Ecstasy Effects: A Brief Overview

What is Ecstasy?

Ecstasy, which is a nickname for the drug MDMA, is a popular recreational drug that is used mostly in nightclubs and raves. It is a party drug which became very popular only a few decades ago. The rise in the use of MDMA came along with the rise in a style of all-night party called a rave. This parties were very popular in London and Los Angeles and users would take MDMA along with cannabis and ketamine. Due to how controversial raves were, governments around the world have taken certain measures to ensure that parties like this do not happen again. However, raves have enjoyed a recent upsurge in popularity again.

How is Ecstasy Used?

MDMA is consumed orally. Generally a dose is one pill, although depending on where the user is in the world the dosage in each pill varies. Many ecstasy pills are branded with different logos to differentiate them from other pills for knowledgeable users. Some logos mean that the pill has more substances in it, not just MDMA.

Although MDMA is most frequently consumed orally, it can also be consumed intravenously. Some users might choose to inject the drug straight into the bloodstream but this is very rare. In fact, users that do not take the drug orally often snort it. Snorting it and taking it orally are the most widespread forms of use. Users very rarely smoke or inject ecstasy.

It must be emphasized that ecstasy is a dangerous drug because it is very high in demand and many manufacturers may mix drugs into the pills that the user is not aware of. This means that if the user then takes different substances, he or she could have a potentially life-threatening reaction to mixing these substances.

What Are The Effects of Ecstasy?

A few minutes after a person consumed ecstasy, the user will start to feel intense euphoria. This is why MDMA is most often referred to as ecstasy. Users report feeling more empathy towards the people around them and a feeling of "wholeness". Ecstasy can suppress anxiety feelings in users and it can suppress the need to eat or sleep, which allows users to have very long parties without having to fulfill either one of these needs. After a person has taken ecstasy, the effects of the ecstasy are sure to last for hours and come on in certain different stages. Initially, the user will feel the euphoria and then a feeling of calmness and a huge upsurge in energy.

Other effects of ecstasy include feeling nausea, an increased body temperature and intense dehydration, dry mouth, nausea, confusion and blurred vision. When an user overdoses on ecstasy, he or she will faint and experience an increase in blood pressure and heart rate and could even experience seizures. These overdoses tend to happen only in the case of prolonged users and, in some cases, the user might have an allergic reaction to mixing drugs that he or she might be unaware of. This could complicate treatment options.