A new study from Israel's Haifa University suggests that MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy) may have helped survivors of the October 7th, 2023 Supernova Music Festival attack cope better with trauma.
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00:00And when we arrived to the festival, we all put in a single 2-litre water bottle, some MDMA, and we each took a half or a quarter pill of ecstasy.
00:13On October 7, 2023, Hamas killed 344 festival goers and 34 security personnel at the Supernova Music Festival.
00:20A new study suggests that people who were able to survive may have MDMA to thank. Let that sink in.
00:25MDMA is a stimulant drug that is popular with youngsters who go to clubs and festivals.
00:29Early research at Israel's Hi-Fi University suggests that MDMA taken by festival goers helped them cushion the impact of the trauma that they had endured.
00:36I don't know anybody who didn't die because they were on MDMA. They were just as vulnerable as anyone else and we were all in the same situation.
00:44But, you know, months after the fact, I think having been on these substances, specifically MDMA and ecstasy, I think it helped.
00:55Because, you know, just by the nature of the drug.
00:58The Hi-Fi University study monitored 657 survivors, which included both those who took drugs and those who did not.
01:04Initial results tell that ones under the influence of MDMA exhibited significantly improved intermediate outcomes, as compared to individuals who were not under the influence. Listen in.
01:14People that were under the influence of MDMA specifically, while the attack occurred, had somewhat of an improved clinical outcome three to six months post the event.
01:29So they slept better. They had more social interactions. They had less mental distress compared to people who were exposed to the same exact event right next to them, but were not under the influence of MDMA.
01:44But this doesn't mean that such drugs are good. Long term use of the drug could lead to heart and kidney related issues.