Ecstasy Abuse
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Dangers Of Ecstasy Abuse
Because ecstasy use has become part of today's common drug culture, many users are not aware of the dangers of ecstasy abuse each time they take an ecstasy pill or capsule. Ecstasy use by teens and young adults has been prevalent in many countries around the world, and is often associated with rave events, dance clubs, and parties because of its psychedelic and stimulating effects on its users.
Real Stories on the Dangers of Ecstasy Abuse:
- Last year, a 17-year-old boy in Hudson, Wis., died after attending a dance with friends. Hospital tests confirmed the presence of MDMA -- also known as ecstasy -- in his body.
- Nearby, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., ecstasy played a role in four more deaths in 2000. One man, age 26, died from an ecstasy overdose; a 23-year-old man died after mixing ecstasy with heroin and alcohol.
- In Boulder, Colo., a 16-year-old girl died after swallowing a pill thought to be ecstasy. In a press conference, her brother reported that she drank three gallons of water before she slipped into the coma that preceded her death.
Ecstasy, or Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is the most popular and widely used club drug today. The dangers of ecstasy abuse are increased because this psychoactive drug carries chemical composition similar to a stimulant called methamphetamine, and shares hallucinogenic properties with mescaline, LSD, and amphetamines. Ecstasy or MDMA is also called "hug drug," "love drug," "E," "X," and "XTC" in its tablet form, and "mandy," "molly," and "madman" when it is synthesized into crystal or powder form.
The subjective effects felt by Ecstasy users include euphoria, heightened awareness of the senses, happiness, greater appreciation for music and movements, perception of mental clarity, decrease in anxiety, and increased self-awareness. Some users also say that they also enjoy physical contact with others with the use of ecstasy, which can be attributed to enhancement of tactile sensations. Users also feel a high level of energy which can go on for several hours. This is one of the dangerous of ecstasy abuse, and many users fail to realize how serious it actually is.
Due to the sustained high energy levels that go on with hours of dancing during parties, the dangers of ecstasy abuse tend to mask the body's perception of exhaustion and thirst. This leads to dehydration, increase in blood pressure and heart rate or hypertension, and hypothermia. However, the number one cause of ecstasy-related deaths is hyponatremia, a condition characterized by lowered sodium levels in the blood because of drinking excessive amounts of water.
Furthermore, dangers of ecstasy abuse include users who tend to engage in poly-drug use, or the use other drugs in conjunction with ecstasy, in order to complement the pleasurable effects derived from this drug. An example is the combination of ecstasy and Viagra, since ecstasy is a "love drug" but not a "sex drug" for many users. Poly-drug use poses a greater threat for users, since side effects are often increased.
The dangers of ecstasy abuse also include drug addiction. Ecstasy addiction is best treated by attending a drug rehab center. It may also be possible for an ecstasy user to experience addiction to substances used with ecstasy due to poly-drug use, so drug intervention may also be necessary to aid in the treatment of addiction to ecstasy and other substances used with it.