Ecstasy Addiction and Treatment Options
What Is Ecstasy?
Ecstasy is a powerful synthetic drug that has both hallucinogenic and stimulant effects. It enhances sensory perception leading to slight changes in perceptions of sound, light, and touch. It also increases alertness and energy, leading to enhanced overall mood and emotional sensitivity. Ecstasy is most commonly taken as a pill or capsule, but it’s also possible to snort it in powder form or ingest it as a liquid.
Ecstasy rose in popularity in clubs and rave parties where it encouraged dancing and made individuals feel a sense of mild euphoria and enhanced perception. However, over time, ecstasy use has increased outside of party settings as a general mood enhancer or to intensify sexual experiences. MDMA is also known by the street names Molly, E, XTC, X, Adam, Disco Biscuit, and Hug Drug.
The Effects of Ecstasy Use
Ecstasy works primarily on three neurochemicals in the brain: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. All of these are essential in regulating mood and energy levels. Dopamine and serotonin are part of the pleasure pathway, and they can increase positive feelings and emotional closeness to others. Norepinephrine is associated with the flight-or-flight response and increases the activity of the nervous system by increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
MDMA creates a surge of these three neurotransmitters in the brain, temporarily elevating mood and boosting alertness. However, when the effects of the drug wear off, the brain is severely depleted of these essential chemicals. This leads to feelings of anxiety, depression, or paranoia, which are commonly associated with ecstasy comedown.
Ecstasy Side Effects
In addition to its primary effects on the brain, ecstasy is responsible for a host of adverse effects that may increase in severity according to the dose taken. These side effects may include:
- Headache
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea
- Elevated body temperature
- Increased blood pressure
- Clenched jaw
- Blurred vision
- Heat exhaustion
- Restlessness or agitation
- Disorganized thoughts
- Muscle stiffness
- Decreased appetite
- Chills
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
Additional Risks Associated with Ecstasy
Long-term ecstasy use can lead to physical and psychological dependence on the drug. This is caused by chemical dysregulation in the brain that requires ecstasy to modulate, leading to continued use. Long-term use is also associated with mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
There are also specific risks associated with taking high doses of ecstasy. These include a condition that can inhibit the body’s ability to regulate temperature, leading to organ failure and potentially death. Excessively high doses can also impair the body’s ability to regulate its own temperature and sodium levels. Both of these can lead to organ failure and death.
Can Ecstasy Be Laced With Other Drugs?
One of the biggest dangers of ecstasy use is that it’s manufactured illicitly in illegal laboratories, so its precise chemical makeup may be unknown. This makes it difficult to know how potent the ecstasy is or if it’s laced or cut with other potentially dangerous substances. Ecstasy is commonly cut with PCP, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ketamine, or bath salts. These potential combinations can increase the risk of adverse effects and deadly overdose.
Risks of Serotonin Syndrome
The use of drugs that work on serotonin in the brain can lead to a condition called serotonin syndrome. This is a common side effect of using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat depression. It may also occur with ecstasy use and is doubly likely when individuals who take SSRIs also take serotonin. Serotonin syndrome may be severe and potentially deadly if left untreated. The common symptoms of serotonin syndrome include:
- Impaired coordination
- Agitation
- Sensory hallucinations
- Jerky or abnormal eye movements
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Elevated heart rate - High blood pressure
- Excessive sweating
- Fever
- Tremors or shivering
- Coma
Can Ecstasy Use Be Fatal?
Compared to other illicit substances, ecstasy has a relatively harmless reputation as a party drug. However, this does not accurately reflect its potential dangers. In fact, when taken at high doses, MDMA can be deadly. This may occur because the body is pushed into a state of hyperthermia, which inhibits the body from being able to regulate temperature and leads to excessively high temperatures. This can cause muscles to break down, leading to their contents spilling into the bloodstream. It can also result in organ failure.
Ecstasy also affects the balance of electrolytes in the body through dehydration. This is compounded by the fact that ecstasy is often used in hot environments such as clubs or music festivals, leading to heat stroke. Excessive water intake can dilute the amount of sodium available in the body, which reduces its ability to regulate water in the body. This condition, known as hyponatremia, can lead to swelling of the brain or other organs, seizure, coma, or death.
Ecstasy Addiction Symptoms
Several behavioral signs and symptoms may point to ecstasy abuse or addiction. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM 5), a minimum of two of these symptoms are required for a diagnosis of substance use disorder. They are:
- Taking higher doses of ecstasy or for longer periods than originally planned
- Trying and failing to quit using ecstasy
- Spending more and more time getting, using, and recovering from ecstasy use
- Experiencing cravings to use
- Continuing to use ecstasy despite its negative effects on work, family, and other responsibilities
- Continuing to use ecstasy despite the interpersonal conflicts it causes or worsens
- Using ecstasy in situations that are risky such as while driving
- Continuing to use ecstasy even if it causes physical or psychological problems
- Tolerance, requiring a higher dose to achieve the same effect
- Withdrawal symptoms that occur when ecstasy use is stopped
Other symptoms of ecstasy use may be apparent to loved ones including uncharacteristic hostility, sleep disturbances, anxiety, paranoia, and loss of interest in hobbies and activities.
Ecstasy Addiction Treatment
Ecstasy abuse and addiction is treated similarly to other substance abuse issues. Treatment requires complete detox and progresses to therapeutic interventions. Generally, treatment is individualized according to a person’s specific needs such as the severity of their addiction. Treatment may be complicated by co-occurring substance abuse or other mental health issues, which must be addressed in treatment for it to be effective.
During medical detox, the individual struggling with ecstasy addiction enters a treatment facility where they can be monitored around the clock while they wean off of their substance use. Detox can help keep individuals comfortable by reducing withdrawal symptoms. Psychological intervention can help the individual cope with stressors and triggers that are associated with their substance use. Through treatment, they learn more adaptive ways of thinking and behaving as well as healthier coping strategies to prevent future relapse.
Ecstasy Addiction FAQs
Ecstasy Addiction Recovery at Riverwalk Ranch
A Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area Addiction Treatment CenterAt Riverwalk Ranch, we are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, helping you manage ecstasy addiction as part of our comprehensive addiction treatment services. Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, our professionals use only empirically-supported interventions to help you safely and comfortably eliminate ecstasy from your system and begin your journey toward recovery. At Riverwalk, you will find an encouraging and safe haven to detox, surrounded by addiction specialists and other like-minded peers all working toward a healthier life.
If you or a loved one is suffering from ecstasy addiction or is at risk of overdose, don’t wait to contact our addiction treatment center today at (877) 863-3869. Timely intervention could mean the difference between life and death. Whether you live in Texas or you’re looking for a fresh start in a new environment, Riverwalk Ranch can provide a therapeutic and supportive home for you. Everyone deserves a happy and healthy life free from addiction, and we are committed to helping you overcome ecstasy addiction in order to get you there.
