MDMA - Commonly known as Ecstasy
(3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
Common Street Names
- Ecstasy
- Essence
- XTC
- Love Drug
- E
- Bob
- Adam
- Lovers Speed
- Hug Drug
- Disco Biscuits
- Clarity
- White Doves
- Doctor
- Rolls
MDMA is a synthetic drug that has been around since the early 1900’s and has been used recreationally since the 1960’s. During the 1970’s, MDMA was even used during psychotherapy to facilitate empathetic abilities.
The drug is chemically similar to the stimulant drug methamphetamine and the hallucinogen drug mescaline and therefore has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties.
Ecstasy is usually found in tablet form with designs or imprints but occasionally it can be in a powder or capsule. The chemicals used to make ecstasy are difficult to obtain and making the drug can be very dangerous. Ecstasy can be bought on the street for about $15-$25 a hit, however you never really know what you are actually getting. The drugs sold as ecstasy may contain a variety of other substances that are random and often dangerous additives and may not even contain MDMA at all.
The greatest danger for MDMA users is the drug’s ability to elevate body temperature to as much as 110 º and severe dehydration. Super-high temperatures can result in hyperthermia leading to liver, kidney and heart failure and death. Users often do not realize how dehydrated they become or they may try to drink large amounts of water very quickly which can lead to dangerous changes in sodium levels in the body. These changes in sodium levels can result in coma or death.
Another danger of Ecstasy use is that the drug itself can interfere with it’s own breakdown in the body. This can lead to dangerously high levels of the drug in the body when users who are no longer feeling the pleasurable effects take more.
As ecstasy wears off users often experience insomnia, learning difficulty, poor memory, irritability, and depression. Research has shown that some of these after effects, especially depression and memory problems, can last for days or even weeks after use, even for the occasional user. Research on chronic users find even more disturbing results. People who have used ecstasy at least 25 times have been found to have lower serotonin levels (a brain chemical responsible for mood, sleep, sexual activity, activity, aggression, etc.) for as long as a year after quitting. Research also suggests that the damage to the brain from chronic MDMA use can be permanent resulting in cognitive impairment and memory difficulty and long-term depression.
Click HERE to learn more about the effects of MDMA on the body & Brain
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Possible Effects of Ecstasy
- Muscle Tension/Spasms
- Paranoia
- Jaw Clenching
- Disorientation
- Cracked Tooth Enamel
- Mood Swings
- Worn Teeth
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Lapses in Memory
- Headache
- Confusion
- Blurred Vision
- Hallucinations
- Chills & Sweating
- Aggression
- Fainting
- Violent or Irrational Behavior
- Tremors
- Depression
- Elevated Blood Pressure
- Suicidal Thoughts
- Increased Heart Rate
- Severely Elevated Body Temp
- Dehydration
- Kidney Failure
- Pupil Dilation
- Liver Damage
- Eyelid Twitches Heart Attack
- Agitation
- Stroke
- Anxiety
- Brain Cell Destruction
- Panic Seizures
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