Ecstasy Addiction

Ecstasy is a synthetic, psychoactive drug chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. It is an illegal drug that acts as both a stimulant and psychedelic, producing an energizing effect, as well as distortions in time and perception.

Usually Ecstasy is in a pill format. The pill generally takes about half an hour to have effect and once it does it tends to last between 3 to 6 hours, followed by a gradual comedown. The extended danger of this is to those unaware that Ecstasy takes time to show an effect, whereby they may be tempted to have another leading them to take an unintentional overdose.

The short-term effects of use can include anxiety, panic attacks, confused episodes and paranoid or psychotic states. Ecstasy is linked to severe anxiety, depression and sleep problems, such as insomnia. These side effects can dissipate within 24 hours, or last up to several weeks and may also include symptoms such muscle tension, nausea, blurred vision, teeth clenching, increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Further long term side effects of Ecstasy are recent findings connecting use of Ecstasy to memory loss. Use of Ecstasy depletes serotonin, a chemical in the brain which regulates mood, sleeping and eating habits, as well as the thinking and the behaviour process, sexual function, and sensitivity to pain.

There have been over 200 Ecstasy-related deaths in the UK since 1996.