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Scientists Test New Treatment for PTSD

February 2026 — Scientists are studying new ways to help people with PTSD. PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It happens when someone experiences something very scary or terrible.

What Happens with PTSD?

When people have PTSD, they cannot stop thinking about bad things that happened to them. They have nightmares. They feel scared even when they are safe. Their brains get “stuck” in fear.

More than 12 million Americans have PTSD every year. Many of them are soldiers who fought in wars. Others experienced violence or accidents.

A New Kind of Medicine

Normal medicines don’t work for everyone. So scientists are testing different kinds of drugs. These drugs are called psychedelics. They come from mushrooms and other sources.

Two important drugs are: - MDMA (sometimes called “ecstasy”) - Psilocybin (from magic mushrooms)

How Do They Help?

These medicines help the brain change. When people take them with a doctor’s help, they can: - Feel less afraid of their memories - Think about bad events in a new way - Feel more hopeful about life

The Results

In studies, many people got much better. About 70% of people who took MDMA didn’t have PTSD symptoms anymore! This is exciting news.

Scientists will continue to test these medicines. They hope to help millions of people feel better in the future.

Vocabulary Help 📚

Grammar Focus 🎯

Present Continuous for Current Actions: - “Scientists are studying new ways.” - “They are testing different drugs.”

We use present continuous for things happening now or around now.

Simple Past for Completed Events: - “In studies, many people got better.” - “They fought in wars.”

Source: Live Science