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Though the drug may be called different names, the chemical 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is what creates the effects of the drug. Since ecstasy is illegal and has no current medically approved uses, the drug is typically manufactured in laboratories overseas and in Canada before being smuggled into the US. Makers of the drug often make tablets that look like candies in the likeness of cartoon characters to create more interest from users seeking that specific design.

 

Some of the common signs of ecstasy use include:

• Dilated pupils

• Unnatural, long-lasting energy

• Inability to feel, or reduced sense of, pain

• Desire to touch or be touched

• Changes in sleeping habits

• Staying awake for days at a time

• Paranoia

 

The Dangers of Ecstasy

Ecstasy is responsible for many deaths and thousands of hospital visits each year, proving it is not as harmless as dealers would like users to believe. The leading cause of ecstasy-related deaths is hyperthermia, or overheating.

In part because ecstasy is often taken at raves or night clubs, the user runs a high risk of becoming dehydrated or overheating—eventually causing their organs to stop functioning if left untreated. In some cases, undiagnosed heart defects can be aggravated by the effects of the drug, causing heart failure

 

Many negative side effects, both short- and long-term, can come about as a result of using ecstasy. In today’s world, few people have access to pure MDMA. Many dealers sell pills that are cut with other ingredients, ranging from cocaine or heroin to caffeine and rat poison. For this reason, the effects of an “ecstasy” pill can be hard to predict.

 

Immediate Side Effects of Ecstasy Abuse

Negative side effects of ecstasy use can come about while the user is still under the influence or after they have come down from their high. Some of these common side effects also include:

• Impaired judgment

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Trouble sleeping

• Confusion

• Paranoia

• Muscle tension

• Blurred vision

• Teeth clenching or grinding

 

Long-term Effects of Ecstasy Abuse

Continued use of ecstasy can confuse the brain’s reward and pleasure centers as well as cause long-term damage to nerves, the brain and other vital organs. These long-term side effects also include:

• Psychosis

• Nerve degeneration

• Depression, anxiety and memory loss

• Kidney failure

• Hemorrhaging

• Long-lasting brain damage

• Cardiovascular collapse

• Convulsions

• Death