Young people often assume that since many people use MDMA, it must be safe or, at the very least, not very dangerous. The truth is that MDMA has many devastating short and long-term effects on the brain and body.
The short-term MDMA after-effects start as soon as the drug wears off, around 3-6 hours after the last dose. After prolonged misuse of MDMA, there are many adverse and sometimes irreversible effects. Read on to discover more about the dark side of MDMA abuse.
If you’re wondering, ‘What are the side effects of molly?’ keep reading to learn the answer – and more.
What is MDMA?
MDMA, or ecstasy as it is known on the street, is an illicit, recreational drug. In powdered form, it is known as ‘molly,’ whereas in tablet form, it is referred to as ‘ecstasy.’ MDMA increases the amount of dopamine and other neurotransmitters released in the brain, causing the user to feel euphoric, friendly, and uninhibited. MDMA also causes enhanced sensory experiences, increasing its appeal to people at raves, parties and nightclubs.
Ecstasy Effects On The Brain
The effects of Molly on the brain are more serious than people think. Users can experience poor memory, irregular sleep patterns, panic attacks, changes in appetite, paranoia, depression, and anxiety, to name just a few effects associated with the brain.
Why do people feel so out-of-sorts after taking Ecstasy? Ecstasy has strong effects on the brain because it rapidly increases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels. This surge creates feelings of euphoria, energy, and emotional closeness, but also leads to a sharp drop in serotonin afterward, causing depression and fatigue.
By preventing neurotransmitter reabsorption, MDMA floods the brain with signals, disrupting normal communication. Repeated Ecstasy use can also damage serotonin-producing neurons, leading to long-term mood and cognitive issues. These intense effects make Ecstasy both highly stimulating and extremely harmful.
Long-Term Effects of Molly
The long-term effects of MDMA are eventual, but after two or more years of misusing MDMA, users may experience various physical, emotional, and cognitive changes, including impaired memory, dysregulated emotions, and difficulty with recognition.
Since MDMA is often used in party settings, users are likely to neglect their basic physical needs while on a euphoric high from the drug and the atmosphere in the room. This can lead to dehydration, hyperthermia, and heat stroke in the short-term, as well as worsen the effects of MDMA in the long term. Additionally, users are likely to take another dose of MDMA as soon as they begin to feel the effects of the last dose wear off, which causes further damage.
Chronic Ecstasy users may experience the following effects in the long-term:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Appetite changes
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Agitation and irritability
- Impulsivity
- Liver damage
- High blood pressure
- Difficulty concentrating
- Tooth grinding and damage
- Disturbed sleep patterns
- Inability to absorb new information.
Many tests on the effects of Ecstasy have been performed on animals, but robust testing has not been performed on humans. This means that although changes have been observed in humans, no conclusive tests have yet proved this.
Short-Term Effects of MDMA
Since MDMA is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen, it causes many extremely pleasurable short-term effects and makes the drug highly addictive. Ecstasy users feel euphoric, uninhibited, and especially warm and friendly, making MDMA the drug of choice at parties.
A very common short-term effect of MDMA is dehydration. Dehydration occurs because ecstasy is very often used at parties and raves. Users dance and engage in strenuous physical activity, but do not drink or rest at all because they lose perception of their physical needs and the passage of time.
Mental Effects of Ecstasy
There are many ecstasy short-term effects. These can last for 3 to 8 hours after the last dose. Below are some short-term mental and emotional effects of ecstasy:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Paranoia
- Confusion
Physical Effects of Ecstasy
Short-term physical effects of Ecstasy include:
- Hyperthermia
- Sweating
- Drug cravings
- Muscle aches
- Convulsions
- Fainting
- Seizures
- High blood pressure
- Blurred vision
- Chills
- Nausea
- Disturbed sleep patterns
Impurity of MDMA
Because ecstasy is produced illegally and sold on unregulated markets, it is impossible to know the exact contents. An MDMA pill, powder packet, or liquid capsule may be cut with other drugs to enhance its effects, or to easily bulk up the substance and increase drug dealer profits.
MDMA sold on the street may contain traces of ketamine, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as other substances such as bath salts, caffeine, and cough medicine. Being so, it is difficult to predict the short and long-term effects a single dose of MDMA may cause the user.
Is MDMA addictive?
Since MDMA releases an unnatural amount of hormones in the brain, causing the user to feel euphoric and distanced from reality, the drug could become addictive. Some studies show that MDMA is not very addictive, while others maintain it can become addictive for some.
It is widely believed, however, that people who play around with ecstasy are at risk of becoming dependent on the substance. Dependence occurs when the person continuously uses MDMA until the body slowly develops tolerance.
Once the body develops tolerance to MDMA, it requires a higher dose of MDMA to produce the same pleasurable short-term effects as before. Over time, the body becomes dependent on the drug and cannot function optimally without it.
Once a person develops tolerance to and dependence on Ecstasy, quitting the drug- even if just temporarily- causes extremely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. These painful symptoms prompt the user to take yet another dose of the drug in order to alleviate their discomfort. And so the cycle of addiction continues...
Treatment for Ecstasy Abuse
Unfortunately, many young people in the US today have used MDMA at least once. A large portion of people who use MDMA occasionally may eventually become dependent on the drug and even addicted to it.
If you or a loved one are struggling with Ecstasy abuse, we at Avenues Recovery Center want you to know that you are not alone. Addiction is tough, but you are tougher. With the correct treatment plan and a willingness to overcome your addiction, you can find a path to sobriety.
You can choose to find the support, therapies, and recovery tools to end the cycle of addiction and start the journey to peace, serenity, and happiness.
Reach out today to speak to our compassionate admissions representatives to explore your options and begin your path to recovery.