Positives

• One patient with long COVID described MDMA as a “blissful experience” that temporarily alleviated their brain fog, allowing them to feel emotions and engage socially for the first time in six months Reddit.
  
  
• In another report, a patient reported that after taking MDMA, they “enjoyed a day” for the first time in months, experiencing a slight improvement in cognitive function even days later Reddit.
  
  

Negatives

• A patient attempting to manage long COVID symptoms reported that their experience with MDMA was akin to a “bad trip,” causing disorientation, nausea, and other adverse effects Reddit.
  
  

Hurdles & Side Effects

• MDMA remains a DEA Schedule I drug, so patients seeking MDMA-assisted therapy in the U.S. are essentially limited to enrolled MAPS clinical trial sites; many trauma-symptom patients are still waiting for FDA approval after the 2024 advisory rejection pushed broader availability further out Nature.
• MAPS’ phase 3 protocol involves twelve sessions, including three drug sessions of six or more hours each with two trained therapists, at a cost of about $11,537 per patient that is not covered by insurance PLOS One.