Ecstasy

Ecstasy is the slang term for the synthetic drug MDMA or 3, 4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Ecstasy is a recreational drug often used in the party scene at raves, nightclubs, bars, concerts and college parties. Ecstasy belongs to the entactogen family of drugs, entactogen drugs act as stimulants, hallucinogens and mood elevators. Other street names for the drug include E, XTC, clarity, insight, essence, Adam and love drug.

Users who take ecstasy begin to feel the effects within 30 minutes, the effect “peaks” around 90 minutes after a dosage and can last between 3-5 hours. Mainly ecstasy is taken in pill, capsule or table form in doses of 60 to 120 milligrams. These pills often come in different colors and shapes and feature cartoon characters or other symbols. Less frequently, users crush and snort the powder, or take ecstasy in liquid form through injections. Once the drug begins to fade in a users system they may “bump” or take another pill to keep feeling the effects.

Since the sale and possession of ecstasy is an illegal, users of E are taking a black market version of it. Black market ecstasy varies widely in chemical properties, containing substances that can make the drug more harmful. Caffeine, heroin, speed, ephedrine and toxic chemicals such as rat poison may be found in black market ecstasy.

Ecstasy acts on the brains serotonin level, causing a rapid increase in serotonin levels and causing the user to experience a better mood. Users feel energetic, more alert and empathetic towards others. Users may feel the desire to touch others or experience closeness. Club goers are able to dance for hours while on ecstasy. The effects of ecstasy become more pronounced if taken with alcohol or other recreational drugs. Binge drinking and risky sexual behavior with multiple partners has been associated with being on ecstasy, resulting from a loss of self-consciousness and increased feelings of sensual arousal.

Common effects of ecstasy include:

• Chills or sweating
• Nausea
• Faintness
• Dizziness
• Involuntary teeth clenching
• Tremors
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Lack of coordination
• Muscle tension
• Rapid eye movements
• Dehydration
• Severe anxiety
• Sleep disturbances
• Depression
• Paranoia
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Decrease in appetite or thirst

The effects of E can last for days or weeks after taking the drug. E is a stimulant and there is a possibility of death for users, mostly resulting from overdose. Other deaths result due to severe dehydration from drinking alcohol as well as hyperthermia, a condition where the body's temperature rises sharply resulting in liver, kidney and cardiovascular failure. Death from low blood sodium levels (hyponatremia) can result from drinking large amounts of water. Increased risk of death is associated with users suffering from preexisting cardiovascular conditions.

Long-term effects of the drug are associated with learning and memory problems and depression caused by shrinking of the brains serotonin levels. Ecstasy can become addictive and symptoms of dependency include frequent use, needing to take more to experience the same high and withdrawal from other activities. Addiction to E can be treated effectively through treatment centers. To reduce the likelihood of permanent brain damage E dependency should be treated as soon as possible. Addiction programs may also need to address other illegal drugs taken at the same time as E.

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