These substances may be extremely dangerous if the person does not know what he or she is taking. 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. Even small doses of ecstasy can harm your mental, physical, or emotional well-being. It is typically sold illicitly as colorful tablets with imprinted logos, capsules, powder, or liquid.
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- That can lead to serious difficulties in your daily life, such as at your job, in your relationships, and in maintaining your emotional well-being.
- Ecstasy directly affects the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
- As the drug is illegal, there is no government regulation over its production.
- It’s similar to other stimulant drugs, such as methamphetamine.
- You will begin to feel its effects within 30 to 45 minutes.
The effects of ecstasy typically last about four to six hours, though they can continue for weeks. This involves taking several doses of ecstasy spread out over a short time. Molly may come in the form of gel capsules or tablets, which are often colorful and come in a variety of shapes. They typically display logos, such as smiley faces, cartoon characters, or symbols used by popular brands such as Nike and Mercedes. When you contact 911, always let them know what drugs the person took and how much. No one will get in trouble, and the information could be lifesaving.
- The current studies aren’t in agreement as to whether MDMA can cause addiction.
- However, people who purchase powder or capsules sold as Molly often actually get other drugs such as synthetic cathinones (“bath salts”) instead (see “Added Risk of MDMA”).
- Gay, lesbian, or bisexual people are more likely to have used ecstasy within the last 30 days.
Does MDMA Have Value in Therapy?
It’s used to increase alertness and experience longer periods of happiness. Additionally, some researchers have suggested that MDMA might be useful as a treatment for some mental conditions, such as PTSD and disordered eating. Mostly known as a ‘party drug,’ MDMA may also have use in therapy for PSTD, anxiety, eating disorders, and more. In general, the unlicensed use, sale or manufacture of MDMA are all criminal offences. You will begin to feel its effects within 30 to 45 minutes. If you choose to take ecstasy, use it with as much precaution as possible.
Added Risk of MDMA
However, there are also some common adverse effects, some severe risks, and possible long-term damage. Not all the effects are predictable because pure Ecstasy can contain other unwanted drugs or chemicals. As the drug is illegal, there is no government regulation over its production. MDMA works by increasing the production of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These are the brain’s neurotransmitters, which influence mood, sleep, and appetite. MDMA has many of the same physical effects as other stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines.
Long-term effects
In some places, the police do not arrest bystanders or those who overdose; in other areas, they might. Ecstasy has several effects during the hours it’s active in your system. Popular with young people since the 1980s, raves are parties often held in locations such as warehouses, nightclubs, and fields. Lasting all night, these events feature dancing to techno (a type of electronic music) amidst laser light shows and often involve illicit drug use, especially ecstasy. Gay, lesbian, or bisexual people are more likely to have used ecstasy within the last 30 days. A 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health of people aged 12 or older showed that almost 2.2 million people said they used ecstasy in 2023, or nearly 1% of people surveyed.
Some people seeking treatment for MDMA addiction have found behavioral therapy to be helpful. Scientists need more research to determine how effective this treatment option is for addiction to MDMA. Experiments have shown that animals will self-administer MDMA—an important indicator of a drug’s abuse potential—although to a lesser degree than some other drugs such as cocaine. MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) is an artificial drug that people legally used in the 1970s for psychotherapy treatment despite a lack of data to support its effectiveness. There’s no set definition for “hard drugs.” Generally, hard drugs are considered to be those with the greatest potential for harm and addiction, such as heroin and cocaine.
Researchers and addiction specialists widely consider ecstasy a hard drug. Even though ecstasy includes addictive ingredients, there is very little research to prove that you can get addicted to the drug. Research shows drugs such as cocaine are more likely to cause addiction than ecstasy. It’s important to know that the effects of ecstasy will be different from person to person. Your health, weight, the amount you’ve taken, and other drugs used with ecstasy can all play a role. These differences can cause a person to react differently to the effects of ecstasy when on the drug and coming down from it.
Forms
If you’re going to take ecstasy, try to take it in mini doses. This could mean cutting a tablet into quarters and only taking one quarter at a time — no more than every two or three hours — to see how it affects you. Reaching out for help from friends and family can be a great way to gain support. If you communicate your problems about ecstasy and express the desire for help, you can avoid substance use disorders. Taking ecstasy can cause you to grind your teeth and clench your jaw, a side effect sometimes referred to as Molly jaw.
Ecstasy (Molly/MDMA): Effects and Risks
MDMA causes a surge of serotonin, after which the body will experience a depletion of this “feel-good” neurotransmitter. A person needs to seek immediate medical attention if they experience the above MDMA use. This refers to a sudden increase in body temperature, cardiovascular collapse, or significant dehydration. These effects may be due to MDMA alone or the combination of MDMA use with other drugs. The substance then began illegally circulating for recreational use. MDMA can also be addictive, and research suggests that long-term thinking problems may develop in some people who use it.
While not addictive like heroin or cocaine, ecstasy use may lead to dependence. It’s similar to other stimulant drugs, such as methamphetamine. It also causes hallucinogenic effects that can change how you see the world, such as not knowing what time it is or seeing things that are not there. Ecstasy directly affects the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Adding to MDMA’s risks is that pills, capsules, or powders sold as Ecstasy and supposedly “pure” Molly may contain other drugs instead of or in addition to MDMA. Much of the Molly seized by the police contains additives such as cocaine, ketamine, methamphetamine, over-the-counter cough medicine, or synthetic cathinones (“bath salts”).
A person taking the drug will mdma withdrawal timeline feel the effect within 1 hour, and it can last up to 6 hours. The chemical is called 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, or MDMA. Using alcohol or other drugs along with ecstasy makes it more likely to harm yourself and end up in the hospital. Although there are no medications to help you stop using ecstasy, some people who have had issues with ecstasy have reported that behavioral therapy can help. Behavioral therapy teaches you skills to better manage the situations that trigger your need to use ecstasy.
MDMA first became popular in nightclubs, but people now take it in a wide range of settings. Researchers are also studying MDMA as a treatment for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in supervised clinical research trials. Chronic, repeated use may cause problems similar to those of amphetamines, including dependence. Decline in mental functioning may also occur with repeated, frequent use. MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is similar to an amphetamine but has both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects.
Taking ecstasy leads to feelings of euphoria, happiness, and well-being in which you feel drawn to or connected to other people as if you love them. You may feel a need to touch and be touched, and you’ll experience sexual arousal and a heightening of your senses. People who identify as heterosexual males accounted for over half of ecstasy users compared with 28% of people who identify as heterosexual females, according to a 2023 study. Bisexual females made up about 10% of ecstasy users compared with gay males (4.6%), bisexual males (3.6%), and lesbian females (1.7%). Concerns are especially high for those who are still in middle or high school as their brains are not fully developed.
Information provided by NIDA is not a substitute for professional medical care or legal consultation. It’s possible that some of these effects may be due to the combined use of MDMA with other drugs, especially marijuana. Due to the altered sense of reality due to MDMA use, people who have taken it can make dangerous decisions without concern that these could lead to negative consequences. The brain can take days or weeks to replenish the serotonin. Side effects of moderate use can persist for a week after using it.