such psychedelic substances is of getting dependency.

[scythe]

I did MDMA quite a bit in the 90s and 2000s and I knew way back then there was nothing wrong with it just like marijuana. Sometimes being intelligent can be annoying because you’re just waiting for the world to catch up 🙄

[alanmacification]

Mostly MDMA works because afterwards you are so embarrassed by your actions when high on it, you reevaluate your entire life.