Ecstasy
introduction
Ecstasy is one of the world's most famous party drugs. Ecstasy is often used as a synonym for MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine), which is the actual name of the active substance. She belongs to Amphetamine group, so has one activating effect and is mainly consumed by young people while partying and dancing.
The drug ecstasy has become an integral part of the electronic music scene since its boom in the 1990s. Ecstasy is mostly taken in Pill shape, whereby other compounds may well be included. MDMA will also be in powder form as "Molly" or sold in crystalline form. Is ecstasy banned in Germany and the Possession as well as the purchase and sale are prosecuted. Like many other drugs, Ecstasy can be used by means of a Drug tests be found in the blood or urine.
This article is in no way intended to glorify drug use. But when drugs are consumed, they should always pay attention to your own health and the well-being of other consumers! "Safer Use" is important!
How does ecstasy work?
Ecstasy acts on the central nervous system, so on our brain. When ingested, there is one increased release of various messenger substances. These so-called neurotransmitters - Serotonin, norepinephrine and, to a lesser extent, dopamine - influence many functional areas of the brain. The increased concentration of these substances in the brain cells affects the Emotions, thinking and perception out. The tasks that normally control the affected areas of the brain are increasingly carried out.
So it happens that, for example Emotions amplified become. If the consumer is doing well before ingestion, positive feelings are usually aroused. These are then intensified by the ecstasy when taken. But if negative feelings prevail and ecstasy is taken, the whole thing can backfire - the consumer is then much worse off than before, because those emotions are increased.
What effects does ecstasy have on the body?
Ecstasy has a major influence on the mood of the consumer. Some time after ingestion (about half an hour) the first effects of the drug set in. It comes to you most of the time positive tingling sensations in the body, the limbs become lighter that Mouth becomes dry and you get thirsty. The Pupils are dilated from the onset of action, The jaws of many consumers and the Heartbeat accelerates. Eventually also occurs increased sweating on.
If fear is already present when taking ecstasy, this fear triggers discomfort and an oppressive feeling, which can reverse the effect; a lack of respect can lead to an overdose.
After a half an hour to a full hour that unfolds whole impact profile of ecstasy. All prevailing Feelings (including negative ones) are reinforced, the Inhibition threshold decreases and one will more sociable. If the conditions are good, the consumers experience euphoric states and in the course of this report of an intensified perception, for example of the music being played. You are awake and want to move.
Formally, ecstasy has four main effects: it increases the feeling of one's own feelings (dactogenic), it promotes empathy (empathic), it can lead to slight (pseudo-)Hallucinations to lead (hallucinogen) and it activates the body. How strong the individual areas are also depends largely on the by-products that are contained in the pill.
Side effects of ecstasy
Various side effects can occur when consuming ecstasy. Probably the most dangerous unwanted effect is that increased body temperature (Hyperthermia). Ecstasy activates the body and motivates the user to exercise more. Through the rising temperature it comes in parallel to one Dehydration (Dehydration). These circumstances can lead to a Circulatory collapse, Organ damage, coma and in severe cases even death.
Other side effects of ecstasy are Muscle spasms or tremors. Many consumers are starting to grind their teeth, and it is too Jaw cramps can come. Due to the release of the messenger substance serotonin, it can also Nausea and vomiting come. The heart adapts it to the activation of the body - it beats faster (Tachycardia) and the Blood pressure rises on (hypertension).
In addition to the physical effects, the Psyche negatively affected become. By not being able to control the high directly, it happens to some users (especially those who weren't sure at the beginning) Anxiety. The intoxication can also make orientation difficult. Before consuming it, one should remember that MDMA is also one slightly hallucinogenic effect owns. Particularly if the dosage is set too high, misunderstandings (e.g. shadows are perceived as objects) and light (pseudo-)Hallucinations (Color and pattern seeing) come. A pseudo-hallucination is differentiated from a hallucination in that the person concerned knows that he is hallucinating.
Read more about the here Consequences of ecstasy in pregnancy and the Consequences of ecstasy in adolescents
Dependency
Ecstasy has that Potential to make psychologically dependent. Even if there is seldom daily consumption because the drug is more likely to be taken at parties, there is still a risk. Especially when the The breaks between ingestion become smaller and the doses higherpsychological addiction can develop. Be in the scene Breaks of at least 4 to 6 weeks are recommended. Taking a higher dose does not lead to the desired goal, since the maximum effect is reached at some point and only the side effects dominate.
The Effects of addiction relate to both the psyche and the body. The Addiction is expressed in Trouble sleeping and States of confusion, in depressions (especially if the drug is not consumed), Attention deficit and can even be used to Training of psychoses to lead. The depressions arise because the body gets used to the supply of ecstasy and ceases to release the "happiness hormone" serotonin on its own. The The liver and kidneys are damaged by regular consumptionbecause they are involved in the process of breaking down the substance.
You might also be interested in this topic: Therapy one Addiction
What are the long-term consequences of ecstasy?
The long-term effects of ecstasy are part of ongoing scientific research. Especially with excessive consumption (regularly and in high doses), psychological symptoms (e.g. anxiety, sleep problems, restlessness) can be traced back to changes in the brain. With long-term consumption there is a risk of developing addiction, which brings various health and social problems with it.
The stomach problems that many also have during consumption can be permanent and women can experience disorders of the menstrual cycle. Ingesting ecstasy damages nerve cells that respond to serotonin. As part of this damage occurring in various brain areas, there are slight functional restrictions in the area of memory, the control of behavior, attention and emotions.The deficits can persist for up to two years, even if strict renunciation is exercised.
Regular consumption of ecstasy can lead to the development of permanent psychological disorders that subsequently require treatment. Above all, depression and psychoses play an important role. Various cases have also been observed in which permanent perceptual disorders in the form of hallucinations, constant panic attacks or other disorder patterns (e.g. depersonalization) occurred after consumption. The long-term consequences are moderate with one-off or infrequent use, but should not be taken lightly (not least because the study situation is still very uncertain).
Read more on the subject at: Consequences of drugs
Memory Problems and / Due to Drugs - Causes & Therapy
Duration of effect
How long the effect of the ingested Ecstasy lasts depends on various factors. On the one hand, it plays dosage a major role. There are a few rules of thumb that are essential for safe and responsible consumption, when absolutely necessary. It should never taken a whole pill at once because the actual amount of MDMA present can never be predicted with certainty. A Half or a quarter (especially for pills announced by the seller as high-dose) are completely sufficient for inexperienced consumers. This avoids the risk of overdosing. In general, an acceptable amount can be calculated as 1.5 mg MDMA per kg body weight. Likewise, the rest of the rest of the substance should not be taken directly, just because the effect is a long time coming.
Of the Can take effect after 20 minutes, but can only be used after waiting an hour. At the Consumption in pill form kick the first effects usually after 20 to 45 minutes on. The effect then lasts between, depending on the dosage 4 and 6 hours.
One consumes Powdered ecstasy over the nasal mucosa, the effects continued more violent and faster already after 5 to 15 minutes a. The duration is reduced to 1 to 3 hours. Consumers must note that a lower dose already has the corresponding effect.
Prolonging the effects of ecstasy without risking overdose or dangerous interactions with other substances is rather difficult. The body begins to break down the drug when it is ingested, and this breakdown is difficult to control. By the Drinking grapefruit juice should the Enzymes for breaking down MDMA slowed down become. That too Smoking cannabis should temporarily strengthen the effect.
However, always comes in some risk of mixed consumption because the body is unnecessarily stressed. Mood and location greatly influence the effects of ecstasy. For example, if a consumer has fun with the music and dancing, the effect can be prolonged. It has also been reported by users that especially in the typical club atmosphere (loud music, low light) that Effect lasts longerthan in ordinary places.
How is the effect with alcohol?
The so-called Mixed consumption of alcohol and ecstasy is operated very often, but stops additional health risk Both substances alone are exhausting enough for the body. Both with alcohol and with ecstasy consumption athe liver and kidneys work at full speed. They break down the substances in the body and ensure that we do not suffer immediate permanent damage from consumption.
By alcohol, which removes water from the body, it comes to increased need to urinate. By Ecstasy On the one hand, the body temperature rises, on the other hand, it comes from the urge to move increased sweat. So the side effects of alcohol and ecstasy cause one Dehydration (Dehydration) of the body and possibly overheating.
These two symptoms can become one Circulatory collapse, to Organ failure and in severe cases too comatose conditions or even death. Alcohol and ecstasy also influence each other: under the influence of MDMA you feel the effects of alcohol less, which is why the The risk of alcohol poisoning increases. On the other hand, being too alcoholic reduces the subjective effects of ecstasy and dampens the effects.
Can you increase the effect?
Increasing the effects of ecstasy is not a good idea. Especially inexperienced users can quickly lead to an overdose with all the associated side effects. Consuming more and more ecstasy in one evening makes little sense. The initial "kick" of consuming MDMA is usually only achieved with the first ingestion. The stores of neurotransmitters that are released through consumption are also empty in the course of consumption and must first recover over a period of time.
So if the effect is to be constant, breaks in consumption must be observed for several weeks. The effects of ecstasy can also increase through interaction with various other substances. However, we strongly advise against doing this because it can cause various physical and psychological damage. For example, if you also consume cannabis while you are intoxicated, the specific effect of MDMA is partially increased. The disadvantage is the strain on the cardiovascular system, which increases with mixed consumption.
Another important class of substances is that of MAO inhibitors (Monoamine oxidase inhibitors). These have an inhibitory effect on an enzyme that is responsible for breaking down neurotransmitters. This increases the effect many times over. They are active ingredients in various antidepressants. Patients who are adjusted to such a drug must urgently refrain from using ecstasy. There is an acute risk, as it can lead to a serotonin syndrome. This can lead to various symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, seizures, impaired consciousness or delirium. There is still a risk of the patient falling into a coma.
The scene trick of increasing the ecstasy effect by drinking grapefruit juice is based on influencing the MDMA metabolism. Certain compounds in the juice inhibit enzymes in the body that are responsible for breaking down ecstasy, which can increase the duration and intensity of its effects.
How can you reduce the effect?
The effects of ecstasy can be seen above all reduce by low dosage. Taking a whole pill at a time is unnecessary and dangerous - with a half, a third or even a quarter, most also get intoxicated and reduce the risk of overdose. The interactions with other substances also play an important role in reducing the strength of the effect of MDMA.
Alcohol and ecstasy mutually reduce their effects. By consuming amphetamine (speed) at the same time, mostly only the activating effect remains. The cardiovascular system is, however, extremely stressed. Cocaine and heroin mask the effects of ecstasy, but also lead to more severe conditions confusion (Cocaine) and too acute circulatory problems (Heroin).
The circumstances in which ecstasy is consumed can also have a negative impact on its potency. For example, if the person is afraid of the intoxication or is not in a good mood, this can reduce the effects.
