During the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 at a desert rave in southern Israel, the use of mind-altering substances like LSD, MDMA, and ketamine among attendees led to a unique intersection of trauma and psychedelics. As 4,000 revelers gathered for the Tribe of Nova music festival, they were met with a deadly assault by Hamas terrorists, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, including 360 at the rave alone.
Despite the tragedy, some survivors credited their drug-induced experiences with helping them escape the carnage. From spiritual revelations to increased decisiveness and strength, the impact of psychedelics on the festival attendees was varied and profound. Israeli researchers at the University of Haifa saw an opportunity to study the effects of trauma and psychedelics in a real-world setting, rather than a controlled lab environment.
Preliminary results of the researchers’ survey of over 650 Nova survivors revealed that LSD and MDMA were the most commonly used substances during the attack. Participants described a range of experiences, from hallucinations to heightened clarity, panic to resolve, and paralysis to action. The study also highlighted the subjective nature of drug experiences during traumatic events, with some users reporting positive outcomes while others struggled to escape.
The researchers, led by Professors Roee Admon and Roy Salomon, are monitoring the survivors’ long-term recovery and coping mechanisms. While some attendees reported feeling numb and detached, others found solace in increased drug use to cope with the aftermath. The study aims to shed light on how psychedelics could potentially be used in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, based on the experiences of the Nova survivors.
Moving forward, the University of Haifa researchers plan to track the survivors’ neural activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) over the coming years. While the study’s findings are still undergoing peer review, the initial conclusions suggest that MDMA users are experiencing better recovery outcomes and less severe PTSD symptoms compared to those who used other substances.
Despite the challenges of assessing exact drug doses and individual experiences, the researchers hope that their work will contribute to a better understanding of how psychedelics can impact trauma survivors. As the field of psychedelic research continues to gain traction, the Nova festival survivors offer a unique case study that could provide valuable insights into the intersection of drug use and traumatic events.