Author: Gary Jackson
Molly: Uses, Effects, Risks
Researchers note larger phase 3 studies should be completed, but those with PSTD should NOT use MDMA on their own to try to replicate these results. A small study published in The Lancet Psychiatry looked at the use of MDMA in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A harm reduction community centered around the responsible use of MDMA, otherwise known as molly, mandy, ecstasy, etc. This drug is an herb in the mint family that’s native to parts of Mexico. Psilocybin and peyote mushrooms are eaten, brewed in a tea, or added to foods to get a high. Though cravings may occur, physical dependence isn’t usually present with hallucinogens.
- However, in some cases, you may continue to feel the side effects of molly the day after you take it.
- Ecstasy was explored as a therapeutic drug in the 1970s, as some psychotherapists believed it opened people up and enhanced their potential for empathy and understanding of one another.
- 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 aim was to guide law enforcement as well as to inform doctors, parents and teachers about drug use. At the same time, tuning in to drug slang offers researchers and health workers an avenue by which to track patterns of drug use. Gateway Foundation can help you through every stage of your recovery journey, whether you’re currently in treatment or aftercare. You’ll likely participate in a combination of these various therapies when you’re in treatment, helping you get to the root cause of your addiction.
Potential Therapeutic Uses for Ecstasy
Since both drugs contain MDMA, they can have the same effect on a person. However, remember that molly and ecstasy can be cut with other substances, so the impact of taking the drug will vary based on what it’s been mixed with and the individual taking it. Ecstasy (MDMA, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also commonly called Molly, is a synthetic (lab made), psychoactive drug chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. It is an illegal drug that acts as both a stimulant and psychedelic, producing an energizing effect, as well as distortions in time and perception and enhanced enjoyment from tactile experiences. The chemist added that cocaine users shouldn’t necessarily rest secure (not that coked-up people rest much) in the knowledge that their drug is probably 80 or 90 percent pure.
MDMA (3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine), or ecstasy, is one of the drugs people take most commonly at music festivals. The term “pinger” (or pinga) is thought to be an Australian creation used to refer to MDMA. These signs are the same as the signs of addiction to other substances, whether alcohol, cocaine, opioids or another drug. People with addictive personalities are also more likely to develop an addiction to MDMA.
MDMA Addiction and Withdrawal
If people don’t ingest molly, they can snort it, apply it to blotter paper or inject it. Addiction is defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine as continued use despite harmful consequences. Reports also suggest that people who use ecstasy exhibit such symptoms as well as other markers of addiction including tolerance, drug cravings, and withdrawal. Marijuana contains the chemical THC, which acts on different parts of the brain to create the “high” that users experience, such as changes in sensations, mood, body movements, thinking, and memory. These stimulants increase levels of dopamine, a brain chemical that can create feelings of euphoria. For clinicians and researchers, slang offers insights into drug users’ beliefs and behaviours, which can in turn guide interventions.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that molly and MDMA found on the streets are often cut or mixed with other substances or marketed as MDMA without containing the substance. Without MDMA, the molly sold on the streets containing other substances won’t have the desired effect on the individual taking it. This use was interrupted by the criminalization of MDMA. Ecstasy was classified as a Schedule I drug in 1985, which means that the substance has a high potential for abuse and is not approved by law to treat medical conditions. Though known today mainly as a recreational drug, ecstasy has been used off-label in medical contexts.