Ever wondered what’s the deal with Ecstasy? Basically, it’s two highs in one. Ecstasy contains both a hallucinogen and a stimulant. When you combine these two things, you find yourself with a designer drug that is both highly sought after and dangerous.
MDMA pills a.k.a. Ecstasy
Contents
Ecstasy Effects
Ecstasy is known as a party drug because it lowers people’s inhibitions. The safeguards that most people have around strangers disappear when Ecstasy is around. It’s also true that Ecstasy increases physical pleasure, which is why promiscuity is sometimes associated with it. All of this happens no matter how much someone swears it won’t. Young people in particular are unaware of how powerful the subconscious mind actually is.
The effects of Ecstasy are usually felt shortly after taking it. The first wave hits within an hour. That first wave is a feeling of euphoria. Some people think this must be extreme happiness. It’s not; euphoria is a whole new level of contented peace. The word happiness doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s this euphoria that is psychologically addicting. Once you feel it the first time, you never want it to go away.
Neurological and Psychological Factors
Ecstasy always has an effect. The type of effect is entirely dependent on a user’s system. Neurological and psychological factors play a part in how Ecstasy makes someone feel. It also depends on how much you have in your stomach. Like most drugs and alcohol, having food in your stomach will likely lessen the effects of Ecstasy. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t feel it.
The effects of Ecstasy generally take place within an hour of taking a pill. Mileage varies of course, and people can build up a tolerance to it. This is another reason why it can be so dangerous. Some people become afraid they won’t feel anything while all their friends are feeling great, and that is why they double dose. This is bad enough if they’re just taking Ecstasy. However, many street dealers cut the pills with other drugs, so you never really know what you are double dosing on.
There is a whole range of side effects associated with Ecstasy. And, it’s not known why some people seem to be all right taking Ecstasy for years with no side effects, while other people experience terrible side effects the first time they use the drug. Like with many other drugs, it probably has a lot to do with metabolism.
Ecstasy Side Effects
Some of the mild side effects of Ecstasy include:
- Increased heart rate
- Increased body temperature
- Increased sweating
- Impaired speech
- Enlarged pupils
These are some of the side effects law enforcement looks for when they come upon a party with a lot of young people. Of course, all of those symptoms are also the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, minus the smell.
More severe side effects include:
- Nausea
- Erectile dysfunction
- Urinary retention
- Hyperthermia
- Hyponatremia
Lots of people who take ecstasy start out not knowing what it is. They get it from their friends or from someone in a club and don’t bother to ask. Sometimes what they’re getting isn’t even ecstasy, but rather a mixture or something even completely different. Young users often don’t realize how dangerous mixing pills can be. If someone tells them what they are giving them is ecstasy, they’re fine. The truth is, what they’re taking could have long lasting effects.
Long Term Effects Of Ecstasy Use
Ecstasy has been shown to have long lasting effects. Some of these effects can include:
Cardiovascular complications
Impaired memory
Brain damage
People who regularly take Ecstasy run the risk of kidney and liver failure. This is because the drug gives them energy and dehydrates them at the same time. Dehydrated organs cannot filter drugs the way hydrated organs can.
Usage
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that over 500,000 people over the age of 12 had experienced Ecstasy in 2007. The use of Ecstasy by children between the ages of 12 to 17 continues to rise. The party drug might go underground for a couple of months, but it always finds a way to come back, and the negative effects of ecstasy use are very real.
Although its often used in recreational settings, ecstasy is an addictive drug and professional treatment is often necessary to wean someone off of it. This can take place in an inpatient or outpatient facility.
Sources:
http://www.treatmentsolutions.com/ecstasy-addiction-treatment/
http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/know_drugs_ecstasy.html
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