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.
- It should only be conducted by licensed professionals within approved research studies or clinical trials.
- There are several different types of treatment that can help with MDMA/Ecstasy addiction, but the type of treatment that you or your loved one may need will depend on their specific situation.
- 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.
What are the effects of MDMA?
MDMA (an abbreviation of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also called “Molly” or “Ecstasy,” is a lab-made (synthetic) drug that has effects similar to stimulants like methamphetamine. It is typically sold illicitly as colorful tablets with imprinted logos, capsules, powder, or liquid. Some researchers and organizations consider MDMA to be a psychedelic drug because it can also mildly alter visual and time perception. MDMA’s effects may include feeling more energetic and alert and having an increased sense of well-being, warmth, and openness toward others.
Its limited medical use, harmful effects and high abuse potential have prompted the DEA to label it as a Schedule I substance, deeming it illegal. Research suggests MDMA is potentially addictive, although more research is needed. Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, typically comes in the form of small colorful tablets or capsules. The tablets may have various designs or logos imprinted on them, making them visually appealing to ecstasy users. These pills and powders can vary in size, shape, and color, but they often have distinctive markings that set them apart from other medications.
Can MDMA be used as a treatment for mental disorders?
- 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).
- Give the dispatcher your exact location so the ambulance can get to you as quickly as possible.
- Behavioral therapy teaches you skills to better manage the situations that trigger your need to use ecstasy.
- Bisexual females made up about 10% of ecstasy users compared with gay males (4.6%), bisexual males (3.6%), and lesbian females (1.7%).
- Succinctly put, individuals under the influence of Ecstasy experience altered perceptions and sensations and increased energy, empathy, and pleasure.
It appears as a pure, fine white powder and is most often used by those who favor snorting, parachuting, licking and dissolving. Succinctly put, individuals under the influence of Ecstasy experience altered perceptions and sensations and increased energy, empathy, and pleasure. This often prompts irresponsible and risky behaviors which the individual would not engage in otherwise, with potentially detrimental consequences. By the 1980s, parties and dances that featured Ecstasy use (known as “raves”) had become popular among young people.
MDMA Addiction, Overdose, and Withdrawal
This article is purely informational and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your healthcare provider if you think that using ecstasy or “molly” is right for you. Using alcohol or other drugs along with ecstasy makes it more likely to harm yourself and end up in the hospital. 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. When talking to the dispatcher, try to not use terms such as “drugs” or “overdose.” Instead, tell them the symptoms that you can see are happening, such as seizures and not breathing. Give the dispatcher your exact location so the ambulance can get to you as quickly as possible.
Start your journey to recovery. Explore our MDMA treatment programs.
While not addictive like heroin or cocaine, ecstasy use may lead to dependence. 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. Ecstasy — also known as Molly, Adam, and XTC, among many other names — is a synthetic drug, meaning it is made from lab-made chemicals.
Is Ecstasy Addictive?
Regular use of Ecstasy can cause the brain’s serotonin system to become imbalanced, which can result in mood swings, depression, and cravings for the drug. Over time, individuals may feel the need to take higher doses to achieve the same effects, leading to tolerance. Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is a recreational drug that alters a person’s mood and perception. People take Ecstasy to experience feelings of euphoria, increased empathy, and enhanced sensory perception. Ecstasy overdose symptoms can include faintness, panic attacks or extreme anxiety, high blood pressure, and seizures.
Addiction and Dependence
More than 22 million of those surveyed said they have tried ecstasy at some point in their lives. Ecstasy is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which means you could face jail time if caught in possession of this drug. It was first made by German scientists in 1912, but it became widely available on the streets in the 1970s. It’s used to increase alertness and experience longer periods of happiness.
This leads to dangerous and irresponsible conduct, such as intentionally crashing cars, biting glass, hitting one’s head hard against walls, and other wild behaviors. When taken at dance parties, Ecstasy prompts its victims to dance uncontrollably and exert themselves far beyond their endurance. Ecstasy users are unaware that they have become overheated and dehydrated, and can subsequently faint and even die of heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and even heart attack.
In 2023, an estimated 0.4% of eighth graders (13 years old) said they used ecstasy in the last year. Almost double that number of 10th and 12th graders reported using ecstasy in the previous year. The federal survey found that ecstasy was most popular among adults aged 26 and older. In 2023, more than 1.5 million adults in this age group used ecstasy compared with about 520,000 adults aged 18 to 25. An estimated 75,000 kids aged 12 to 17 reported using ecstasy in 2023.
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. This involves either taking three or more tablets of ecstasy at the same time or taking ecstasy with LSD, marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, or other drugs. Sometimes, the drugs are taken at different times throughout the evening as a way of modifying the high.
While there are no specific treatments for ecstasy addiction, the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective option. This type of intervention helps change how people think and behave to support addiction recovery. CBT also teaches people coping skills so they can better manage the stress that contributes to substance use.
Shulgin’s research
Depending on the type of drug test used, ecstasy can be detected for three to five days after taking it. Typically, its effects last between four and six hours, but you may feel them for weeks. 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. 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.
If the Ecstasy has been contaminated with ecstasy mdma effects any adulterant drugs, as is very common, it may lead to any number of unexpected, adverse side effects. The most prevalent is tablets, which come in virtually every shape and color. Ecstasy pills can be round, square, molded into unique shapes, and be found in every shade of the rainbow. They may bear designs such as smiles, crowns, stars, diamonds, lips etc., or the manufacturing company’s logo.
