Am I Addicted To Ecstasy
Ecstasy abuse is a serious issue in this day and age. It’s actually a vastly growing issue in society especially since the early 2000’s after the introduction of “Molly” which is a supposedly pure version of this drug. Unfortunately overcoming an addiction to this drug is difficult- particularly when taking into account that spotting an addiction to ecstasy isn’t necessarily that easy. In fact, it can be pretty tough to pinpoint when somebody you know, or yourself, is addicted to it.
There are several reasons why this is. The main reason being that ecstasy isn’t like most addictive drugs, and an ecstasy abuse problem isn’t like most substance abuse problems. It’s a unique type of addiction for the simple reason that ecstasy is a unique type of drug. It even has its very own classification: “empathogen”. There aren’t any other drugs classified as empathogenic, ecstasy stands alone on this one. Ecstasy is classified under this term because it has an intensely euphoric high that promotes a very strong sense of empathy among users. This fact is what is popularizing it as a very social drug, which in turn is being raved about by tons of the young social circles today.
Therefore the constant, continuous and widespread use of it is stuck in this vicious cycle and doesn’t seem to be getting out anytime soon. The vicious cycle looks like this: a social circle starts to use ecstasy, it acts as an almost bonding ritual due to its intense empathogenic triggers, word gets around that this drug is more fun that cocaine and more social than any other hallucinogen to date and then an increasing number of people begin using it. Hence the drug now being at its peak in popularity since its discovery in the ’70’s. This is all compounded by the fact that “Molly” is supposed to be mostly pure MDMA, however this doesn’t always hold true and sometimes people are coming across batches of a combination of adulterants with either only a little bit of MDMA or none at all.
While ecstasy remains the widely used party drug of choice in this country, there’s something to be said about its abuse and addiction. Ecstasy is a psychedelic stimulant type of drug and it’s effects are really strong. This means that it can keep someone up and energized for hours. This is probably what makes it so appealing for the music festival and nightclub scenes, these people are provided with enough energy from ecstasy in order to be able to dance for a very long time. The combination of it’s strong effects, energizing effects and the fact that it’s long lasting keeps these scenes coming back for more. Unfortunately, this all too often leads to abuse, then regular abuse, and before you know it, addiction. So the question remains: am I addicted to ecstasy? A loaded question, but relevant especially in this day and age with the increasing number of people involved in using it.
Abusing Ecstasy
The telltale signs and symptoms of abuse are pretty obvious, as the drug can create drastic effects on somebody who ingests too much MDMA. A few signs might include vivid hallucinations, intense delusions or a psychotic state. This can be a dangerous state to be in depending on the type of hallucination. Other symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Paranoia
- Chills
- Blurred vision
- Faintness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Muscle cramps
- Clenching of the teeth
The body temperature of someone abusing ecstasy can get wildly high, which can lead to hyperthermia and sometimes cause death. These symptoms mentioned are short term effects of abuse, but what about symptoms in general and/or long term? These symptoms include:
- Confusion
- Sleep difficulty
- Depression
- Severe anxiety
- Cravings for more of the drug
- Poor cognitive tasks
Telltale Signs of Ecstasy Addiction
The withdrawal symptoms are similar to that of abuse, but these negative effects can actually drag on for a few months. These are symptoms such as insomnia, depression, trouble concentrating, anxiety, loss of appetite and fatigue.
Aside from this phenomena, there are other signs which go hand in hand with addiction in general. This has a lot to do with the behavioral changes in the person using. A lot of times an addict will be taking on an attitude change when they progress from recreational user to developing an addiction. They will start to depend on said substance and in this case ecstasy. A lot of addicts describe it as needing to use ecstasy in order to have a good time. They might feel bored, antsy or depressed unless they’re “rolling” (rolling means being high on ecstasy) and chances are they will start to roll harder and more often. This is a sign that the person using needs help in the form of treatment as soon as possible. Addiction usually only gets harder to deal with as it progresses. It can develop into a really difficult and tough situation for the user if they don’t pull themselves out of it in time.
If you think you might be addicted, the best way to evaluate and differentiate is asking yourself if you can go without using ecstasy for a long stretch of time and be fine. If the answer is no then you have a problem. The bottom line is that it’s as simple as that. If your relationship with the substance is such that the withdrawal symptoms are overbearing, causing you to go out and score more ecstasy, or “Molly”, then you most likely are addicted and need to regain control of your body, mind and the situation at hand. Addiction can be a long, drawn out thing or it can be handled immediately and efficiently (usually with the help of an outside source- rehab or counseling).
It’s important, when dealing with an ecstasy addiction, to reevaluate the group of people you’re hanging out with. Honing in on your addiction and environmental triggers might mean you have to stop hanging out with the social circle involved in ecstasy. It’s necessary to be around supportive, caring people that are understanding of what you are going through and who can be there for you during your recovery. Going to music festivals, concerts, raves, nightclubs or any scenes that make you want to use might be a bad idea if you’re trying to quit using. These environments are not conducive to getting sober because they can tempt you.
What it comes down to is that if you feel dependent on using ecstasy then this means you are using the drug as crutch and hence are addicted to it. You need to honestly evaluate for yourself if this is the case. If you are exhibiting the signs and symptoms listed above then you’re definitely caught up in an addiction to ecstasy.
