Ecstasy Addiction Information & Treatment Options
The addictive nature of Ecstasy makes stopping the drug difficult and the vicious cycle of addiction continues
What Is Ecstasy?
Ecstasy is MDMA, or 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. It belongs to a family of drugs called “entactogens,” which literally means “touching within.” Other drugs in this category include MDA, MDE and MBDB. Before it was made illegal in 1985, MDMA was used by psychiatrists as a therapeutic tool. Studies are currently underway in several countries including the United States and Israel to assess MDMA’s effectiveness in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Short-term effects of ecstasy use can include:
- Muscle tension
- Sweating
- Heightened senses
- Poor concentration
- Hot and cold flushes
- Hallucinations
- Euphoria
- Empathy for others/emotional warmth
- Teeth grinding
- Anxiety or paranoia
- Involuntary teeth or jaw clenching
- Nausea
- Extreme relaxation
- Severe dehydration (especially when mixed with alcohol)
- Heat exhaustion
- Increased body temperature up to 108 degrees (especially when dancing)
- Increased blood pressure, breathing rate, pulse rate and heart rate
- Faintness
- Feeling of well being
- Dry mouth
Long-term effects of ecstasy use can include:
- Death
- Dramatic increase in heart rate, leading to serious complications for people with cardiovascular disease
- Dehydration can lead to liver and kidney failure
- Disturbing emotional reactions, confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety, and heart palpitations. Symptoms last a long time after taking the drug
- Depletes the amount of serotonin in the brain and blocks uptake of serotonin
- Toxic to the brain
- Impairs memory
- Brain damage is directly related to amount and frequency of usage
- Sleep problems
Ecstasy-related deaths have been reported; usually as a result of heatstroke from dancing in hot clubs for long hours without replenishing lost body fluids. Dehydration and heat exhaustion are the two biggest dangers when under the influence of MDMA. It is important to note that there are many other side effects that can occur from other unknown drugs/substances that could be in the ecstasy tablet. These can include addiction, overdose, and death.
Ecstasy Addiction
Ecstasy addiction is a disorder that affects the brain. Every person is different; the drug affects individuals in diverse ways. While some people may abuse the drug and not get addicted, there are others who take the drug and get hooked on it immediately. Ecstasy addiction is typified by an individual having to take the drug on a regular basis, no matter the harm it causes to their health, family, job and the general performance in the society.
Ecstasy can rapidly cause dependence and most individuals complain that they have a difficult time stopping the drug. Because the pleasant effects of Ecstasy diminish with time, most users tend not to use it for prolonged period. However, the addictive nature of the drug makes stopping the drug difficult and the vicious cycle of dependence continues.
Ecstasy Treatment Options
A number of drug treatment options are available to treat Ecstasy dependence. While abstinence may be a suitable management plan for those who have only used MDMA for the short term, it is not a valid solution for long term users. Long terms users develop severe withdrawal symptoms and abrupt abstinence is fraught with medical complications. Most treatment programs offer counseling, behaviors modification, and detoxification with the use of sedatives. Both in and outpatient detoxification programs are available. The aim of all programs is to reduce the risks of detoxification over time.
Call us today at 602.346.9142 for more information and please, don’t wait any longer, as things will get worse without treatment.
