> Has alcohol ever received any kind of therapeutic recognition, or emergency use authorization to treat PTSD like MDMA?

The regulatory status is irrelevant IMO. Personally, I know that many of the most profound experiences of my life have been mediated by alcohol. My life has certainly been changed by it.

As someone who has used a larger number of psychedelics, MDMA, ayahuasca and so on - yes, alcohol at 16 for a few years was absolutely life changing for many of the same reasons: increased sociability and being able to talk to people uninhibitely about many things. I didn't overdo it and haven't drunken alcohol in years.

Alcohol can be life changing, but I said "not life changing like MDMA". All of the sociability benefits you received from alcohol are achievable via other means that don't require the use of drugs, like CBT and plain old practice/experience. That is simply NOT the case for MDMA and depression and PTSD. If you think so, then show me examples of alcohol making someone relieved, normal and happy in 30 mins after literally years of depression and suicide attempts. They just aren't in the same league.

I'm pretty sure alcohol's benefits have just been acknowledged since antiquity. Social lubrication/chemical courage and delaying pain... both of which can help immensely with the bottom-most tiers in Maslow's hierarchy (physiological and safety). MDMA arguably assists with achieving some of the higher tiers, however it seems like a relatively niche solution that many people do not handle well.