Car crash, abuse, assault, rape, murder, suicide, death of a loved one - all life changing experiences. What if there was a drug to help deal with the aftermath? Sometimes experiences like these lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Beta-blockers, like Propranolol, withdraw emotion from memory and thus reduce the symptoms of PTSD. This drug is a new hope for people who struggle with the discouraging effects of this mental illness.
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can often develop right after a traumatic event, or even in the years following. It causes irrational fears on a daily basis that interrupt normal life. The fight or flight response is part of the problem - the body's preparation to exert great physical strength or to run away during a stressful experience. In doing so, the body releases adrenaline, and fat is sent into the blood stream to be used as energy. During ancient times, this was almost always helpful. Imagine a villager sprinting on jagged earth from an enraged tribe. The adrenaline triggers enough stamina for him to run for his life, despite his injured, bare feet.
What does this have to do with memory? Well, when adrenaline and noradrenaline are released, some of these hormones go to a section of the brain called the amygdala. When this happens, the brain makes a tremendous effort to remember the stressful event. The villager will now remember where the enemy tribe lives and will not be going there again. As Daniel Goleman eloquently describes, "Adrenaline makes the mind take snapshot[s] of fraught events" (New York Times).
However, nowadays, this process can be very damaging. Now picture a lady sitting on a bus next to an empty seat. We'll call her Wendy. A musky-smelling, poorly shaven man wearing a black jacket sits next to her. Holding a knife to her side, he whispers in her ear, "Scream and I'll kill you." She gets out the situation alive, but lately, her life has changed quite a bit. Wendy doesn't ride buses, refuses to walk alone, and her heart skips a beat whenever she sees a man in a black jacket. She gets nervous while using cooking knives and starts sweating profusely whenever anyone, even her husband, whispers in her ear. Does she deserve to live in constant alarm?
People who live like Wendy most likely have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but there is relief. It's a drug called Propranolol. As mentioned before it is a beta-blocker. It works by "plugging up the receptor sites on the surface of the cells that normally respond to the two hormones [adrenaline and noradrenaline]" (Daniel Goleman). Propranolol's conscious effects on a person are basically to reduce symptoms of stress such as heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, tense muscles, excessive sweating, and hyperventilating. Researchers have found that Propranolol can even help cocaine addicts with their withdrawal symptoms. This is because the symptoms are so similar to those that Propranolol relieves people of - the things just listed above. For people with PTSD, Propranolol stops panic attacks. Performers can take this drug to end their stage fright. It is commonly used to control their blood pressure or arrhythmias as well. It is clear that Propranolol is highly beneficial to a large array of different peoples and problems.
It is a misconception of Propranolol that it erases memory of an incident all-together. It does, however, weaken the brain systems that remember upsetting things. The factual details are remembered, but the highly emotional details are blurred. It's like having a nightmare that you realize logically that it's scary, but are detached from actually feeling the fear.
Skeptics say that Propranolol could be used to allow people to avoid their problems and not use proper coping mechanisms. This is not the case. Propranolol is by prescription, so it is really up to a professional to decide whether or not a person needs the medication. By the same token, sleeping pills can be used for escapism, ADHD drugs for a high, steroids for body building… a lot of drugs can be abused. If Propranolol were to be abused, it would not be significant enough to outweigh the benefits and the new life it would give people who suffer from PTSD.
Someone with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder described it as a nightmare in their sleep, and also in their daylight hours, that they can never leave behind. Alain Brunet, PhD, adds that "Some traumatic memories remain very vivid and do not fade with time. Our study is looking at how to dampen these emotions using the common blood pressure drug, Propranolol… this drug successfully lessens the intensity of past experiences and thereby relieves the PTSD" (Foundation Douglas). By letting people start living again, Propranolol allows full potential to be reached. Tragic and frightening experiences rob us of our security, happiness, and overall well-being; but Propranolol returns those qualities to their rightful owner. In our modern day society, where traumatic crimes and experiences occur everyday, Propranolol is providing hope, and people who take it for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are finally living life anew. Things happen out of our control, but there are solutions that lie in our own hands.
