Ecstasy Addiction: Mental, Physical & Behavioral Effects of Ecstasy

This page will discuss ecstasy withdrawal and addiction treatment. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. In part because ecstasy is often taken at raves or night clubs, the user runs a high risk of becoming dehydrated or overheating—eventually causing their organs to stop functioning if left untreated.

When to Seek Professional Help for Ecstasy Addiction

After the peak effects of ecstasy begin to dissipate, users will often “double-stack” or “re-up” and take more ecstasy to increase and return the peak euphoric effects of the drug. Many users do this to avoid what is often called “the crash,” resulting in feelings of anxiety, depression, fatigue, exhaustion, irritability, agitation, and impulsivity. In some individuals, users become aggressive and struggle with insomnia, significant decrease in appetite, memory loss and difficulty concentrating. Repeated use of ecstasy interferes with the normal brain chemistry, resulting in severe mood-swings as well. These intensive programs aim to help individuals develop coping strategies, address underlying mental health issues, and build a strong foundation for long-term recovery. If you or someone you love are experiencing substance use issues related to the use of ecstasy or any other molly mdma drug, it’s important to seek treatment.

Symptoms of molly use

• 92% of those who begin using ecstasy later turn to other drugs including marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin.
• Ecstasy abusers were far more likely (anywhere from 3 times to about 30 times) to abuse inhalants, LSD, cocaine, and heroin.
• Popular among young people and commonly known as ecstasy or molly, MDMA can cause serious and long-lasting side effects.
• Shulgin went on to develop a range of new compounds, including MDMA and PMMA (paramethoxymethamphetamine), many of which ended up as versions of street ecstasy.
• The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates ecstasy users (mostly teens and young adults) number approximately 9 million worldwide.
• Recent research has shown that brain damage can occur due to the use of ecstasy, even after only brief exposure.

The stimulating effects of a single dose tend to go away within six hours, but people can experience aftereffects for a few days or longer. MDMA can harm the body’s ability to regulate temperature, which can lead to serious health problems. Ecstasy — also known as Molly, Adam, and XTC, among many other names — is a synthetic drug, meaning it is made from lab-made chemicals. It increases levels of energy, happiness, and empathetic feelings toward others but also causes negative effects, from muscle cramps to depression to heart failure.

Is MDMA (Molly) Addictive?

This involves taking ecstasy along with the hallucinogenic drug LSD. If you or someone you love is struggling with MDMA misuse or addiction, contact American Addiction Centers (AAC) today to verify insurance and start treatment today. More serious and potentially fatal conditions can arise under certain circumstances.

• Use is mostly in those between the ages of 18 and 25, with a lifetime prevalence of use of 10.5%.
• Using alcohol or other drugs along with ecstasy makes it more likely to harm yourself and end up in the hospital.
• A person taking the drug will feel the effect within 1 hour, and it can last up to 6 hours.
• The symptoms may even persist for up to a week or more, especially if MDMA is mixed with other drugs such as marijuana.
• Withdrawal symptoms arise because the body and mind are chemically dependent on ecstasy to achieve feelings of normalcy.
• The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Is MDMA safe?

However, the latest research also suggests that MDMA can be highly effective as part of a treatment plan for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other severe mental health conditions. Recreational MDMA use is nonmedical, recreational use of the drug for its euphoric and mind-altering effects. People typically use MDMA in social settings, at parties, or at music festivals to enhance mood and increase sociability and sensation. People also often use it alongside alcohol or other drugs, which may enhance the negative effects. By boosting levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, MDMA produces feelings of euphoria, increased sociability, and heightened senses. Although molly is marketed as a purer form of MDMA, there are wide variations from batch to batch.

• In one study, researchers found that only 60% of samples contained any MDMA at all and many were mixed with so-called “fake cocaine,” a substance typically made with synthetic cathinone.
• Behavioral therapy teaches you skills to better manage the situations that trigger your need to use ecstasy.
• Some people who use MDMA do report symptoms of addiction, including continued use despite negative consequences, tolerance, withdrawal, and craving, according to the NIH.
• The other important consideration regarding whether ecstasy is addictive concerns the development of a formal substance use disorder as a result of ecstasy abuse.
• Some people who take ecstasy suck on lollipops or pacifiers to prevent this.

Long-term effects

When someone is addicted to ecstasy, they will continue to use the drug despite knowing the consequences. Even when ecstasy is not the only drug causing dependence, it can be a piece of a multi-drug patchwork of addiction. Ecstasy is a street name for a version of MDMA, or 3,4 methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. It is an illegal and man-made drug classified as a stimulant with potentially hallucinogenic properties. Both ecstasy and molly are made from MDMA, but ecstasy is used to describe a version in pill or tablet form while molly refers to a white powder or crystalline substance.