- Article SummaryPrint
- What is Ecstasy and MDMA?
- Effects of Ecstasy and MDMA
- Side Effects of MDMA or Ecstasy
- Long Term Use
- Warning Signs of Overdose
- Treatment for Ecstasy Addiction
- Rehabilitation and Recovery
MDMA is a drug commonly known as ecstasy. The drug is a synthetic drug that is very similar to methamphetamines. For some, MDMA is very addictive, but the degree to which one becomes addicted varies from person to person. For those that become addicted to MDMA, they may find it necessary to go through ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment.
What is Ecstasy and MDMA?
According to the University of Washington, the company Merck first created the drug ecstasy in 1914. The drug was originally intended to be used as an appetite suppressant. It also helped individuals going through therapy to talk about their feelings. Ecstasy was soon pulled from this type of usage when it was found to cause brain damage in some of its users.
MDMA or ecstasy comes in pill form with the names imprinted on it that may say Nike Swoosh or Playboy Bunnies, and the pills resemble pastel candies. Ecstasy is a common club drug that is often used by college-aged students to keep them awake or to keep them going.
Effects of Ecstasy and MDMA
The effects of ecstasy begin approximately an hour after you take the pill and can last up to six hours depending on the concentration of the drug. Ecstasy usually causes intense feelings of happiness. The user wants to initiate contact with others. You may experience intense feelings of empathy and warmth towards others. The immediate effects of ecstasy vary from person to person but the side effects usually include tingling, feelings of excitement and an overall light mood. You may often experience a heightened sense of touch and awareness of those around surrounding you. Ecstasy is often used as a date rape drug. It makes one open and willing to be touched and to touch others. Sexual activity usually seems more satisfying. Ecstasy can make you more open to music, which is why many who take the drug will dance or suddenly like to dance. Generally, those who have good experiences with ecstasy may have a hard time discontinuing use and will need to participate in ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment.
Those seeking more information concerning addiction treatment at a private facility can call 1-800-928-9139 toll free 24/7 or click here to contact us.
Not everyone who tries the drug ecstasy will have a good experience. In some people, it can cause feelings of anxiety. It can also cause depressions and feelings of paranoia. Other negative effects of ecstasy in first time users can include nausea, stiffness of muscles, clenching of the teeth, excessive thirst, eye twitching, chills, headaches and blurred vision.
After the initial high, when a person begins to come down off the drug, they may begin to experience exhaustion. This is especially true for those that receive a rush of energy and feel the need to dance. Not only may you feel physically drained but one may feel emotionally drained as well. This can cause depression and anxiety.
Side Effects of MDMA or Ecstasy
Ecstasy or MDMA can cause negative effects on the health of those who use it. The drug causes several chemicals to flood the brain, which can cause the release of large amounts of serotonin. This can result in brain damage or memory loss. Brain damage with MDMA use is usually equal to the number of times that the drug has been used. Frequent users may find themselves suffering from confusion, amnesia, insomnia, memory loss, paranoia and even panic attacks. Studies done at John Hopkins University found that using ecstasy for four consistent days can cause brain damage that can last up to seven years. It can take that long for a healthy body to repair the damage that was done in just a matter of days. Ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment can help an individual to stop taking the drug before further brain damage takes place.
Long Term Use
Long-term use of ecstasy can cause many different symptoms including:
- High-blood pressure
- Hyperthermia
- Heart failure
- Kidney failure
- Seizures
- Dehydration
- Elevated heart beat
- Death
If you find it difficult to stop, taking ecstasy or MDMA, you can call our free hotline 24-hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-928-9139 and we can help provide you with someone to talk to or information on ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment.
Warning Signs of Overdose
If you begin using MDMA on a regular basis, you may find that you need more and more of the drug to produce the same effects that it once did. This can cause you to take the drug in large amount and puts you at risk for MDMA overdose. Warning signs of an overdose to MDMA include:
- Inability to cool off or being extremely hot and not sweating
- Unable to communicate with others or the inability to speak
- Vomiting
- Rapid heart beat
- Extreme headache
- Fainting
- Collapsing
- Inability to control body movements
- Tremors
- Difficulty urinating
- High-blood pressure
- Muscle cramps
- Loss of consciousness
- Stroke
- Seizure
- Death
If you suspect you or someone you know is suffering from MDMA overdose you should call 911 immediately. A person that has undergone an overdose of the drug should also seek ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment.
Treatment for Ecstasy Addiction
Once an individual makes a commitment to stop taking ecstasy (MDMA) they should begin looking for an effective drug treatment program. The key to success is often finding one that works for you.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the key principals that form any drug treatment program should include:
- No single treatment program works for everyone.
- Adequate time for treatment is crucial in the success of overcoming addiction.
- Treatment should be easily available for everyone.
- Addiction affects the way the brain works.
- Effective treatment should address all areas of the addicts' life.
- Medicinal treatment is important and should be used in conjunction with therapy.
- Treatment plans should continually be tailored to meet the individual's needs and circumstances.
- Most drug-addicts suffer from more than one addiction.
- Treatment does not need to be voluntary in order for it to work well.
- Drug treatment should be monitored for a higher success rate.
- Treatment should include warnings about the health risks of drug use.
There are many different types of ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment programs available to suit each individual. One of the most effective methods includes inpatient treatment programs. Inpatient treatment removes you from your old way of life and places you into a medically supervised treatment facility. It also helps to eliminate the stress by removing you from temptation and the ability to relapse while going through ecstasy and MDMA detox. Inpatient treatment includes 24-hour medical supervision during detox. To learn more about detox and rehabilitation, call 1-800-928-9139 any time, day or night.
When a person begins any drug treatment program and they stop use of the drug, they will go through drug detox or begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms. The severity of the detox varies from person to person and depends on how long they took the drug and if there are any other addictions involved. Detox can last up to 90 days.
Withdrawal symptoms from ecstasy include, but are not limited to:
- Severe depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of appetite
- Extreme fatigue
"During ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment an addict may be given medications to help them deal with anxiety and depression."
During ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment an addict may be given medications to help them deal with anxiety and depression. Individual behavior therapy is often used to help the individual identify when they began using the drug and why they started abusing it. The individual will receive strategies on how they can direct their time to focus on getting involved in new hobbies or interests. Time management skills will allow them to better use their time so they are not idle with time to think about relapse. Impatient treatment programs are often a last resort for those that have tried outpatient treatment programs or those that have tried to beat the addiction on their own and failed.
Group therapy allows the recovering addict to interact with others that are going through the same circumstance. It is often helpful to know that you are not alone and there is someone else that can relate to what you are going through. Group therapy is an excellent part of ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment. It allows you to share experiences and learn about how others have successfully overcome their addiction. Groups encourage one another and help share and cheer one another along during success and help to encourage one another during failures.
Outpatient treatment programs allow the addict to spend the majority of their daytime in a medically supervised treatment facility. They go through the same detox and treatment that someone in an inpatient program would go through. The only difference in the two is that an inpatient drug patient is allowed to go home every night with the trust that they will return for treatment the next day. They are not removed from family and friends. This is often a better choice from someone who is not suffering from a severe addiction and is not recommended for someone who suffers from multiple addictions. Choosing the right treatment center may seem difficult. You can contact a treatment advisor at 1-800-928-9139 who can answer your questions, confidentially, any time day or night, with no obligation; or, click this link to contact us by email.
Rehabilitation and Recovery
Once an addict has successfully gotten through the initial detox stage of their ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment, they will enter into ecstasy and MDMA rehab. Rehabilitation is a lifelong stage of treatment. Addiction is an illness that the addict will have to address their entire lives. Rehab allows the individual to return to their normal lives while learning to make good choices and to stay away from those that could cause them to relapse.
Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention planning is a critical element in ensuring that a person who is recovering from drug or alcohol addiction does not return to using drugs or alcohol. Relapse occurs when a person who has abstained from using drugs or alcohol for any period of time begins to use again. This use may be a brief, one-time lapse in abstinence, or it may be a binge that involves large amounts of drug or alcohol use. In both situations, relapse does not mean you cannot get back on the road to recovery.Read More
It is important for anyone that is in ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment to continue with all therapy and doctor's appointments and to attend all group meetings. Therapy will allow the person to discuss any stress that they may have been feeling. Stress is often one of the reasons an individual will relapse. If the doctor can stop the worry or help the addict address his feelings he may prevent relapse from occurring.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are two recovery groups that help the individual deal with daily life with others that are going through the same things.
Group meetings are usually held once a week and are free. The only requirement for someone to attend NA or AA meetings is that they have actually used the drug or are fighting to remain sober and drug free.
During the meeting, each person is encouraged to interact with the group and share their own experiences. Group members become close with one another and help one another through the recovery process. Every person in NA is going through some form of drug treatment including ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment.
These groups employ the twelve-step program that was put into place by AA to help recovering alcoholics build self-esteem and confidence.
The twelve steps to recovery include:
- Identify that you have a problem and you are powerless over the addiction.
- Understand that there is a higher power that is greater than yourself that can help you fight the addiction.
- Turn your life over to God and allow him to help you get through recovery.
- Take a complete moral inventory of yourself.
- Admit to God, yourself and other people that you have done wrong and you are ready to change.
- Ask god to remove all your defects of character.
- Ask God to remove all of your shortcomings.
- Make a list of everyone that you have hurt while abusing drugs and how you can make things right.
- Contact those that you have hurt and ask them how you can make retribution for the wrongs you have done.
- Continue to evaluate yourself and your progress as you continue through recovery.
- 1Pray and meditate every day for guidance.
- Help others that are recovering from addiction.
If you or someone you love has questions concerning ecstasy and MDMA addiction treatment, call the free national referral hotline at 1-800-928-9139 in order to find help. Calls are always confidential, private and secure.
Factoid:
Ecstasy (MDMA) is a stimulant that has many of the same effects as other stimulants.
There are no treatments that address ecstasy and MDMA addiction alone.Ecstasy pills often contain filler ingredients that can be harmful in combination with ecstasy, such as ephedrine, ketamine and caffeine.Ecstasy users often perform poorly on memory and cognitive tests compared to those that do not take ecstasy.Street names for ecstasy include E, XTC, Adam, beans, lovers speed, clarity and the love drug.
What can I expect when detoxing from Ecstasy?
The experience of detox depends on how long you’ve been using ecstasy and how often. The drug is gone from your body within five days of your last dose, but withdrawal symptoms can last up to two weeks. Some common Ecstasy withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, depression, insomnia, paranoia, and anxiety. These may occur along with physiological symptoms like tremors or illness. During inpatient detox, you will receive constant medical attention, counseling and medication to help regulate and minimize these symptoms.
How does serotonin support an Ecstasy high?
Ecstasy makes use of the same receptors that trigger feelings of happiness and euphoria by producing serotonin. Serotonin is a natural chemical found in your brain that helps regulate sleep, mood, appetite, and weight. Ecstasy triggers a stronger, more extreme euphoria which is highly addictive. Over time, your body becomes dependent on this high.
Do I need long-term rehab and recovery Ecstasy addiction?
In order to achieve the most effective results, long-term rehab and recovery is the best option for those battling an addiction to Ecstasy. In long-term recovery programs, therapy in the form of group and individual counseling can offer support, encouragement and success.
If someone almost died from ecstasy overdose and has quit for 8 months through personal choice, how long will it take to fully recover brain functions from that point if it was only taken for 3 days straight? Is there any supplement they can take to recover faster?