The Facts Behind Ecstacy

MDMA (or, as it is more commonly referred to, Ecstasy) is a synthetic psychoactive substance that produces hallucinogenic and stimulant-like effects. Because users experience energy increases and extended feelings of euphoria, the drug became a popular substance of abuse among young people who attend raves (all-night dance parties that often feature pulsating electronic music and multicolored light shows).

Though many young users of Ecstasy believe that the drug doesn’t pose much of a threat to their health, the facts contradict this misperception. For example, studies have discovered that about one-third of Ecstasy users meet the medical criteria for drug abuse, and almost 60 percent report experiencing some withdrawal symptoms when they stop using.

Ecstasy withdrawal symptoms can include excessive fatigue, suppressed appetite, depression, and an impaired ability to focus.

While taking the drug, users may experience confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, and severe anxiety – effects that may recur as long as a month after ingestion, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

NIDA also reports that Ecstasy use can cause the following effects:

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Hyperthermia (dramatic increase in body temperature)
• Muscle tension and the involuntary clenching of one’s teeth
• Blurry vision
• Chills or excessive perspiration
• Nausea and lightheadedness

Unfortunately, negative effects such as these appear to have had little effect on the prevalence of Ecstasy abuse. According to the annual Monitoring the Future study of behaviors and attitudes toward drugs among young people, past-year Ecstasy abuse increased among 12th-graders (from three percent to 4.5 percent) between 2005 and 2007. Among high school sophomores, past-year abuse of the drug increased from 2.4 percent to 3.5 percent between 2004 and 2007.

If you or someone you love has been abusing Ecstasy, call 888.484.1047 to learn more about this drug, and to discover the range of treatment options that can help you or your loved on pursue a happier and healthier future that is free from the damaging effects of drug abuse.

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