DEPARTMENTS > COMMUNITY ALLIANCE > DRUG FACTS

Ecstasy

What is ecstasy?

MDMA or ecstasy is a Schedule I, synthetic, psychoactive drug possessing stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. Ecstasy possesses chemical variations of the stimulant amphetamine or methamphetamine and a hallucinogen, most often mescaline. Ecstasy is a semi-synthetic chemical compound. Ecstasy is a white, crystalline powder in its pure form. It is usually seen in capsule form, in pressed pills, or as loose powder.

How is ecstasy used?

Ecstasy is most often available in tablet form and is usually ingested orally. It is also available as a powder and is sometimes snorted or smoked, but rarely injected.

What are the symptoms of ecstasy use?

The symptoms of ecstasy use include but are not limited to:

  • Raised pulse
  • General feeling of wellness
  • Affection for others
  • Teeth grinding
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sweating
  • Raised temperature
  • Overconfidence
  • Anxiety
  • Nausea
  • Raised blood pressure
What is ecstasy addiction?

Ecstasy users may encounter problems similar to those experienced by amphetamine and cocaine users, including addiction. Individuals may use this drug chronically despite the negative psychological and physical symptoms the drug may produce.

The symptoms of ecstasy addiction include but are not limited to:

  • Nausea
  • Cold sweats
  • Hallucinations
  • Tremors
  • Double vision
  • Muscle cramps

Ecstasy is psychologically addicting and the most common withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Sleeplessness
  • "De-personalization"
  • "De-realization"
  • Paranoid delusions
What are the long-term effects of ecstasy use?

Many problems users encounter with Ecstasy are similar to those found with the use of amphetamines and cocaine. Ecstasy's chemical cousin, MDA, destroys cells that produce serotonin in the brain. These cells play a direct roll in regulating aggression, mood, sexual activity, sleep, and sensitivity to pain. Methamphetamine, also similar to Ecstasy, damages brain cells that produce dopamine. Scientists have now shown that ecstasy not only makes the brain's nerve branches and endings degenerate, but also makes them "re-grow abnormally - failing to reconnect with some brain areas and connecting elsewhere with the wrong areas. These reconnections may be permanent, resulting in cognitive impairments, changes in emotion, learning, memory, or hormone-like chemical abnormalities.