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Experimental Treatment
Alternative medicine is any practice that is put forward as having the healing effects of medicine. It's characteristics are that it does not originate from evidence gathered using the scientific method, is not part of bio-medicine, and is contradicted by scientific evidence or established science. Over the last decade, alternative treatment has become more and more common in treating veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. It is often used selectively in clinical trials. While it is not yet excepted medical treatment, there are often studies being done to test its effectiveness. Usually it is used as a last resort due to the failure of conventional treatment.

MDMA
MDMA, known as the recreational drug Molly, has recently been seen as an alternative way of treating post traumatic stress disorder. It is used complementary to psycho-therapy. MDMA releases serotonin, dopamine,and oxytocin in the brain. It creates a state where the patient feels very calm. This allows them to open up more with their therapist because they are able to trust them more. It was first used as treatment during the late 70’s and early 80’s. It was later made illegal and was not used in the medical community. In 2015, despite being a schedule 1 drug, the FDA approved four clinical studies on its effectiveness to treat PTSD. It was later reported from the study that 83 percent of veterans claimed to be cured of PTSD. These results are considered to be promising especially considering only 25 percent of veterans were cured from talk therapy. However, many people in the medical community are still skeptical. The Veterans Administration is strongly opposed to the use of MDMA. Since it is a schedule one drug, the number of participants in the clinical trials are very small. It is also believed that long term use has a negative effect on the brain. Many of the veterans who are treated with MDMA use it as a last resort after all other treatment has failed.

Magnetic Resonance Therapy
Magnetic Resonance Therapy (MRT) is one of the leading forms of alternative treatment for Post traumatic stress disorder. It works by sending magnetic and radio waves in the body. The powerful magnets pull on the protons of the hydrogen atoms in the body so that they line up in the directions of the magnetic field. When the scanner switches the magnetic waves on and off, the protons move. The procedure pulses energy from magnetic coils into the cortex. This is known as brain zapping. It is highly controversial and is not used by the veterans administration. Two of the only places that perform this form of treatment is the Brain Treatment Center in California and johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore. All veterans receive the treatment free of charge. It has been used ever since it was approved by the FDA in 2008. Since its approval there have been an increased number of studies. Over 100 veterans have taken advantage of this new treatment. Many of the veterans who are treated report having a decreased number of symptoms, and in some cases are cured. One of the leading doctors in this treatment is Yi Jin. He is the medical director at the brain treatment center. He believes that with an increase in medical research, it will gain acceptance within the medical community.

Tapas Acupressure Technique
The Tapas Acupressure Technique or TAT is an alternative energy therapy that claims to remove negative emotions and past traumas. It was started in 1993 by Tapas Fleming. The roots of TAT treatment are derived from acupuncture. It is a pose that involves putting pressure on the area between your eyes with one hand, and putting pressure on the back of your head with the other hand. While it is not considered a solution for treating PTSD, many patients will use it as a way to complement more conventional treatment. Even though there is no scientific evidence that it works, many veterans will use it as a way to help them relax.

Thought Field Therapy
Thought Field Therapy or TFT is a fringe psychological treatment that was developed by American psychologist Roger Callahan. He believes that mental illness is “the product of disturbances,” what is referred to as “thought fields.”  The idea behind TFT is that by tapping acupuncture points in the body, it will relieve the sufferer from emotional pain. While these acupuncture points are being tapped on, there are 9 things that the patient is instructed to do. Some of these things include having the patient move their eyes in a circular motion and counting numbers. Callahan claims that post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can be easily relieved in 15 minutes. However, many mental health doctors dispute TFT. James Herbert, a psychology professor at Drexel University said that the “scientific status of thought field therapy is basically nonexistent and there is no evidence it does that it claims to do.”   While it is not widely used among veterans, many have used it as a way to complement more conventional treatment. Callahan teaches classes on TFT throughout the country, and also allows people to purchase his program through his website. Since it is a fringe treatment, there have not been any studies done on the benefits that it has for veterans.

Emotional Freedom Technique
The Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT is a form of psychological acupuncture that is very similar to TFT. The treatment begins by first having the patient select a problem that is causing them distress. Then they name the emotion that they are feeling at the current time and identify the body part where they are feeling the emotion. For example, a patient may be feeling sadness in the pit of their stomach. The whole point is to have the patient overcome this emotion by accepting themselves. They do this by placing pressure on certain points in the body, while verbally stating that they accept themselves for who they are. While all of this is going on, they also will perform other tasks such as rolling their eyes from side to side. The technique combines exposure, cognitive resurrecting, waking hypnosis, and physical relaxation while tapping on a sequence of pressure points and repeating key phrases out loud. It is believed that the physical stimulation of certain pressure points during exposure to an emotional trauma may send deactivating signals directly to the amygdala, also known as the fear center of the brain.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the most practiced forms of alternative medicine. It involves the insertion of needles into the body by a trained and licensed medical doctor. The needles are extremely thin and are placed at strategic points throughout the body. Acupuncture has long been part of traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese explain acupuncture as “as technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force” throughout your body. However, many western doctors see acupuncture as a way to stimulate nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. The military first started using acupuncture in 1864 as a way to treat wounded Civil War veterans. In recent years acupuncture has been seen as an effective way of treating PTSD. Evidence on the effectiveness of using acupuncture are still being looked at by doctors. Many of the side effects of acupuncture include blood clotting, warfarin use, severe psychiatric conditions, and skin infections. A German study looked at over 2 million acupuncture patients, and found that 8.6 percent suffered from at least one side effect. The military stress recovery (veterans) project, which began in 2006, provides free acupuncture to veterans returning from the wars overseas. While it was started in Albuquerque, there are now locations in places like Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. There are currently 20 clinics in operation, with many more clinics in the process of opening. Veterans at these clinics reported full nights’ sleep, improved mental clarity, less anxiety, and reduced stress. The VA hospital is currently researching the viability of using such treatment as a way of treating PTSD.

Yoga
There has been a sudden rise in the use of yoga to treat PTSD. Yoga is often used as an adjunctive form of treatment. The Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs researchers have found that yoga’s stretching, breathing techniques, and meditation can “help calm the part of the brain that the stresses of war kicks in to state of hyper-arousal.”   Many yoga instructors are offering their services to veterans who need them. While it hasn’t always been accepted by the medical community, many doctors are now starting to see its benefits. The Veterans Administration offers a wide range of yoga and meditation to treat PTSD.

Music Therapy
Music therapy has a long history of helping U.S. veterans. Early on musicians would preform for the veterans who returned from Europe in the World Wars. Doctors began to notice the positive emotional response that many of the veterans had. It is currently one of the few types of alternative treatment that is funded by the veteran’s administration. Walter Reed Medical Center has the first treatment program to test out the effectiveness of music therapy. There are currently 50 licensed music therapists that work for the VA. Some of the things that may take place during a therapy session include matching the rhythm placed on the therapists instrument and listening for changes in the therapists rhythm.