Author: Gary Jackson
MDMA Wikipedia
The drugs methamphetamine and cathinone (bath salts) are also part of this group. There is never a good time to take an illegal substance or misuse it. When it comes to the amount of MDMA in a tablet of ecstasy, you never know how much or how little of the drug there is and how you will react to it. If you do use it, take precautions to avoid any accidents such as an overdose. Elevated levels of serotonin and dopamine also play a role in a drug being addictive due to an increase in impulsivity.
Research in animals indicates that MDMA is neurotoxic and may affect the brain. Clinical studies suggest that MDMA may increase the risk of long-term or permanent problems with memory and learning. MDMA (3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with a chemical structure similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. In Australia, MDMA was rescheduled on 1 July 2023 as a schedule 8 substance (available on prescription) when used in the treatment of PTSD, while remaining a schedule 9 substance (prohibited) for all other uses. Any non-authorised sale, use or manufacture is strictly prohibited by law.
Short-term side effects of MDMA
While ecstasy was initially used primarily in nightclubs and raves, its use has now spread to a wider range of populations. According to a 2021 survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 0.8% of the U.S. population over the age of 12 reported using ecstasy in the previous 12 months. The chemical name for ecstasy is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It is a derivative of amphetamine and has a similar structure to methamphetamine (“meth”).
This myth may come from an experiment where researchersaccidentally gave methamphetamine (crystal meth) to laboratory monkeys instead of MDMA. There is a horribly toxic chemical with a four-letter acronym, MPTP, which does cause parkinsonism. While there are no specific treatments for ecstasy addiction, the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective option. This type of intervention helps change how people think and behave in order to support addiction recovery. CBT also teaches people coping skills so people can better manage the stress that contributes to substance use.
What Is Ecstasy (Molly)?
When used in a therapeutic setting, MDMA may enhance many aspects of talk therapy. Repeated studies show that MDMA can make it easier for someone to approach therapy with vulnerability and an open mind. It may be able to help those dealing with trauma to feel safe and capable of breaking out of harmful thought patterns. Fentanyl can make drugs it’s mixed with, including MDMA, more dangerous. Often, people who purchase MDMA and other drugs are unaware those drugs have been cut with fentanyl. MDMA is often called molly or ecstasy and is frequently taken in pill or capsule form.
As with many other “party drugs”, ecstasy is rarely used alone and it is frequently combined with alcohol and marijuana. Since MDMA is currently an illegal substance, many reports about its health effects are anecdotal, and study results are often controversial. It’s part of a wider group of chemicals called phenethylamines, known for their hallucinogenic and stimulant effects.
How does MDMA affect the brain?
MDMA is classed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and is illegal in the United States. However, some researchers are studying ways that MDMA might be useful as a treatment for certain mental health conditions. This could mean cutting a tablet into quarters and only taking one at a time. It’s a lot safer to test your limits instead of diving right in. People with heart problems can be at risk when using ecstasy and especially when taken in high doses.
When you take ecstasy, the drug increases the way your brain chemicals work. As the effects begin to fade, people often take another dose of ecstasy to double the time it lasts. For a few years, in an attempt to circumvent the law, different versions of ecstasy were synthesized, which was the basis of the designer drugs movement. This production was eventually outlawed but re-emerged as a problem around the year 2000 with the popularity of homemade crystal meth. While ecstasy affects many neurotransmitters in the brain that are impacted by other addictive drugs, research has not determined whether MDMA is addictive, notes the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Some people who use MDMA do report symptoms of addiction, including continued use despite negative consequences, tolerance, withdrawal, and craving, according to the NIH.
What are the effects of MDMA use?
MDMA exerts its primary effects in the brain on neurons that use the chemicals serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine to communicate with other neurons. In the United Kingdom, MDMA was made illegal in 1977 by a modification order to the existing Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Penalties include a maximum of seven years and/or unlimited fine for possession; life and/or unlimited fine for production or trafficking.