Biographies Characteristics Analysis

Caution: there are bad trips from MDMA! Ecstasy is all about action, possible consequences and addiction.

Ecstasy is one of the trendy club drugs that is not taken seriously. It does not cause rapid addiction and dependence like “hard” drugs and easily, albeit illegally, gets to the consumer in the form of multi-colored cheerful pills that bring the joy of communication, expanding the boundaries of possibilities and euphoria from a surge of energy and vitality.

Ecstasy is one of the trendy club drugs

Young people who use it at parties succumb to the temptation to experience new thrills, do not think that the consequences are detrimental to them, or succumb to the persuasion of friends and fall for the bait.

Everyone knows that drugs are harmful, but to try once to the friendly hooting of a support group, nothing bad will happen. Who at this moment thinks what harm and consequences await a young man or a girl from drinking? What can bring an overdose of ecstasy or taking a pill while drinking alcohol? “Death is not something that will happen to us,” everyone thinks, but in people with poor health, heart disease, or weakened after illness, deaths can occur from the first pill.

MDMA

Why do people invent drugs if they bring death and pain to families? The answer is simple, to capitalize on the death and pain of your loved ones. Any drug, including MDMA (ecstasy), brings huge profits to drug dealers. They brainwash the youth, saying that the harm from taking such a pill is nonsense, that all the serious consequences are greatly exaggerated and it is your choice whether to succumb to this washing, to the will of the crowd or group, or to have your own choice. Not everyone can afford such pleasure financially, and this also raises the status among young friends.

Ecstasy - a direct road to the emergency room

Any drug that chemically alters consciousness and leads to euphoria has the other side of the coin - depression, panic, anxiety, memory loss and other side effects. What are the symptoms after using ecstasy?

  • thirst, dry mouth, dehydration;
  • increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, rapid breathing;
  • hyperthermia;
  • lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting;
  • hallucinations, panic, psychosis disorientation, altered reality;
  • impaired coordination of movements, loss of a sense of danger.

The harm from the use of MDMA and its consequences are further manifested by a decrease in libido and potency, with prolonged use leads to male infertility. Harmful to health damage to organs and systems, impaired brain activity. Only these horror stories do not scare anyone.

Man is an amazing creature capable of harming himself consciously. They will think about the consequences later, not in the cheerful euphoria of ecstasy, but alone with their problems. No wonder many countries this drug is under the prohibition of the law in the list.

Dangers of overdose

In its pure form, ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) does not always reach the consumer. Or at first you are "planted" on a quality product, and then they can sell you a "surrogate" with various, unknown additives. This reduces the price, and no one cares about the health of drug addicts, the harm from using "Pills of Love" is your own business. You yourself bought and drank.

Drugs are taken to relax and get euphoric.

At a reduced concentration of MDMA, the user increases the dose to get the usual high, and an overdose is possible. The harm of using ecstasy is enhanced by the action of unknown additives, the state of the body today, and is enhanced by the dose of alcohol consumed. The consequences can be deplorable immediately or after the next dose of the drug.

If a person becomes ill, the squad may “not notice the loss of a fighter”, because everyone is happy and having fun. That's why they take drugs to relax and get euphoria, the feeling that you can move mountains, dance until you drop, have sex without a break and be the coolest macho or the most beautiful mistress in the world. But all this happens not by magic, but by chemical means, from the reserves of your young body, sometimes irreplaceable.

According to the available lethal cases, death occurred from taking from 2 to 10 tablets. It all depends on the body of a particular person. One will practice ecstasy, getting high, and the other will have a cardiac arrest, such a roulette, but the harm from use affects everyone. If you notice signs of an overdose, the person needs help. In case of an overdose, the following symptoms are noted:

  • Decreased sodium in the blood, dehydration, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, cerebral edema.
  • Hyperthermia up to 40 - 42 degrees can cause irreversible processes, protein denaturation, convulsions, muscle necrosis, cardiac arrest, failure of organs and body systems.
  • DIC is a disorder of clotting factors leading to massive bleeding and death.
  • Liver failure, coma.
  • Acute renal failure (ARF).

With an overdose, excitability and anxiety increase. The person starts to panic. It is necessary to keep him conscious as much as possible until the ambulance arrives. It is advisable to find out the dose of the drug taken, the time when the pills were drunk, whether alcohol was present, which aggravates the harm from drug use.

Before the arrival of the ambulance, it is necessary to provide the victim with the necessary assistance.

Help

Before the arrival of the ambulance, it is necessary to provide all necessary assistance. If the person is conscious, lavage the stomach, inducing vomiting. Reduce the temperature by wiping the skin with an alcohol solution of 40 degrees or a weak solution of vinegar, or simply cold water. Put pieces of ice on the main arteries. If the victim is conscious, give him small portions of Regidron saline solution. Being conscious, the victim may rave, see and hear hallucinations, not perceive reality. Panic attacks and psychoses are possible.

In a hospital, he will be given intravenous infusions to detoxify the body. And if he is rescued, he will draw conclusions, understand the harm from the use of laughing pills and what the consequences may be. Unfortunately, his experience will not be heard and it is not even a fact that the victim himself will draw conclusions. "Pills of love" can be a kiss of death on a cold forehead. How I wished that young people, frolicking in a circle of friends in nightclubs, understood the price of chemical love and escape from reality.

Ecstasy is an illegal drug that has become widespread in society. The US Drug Enforcement Administration has included ecstasy in Schedule 1, which contains drugs that pose a great threat to life and are not used in medicine. The list includes such substances as heroin, LSD, mescaline and psilocybin.

The drug ecstasy is very popular among teenagers and young people. According to statistics, it was used at least once by more than ten million people, the vast majority at that time were not even 25 years old. More than 50% of them began to use ecstasy regularly, even knowing all its dangers. When ecstasy is mixed with alcohol, its effects become so severe that it can be fatal. Also in medicine, there have been cases when death in young people occurred after a single use of this narcotic substance.

Ecstasy is so damaging to health that the number of people admitted to the intensive care unit has increased by at least 1200% since MDMA was considered a "club drug". The drug is distributed most extensively in rave discos in clubs and other dance floors.

Ecstasy is most often distributed in the form of tablets, but it is also taken, including intravenously.

There is a saying that accurately reflects the effect of the drug: dances under ecstasy are replaced by funeral music.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA is a narcotic substance from the group of amphetamines. Ecstasy was first synthesized in 1912 by Merck, and after the 70th year of the XX century, MDMA became one of the most popular drugs used in discos. In its pure form, the drug MDMA is sold in crystals or in the form of a crystalline powder with a characteristic moldy smell, often red-brown.

Today it is almost impossible to find ecstasy in its pure form. Components such as LSD, heroin, and sometimes poisons used to poison rats are added to its composition. This is the main threat to the health of the user. When purchasing ecstasy, the addict is rarely interested in what components the drug consists of. In the case when the concentration of MDMA is rather low, the addict begins to increase the dose with each dose. In turn, this becomes the main cause of overdose.

Ecstasy is most commonly taken orally in tablet form. Previously, the so-called bombs were popular - rolls of cigarette paper, which contained MDMA crystals, such bundles had to be swallowed completely. In rare cases, the drug is inhaled through the nostrils, smoked or injected intravenously, especially ingenious even inject pills rectally. Tablets have become so widespread due to the fact that when inhaled through the nasal cavity, the mucous membrane gets a serious burn, then bleeding occurs, and when the solution is injected, the effect of MDMA comes too quickly and causes severe side effects.

A single dose of administration is usually 120 mg of the substance. During the night, depending on the stage of addiction, the addict can take from one to ten tablets, each of which contains from 60 to 100 grams of the substance. Having figured out what MDMA is, let's talk a little about the history of the drug.

Ecstasy is often referred to as the "love pill" because it increases the perception of color and sound.

History of ecstasy

1912– MDMA is synthesized for the first time by Merck Pharmaceuticals.

1914– Merck Pharmaceuticals receives a patent for the invention of MDMA.

1953- the military and chemists are studying the toxicity of the substance, experiments are being carried out on various animals (pigs, rats, dogs, monkeys).

1965- chemist Alexander Fedorovich Shulgin produces ecstasy, but has not yet conducted experiments.

1967- there are small industries synthesizing ecstasy clandestinely.

1968– Alexander Fedorovich conducts experiments with MDMA, he shares the results with the scientific community.

1970- in August, the first mention of the use of MDMA as a drug appeared.

1976– The first scientific paper on methylenedioxymethamphetamine is published

1977- Ecstasy is distributed on the streets as a drug.

1977- The UK lists ecstasy on "List A", which includes the most dangerous drugs in England.

1977–1981– during this period, 8 people ended up in the intensive care unit due to drug use.

1981–1985- during this period, not a single case of overdose of the substance was detected.

1985- The US Drug Enforcement Administration puts MDMA on Schedule 1.

1987- the first case of death from drug use was registered.

1994–1999- during this time, 27 cases of MDMA use were officially registered in the United States, which led to the death of addicts.

2000–2001- About 20 deaths were recorded worldwide from the use of tablets based on steam - Methoxyamphetamine, which were sold under the guise of ecstasy.

The action of ecstasy

When used, the effect of ecstasy is in the following manifestations:

  • ease in communication appears, constraint and isolation disappear;
  • previously existing psychological barriers disappear;
  • tactile, sound and light perceptions are greatly enhanced;
  • there is a need for a love affair;
  • the user experiences tremendous pleasure from physical contact with other people;
  • such emotions as compassion, pity become aggravated;
  • there is a sense of harmony with the surrounding world;
  • everything around feels completely new.

Here are some eyewitness accounts of how ecstasy works:

Diana: I saw this guy in the club, he was on ecstasy, and for several hours he repeated the same thing: “I am a tangerine, why are you skinning me, I am a tangerine, why are you skinning me.”

Kate: At a rave disco, a guy who was high on ecstasy thought he was a fly and banged his head against the window pane all evening trying to get out.

The image of ecstasy as a "love pill" is one of the many myths that circulate about the drug.

The effect of MDMA on the body

The components found in MDMA can have hallucinogenic properties and cause various "pictures" in the mind of the user, from pleasant to truly nightmarish. Ecstasy dulls the instinct responsible for self-preservation, after use, the perception of cold and heat decreases. The harm of ecstasy does not raise the slightest doubt, which is why it was included in the list of the most dangerous illegal drugs. After use, the addict has the following negative symptoms:

  • thirst and dehydration;
  • increased heart rate and blood pressure;
  • nausea, vomiting;
  • loss of appetite;
  • increase in temperature;
  • difficulty urinating;
  • dizziness.

Less commonly, the user may experience the following symptoms:

  • despondency and depression;
  • nightmares;
  • paranoia and persecution mania;
  • decrease in mental abilities;
  • liver dystrophy;
  • tremor;
  • the appearance of ulcers and acne;
  • decreased libido and impotence.

The most common symptom following MDMA withdrawal is depression. Sometimes it captures the addict so much that he seriously thinks about suicide. With regular use of the substance, infertility develops. Use during pregnancy can lead to serious pathologies in the development of the fetus.

How addiction to MDMA is formed

Dependence on MDMA occurs less frequently than on substances such as heroin or LSD. Experiments conducted on rats have shown that addiction to ecstasy is weak and it will not be difficult to completely abandon it. But sometimes addiction and dependence are still formed in drug addicts, the factors that serve this are the following:

  1. Due to the fact that it is quite difficult to find MDMA in its pure form, drug addicts often purchase ecstasy with the addition of other components that cause addiction.
  2. Like other types of drugs, MDMA is addictive, that is, each subsequent use brings a lesser effect to the addict, in connection with this, drug addicts increase the dose of the drug taken each time.
  3. To get rid of side effects and negative symptoms, drug addicts are forced to resort to stronger substances, such as heroin, cocaine or morphine.

Many underestimate the harm that MDMA can cause to the body, often people are given false information about this substance. Regular use of ecstasy in a short time can lead to addiction, the development of negative side effects, and sometimes even the death of an addict.

Ecstasy impairs emotions and its users often suffer from depression, confusion, extreme anxiety, paranoia, psychotic episodes and other psychiatric disorders.

Signs of ecstasy use

After using MDMA, the first symptoms appear after 30-50 minutes and last about 9 hours, there are times when the symptoms persist for two or even three days. The recipient has energy, movements become jerky. Consistency in actions disappears, the addict is taken to several cases at once, moving from one to another, this, as a rule, does not bring results. There is an ease in communication, I want to touch the people around me. External signs of substance use may be the following:

  • pupil enlargement;
  • rapid heartbeat and pulse;
  • dry lips and skin;
  • insomnia;
  • teeth grinding;
  • fever.

Signs of an overdose

It has not yet been possible to determine what dose of the substance is lethal. In the body of drug addicts who died from an overdose, the concentration of MDMA was 2-10 tablets. It all depends on the characteristics of the organism, the duration of the intake and many other related factors. Cases have been recorded when death occurred when taking only 1 pill, and in the entire history of drug use there were cases when people survived taking 30-50 pieces at a time. Let's look at what happens to the body with an MDMA overdose:

  1. In case of drug poisoning, the body temperature rises, up to 42 degrees. A significant increase leads to the appearance of convulsions, the structures of protein molecules are disturbed, the cardiovascular system malfunctions. Death can occur from acute heart failure, failure of one of the internal organs, or extensive necrosis of muscle tissue.
  2. The level of sodium in the blood drops sharply, which leads to cerebral edema and imminent death.
  3. Arterial and intracranial pressure rises, hemorrhages occur in the brain.
  4. A syndrome of disseminated intravascular coagulation appears, in which blood clotting is significantly increased, a large number of blood clots form in small vessels (arterioles, venules and capillaries). When clotting decreases, bleeding occurs, which leads to the death of the addict.
  5. Prolonged use of MDMA leads to the fact that liver cells begin to die.
  6. Increasing the dose may cause liver failure and coma.
  7. With an overdose, instead of the expected euphoria, paranoia often occurs, the addict experiences horror.

Ecstasy suffocates the body's natural "alarm system"

What to do if you overdose on ecstasy

In the case when a person taking ecstasy loses consciousness, the first step is to find out if he has signs of life. Call an ambulance immediately.

Provide first aid to the victim, first you need to wipe the body with a towel dipped in cold water, this will allow the body to cool and reduce the temperature, you can apply an ice pack to the forehead (the application time should be no more than 1 minute, and the interval between them should be at least 3 minutes ).

An overdose is always accompanied by dehydration, to replenish the balance, the addict (if he is conscious) should drink diluted rehydration salt, as well as intravenous infusion of saline. The main procedures should be to remove the substance from the body as soon as possible. So you can carry out the procedure of gastric lavage and infusion of detoxification solutions into the vein. The rest of the activities will be carried out by paramedics.

Among psychostimulants, along with cocaine, ecstasy is also widely known. The action of this drug is based on the activation of serotonin production, this hormonal substance is better known as the hormone of happiness. It affects higher brain functions, including pleasure and mood. Serotonin causes an overflowing feeling of happiness and love. Studies have shown that people with low and persistently depressed mood have severely reduced levels of serotonin. If a person is in a state of love, then his serotonin is elevated.

Ecstasy - description of the substance

This drug was created as an effective tool for the treatment of pathological psychological conditions such as depression, depression or withdrawal. In the eighties of the last century, ecstasy was actively used and promoted as a magical drug that quickly relieves isolation, depression, depression and low self-esteem.

Today, ecstasy is a drug that is actively distributed in clubs in tablet form, less often in the form of powder or capsules.

Externally, the drug looks like multi-colored pills with various patterns, graphic prints or logos. The basis of ecstasy is, but in the final composition there are often impurities like caffeine, methamphetamine, ketamine, dextromethorphan, etc. And it is on the composition that how the drug works in each individual case depends. Club youth sincerely believes ecstasy distributors that the pills are absolutely safe, in fact the picture is much sadder.

Application

Ecstasy pill use tends to occur in a club environment. The youth swallows the drug in the form of pills. Some crush the tablets into powder and inhale through the nose, dilute and inject them intravenously. Distribute the drug in nightclubs, night parties, passageways or bars.

The effect after use lasts for about 3-4 hours. All this time, a person experiences a tonic effect, his perception and sense of time is distorted. The combination of tablets with alcohol is very dangerous, since such a mixture can have unpredictable health consequences.

Properties

When the active substances of the tablet penetrate into the body, a powerful serotonin release occurs, but at the end of the effect, the person experiences a feeling of fatigue and severe irritation.

Narcologists distinguish the following properties of ecstasy:

  • The ability to evoke a feeling of love and emotional good nature to others, even strangers;
  • A deep feeling of euphoria, when everything around seems unusually beautiful;
  • Tablets destroy all psychological obstacles, awkwardness, embarrassment and stiffness in communication disappear;
  • A person literally bursts with activity that affects all spheres of the body - mental, psychological, physical, etc.

But this is only one, iridescent side, the so-called. positive properties of the drug.

There are also negative effects of ecstasy use, such as:

  • Hypersweating and dilated pupils;
  • Sleep disorders, overexcitation and excessive anxiety;
  • An excessive load is exerted on the cardiovascular system, which is manifested by an increase in pressure and an increase in heart rate, as well as heart rhythm disturbances;
  • Heatstroke, fever, fever and convulsive contractions;
  • Twitching of the eyelids, spasm of the jaw muscles, muscle tension;
  • Dizziness and dryness of the oral mucosa;
  • Dehydration;
  • Difficulties in breathing.

An ecstasy drug addict loses attention to traditional organic needs. He does not want to drink, eat, sleep, all this becomes unimportant. But after drinking, in comparison with an alcohol hangover, it is many times stronger and can last for several days.

street names

Ecstasy in the club environment has other names:

  1. Ex-TC;
  2. wheels;
  3. Tablets;
  4. Cadillac;
  5. Exta;
  6. Love;
  7. Smile;
  8. Kalachi;
  9. bagels;
  10. Disks;
  11. Vitamin E;
  12. Slippers, etc.

Kinds

Ecstasy can be called almost any amphetamine-based tablet drug. Additionally, other psychoactive or stimulating components are added to them. Therefore, it is quite difficult to determine in advance what kind of effect will be from the use of a particular pill.

The most common types of ecstasy are multi-colored and variously shaped capsules or tablets. In total there are about 1000 different types. They are taken orally, although some people smoke or sniff them, and are rarely given intravenously.

Typical symptoms of use

The characteristic symptoms of the use of tablets appear approximately 20 minutes after ingestion:

  1. Tingling sensations are felt all over the body;
  2. In the muscle tissues of the legs and arms, persistent tension is felt;
  3. Hyper sweating;
  4. Intense heartbeat;
  5. Trembling in the lips;
  6. Drying of the oral mucosa;
  7. slight feeling of nausea;
  8. Breathing changes.

Outwardly, a person after using ecstasy can be noted dilated pupils, unusual looseness and emancipation, activity and excessive sociability, a feeling of euphoria, love of love and an acute need for a trusting relationship. After using ecstasy, one feels incredible delight, invulnerability, a surge of strength and energy.

But when the action of the tablets ends, and this happens about 3-6 hours after ingestion, then an apathetic and depressed state, drowsiness and severe fatigue occur. Such well-being can last for several days, because the body needs additional strength to recover.

Development of addiction

At first, the drug ecstasy is used in small quantities, however, over time, the body develops a habit and the standard dose no longer causes its former delight, and the duration of action is noticeably reduced. There is no concept of physiological dependence on ecstasy in the drug industry. People, for whom the use of such drugs for relaxation and emotional stimulation is quite common, have a strong mental need to use the drug. They consider these pills the only way to fully relax. Therefore, we can assume that dependence on such narcotic drugs is psychological in nature, despite and in spite of the existing ones.

If you use ecstasy constantly and for a long time, then the level of intelligence gradually decreases, brain activity slows down, the person becomes dull. Serotonin receptors are destroyed, which provokes a melancholic and depressive state. It is not uncommon for ectasists to commit suicidal acts in such a state, because they can no longer experience the pleasure and joy of life.

Over time, the addict needs to increase the dosage in order to get a full-fledged psycho-emotional effect. In such a situation, a multiple amplification of the destructive occurs. The probability of an overdose increases, which, against the background of severe intoxication and organic overload, often ends in death. Ecstasy pills are deadly for people suffering from cardiovascular or renal pathologies, diabetes and mental disorders.
Documentary on ecstasy:

Ecstasy or wheels is one of the many drug names for MDMA, short for methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name almost as long as all the night parties where it is often consumed. That's why MDMA is often referred to as a "club drug". Its action is similar to other stimulants, it makes the user feel like the friendliest person in the world.

MDMA is a man-made drug and does not come from plants like marijuana or tobacco. Other chemicals are added to it, such as caffeine, dextromethorphan (used in cough syrups), amphetamine, PCP, or cocaine.

Manufacturers of this type of drug can add anything to it, so its purity can be doubted. This makes ecstasy one of the most unpredictable and dangerous drugs.

What does Ecstasy look like?

Ecstasy is sold in the form of tablets, which are often graphically printed with different letters, images, or commercial logos.

How is Ecstasy used?

Ecstasy is usually swallowed as a tablet, but can also be crushed and snorted, given intravenously, or given as a suppository.

Who Uses Ecstasy?

Ecstasy is popular among middle class teenagers and young adults. It is sold in bars, nightclubs and underground passages, at "raves" (parties all night).

What are the effects of Ecstasy?

It is known for its tonic effect, as well as the distortion of sensation in time and perception, expanding the possibilities for the implementation of physical experiences. The effect of the use lasts from three to four hours. His popularity grew in the late 1980s at rave parties, club stages, and college campuses.

What are the dangers of Ecstasy?

Ecstasy causes the same side problems as amphetamines and cocaine. This may include:

  • Psychological problems
  • Confusion
  • Depression
  • Sleep problems
  • drug craving
  • severe anxiety
  • Paranoia
  • Psychotic episodes

The physical side effects that can occur with its use can last for weeks. Users often experience muscle tension, involuntary clenching of teeth, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, weakness, and chills or sweating. MDMA is very dangerous for those who have circulatory problems or heart disease because the drug increases heart rate and blood pressure.

For those users who use this drug in powder form, the risk of liver damage and other side effects increases if they continue to use the drug.

Is Ecstasy addictive?

Yes, it does. Nearly 60 percent of people who use MDMA experience fatigue, loss of appetite, depression of the senses, trouble concentrating, and withdrawal symptoms.

Purity of the drug

MDMA is often mixed with other drugs such as:

  • Ephedrine (stimulant)
  • Dextromethorphan (DXM, which has a PCP-like effect at high doses)
  • Ketamine (a pain reliever used primarily by veterinarians that also has a PCP-like effect)
  • Caffeine
  • Cocaine
  • methamphetamine

Combining or using the drug MDMA, including marijuana and alcohol, is harmful and puts your health at high physical risk.

Neurotoxicity

In a study using monkeys, exposure to ecstasy for four days was found to cause damage to the brain and serotonin nerve endings. The effects of these devastations can still be seen seven years later, suggesting that people can experience permanent brain damage.

Researchers believe the brain damage occurs because the drug, like methamphetamine, causes the degeneration of neurons that contain the neurotransmitter dopamine. Damage to these neurons leads to movement disorders such as in Parkinson's disease, starting with a lack of coordination that can progress to paralysis.

Similar drugs

The parent drug of ecstasy (MDMA) is MDA, an amphetamine - a drug that has a similar chemical structure to MDMA. PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine associated with human casualties in the US and Australia) is also sometimes sold as MDMA.

Ectasy is an artificially synthesized substance that belongs to the group of amphetamines. The composition of the ecstasy drug will determine how it works, the harm done and the consequences for the body, as well as the possibility of an overdose.

The full name is methyendioxymethamphetamine or MDMA. It was first developed in 1902 and became widespread in the 1970s. Currently, it refers to substances whose circulation and use is prohibited.

Initially, it was developed and used as a drug for the treatment of depression and other mental disorders. However, after a detailed study of its effects on animals, numerous negative side effects and undeniable harms of ecstasy were revealed. Because of this, its use was banned.

The main form of production is tablets, in addition, the following types of use are possible: powder for inhalation through the nose, as part of smoking mixtures, intravenous injections and rectally. Of these varieties, drug addicts prefer pills, because the side effects appear a little less and not immediately, as in other cases.

The danger of using this type of drug lies in the fact that it contains many additives and there may be a different amount in each batch or tablet. Among the mixtures in the composition with can be methamphetamine, and, and even rat poison.

The dose of this substance, which is consumed at a time, averages about 120 mg. In one tablet, the content of MDMA is about 60-100 mg. An addict in a period of 12 hours can take from 1 to 10 ecstasy tablets, not knowing exactly what is present and in what quantity. Often this is the cause of an overdose.

Like many other drugs, ecstasy works directly on the pleasure center in the brain, which triggers the production of serotonin, the so-called joy hormone. Since this area is stimulated artificially, over a short time, its disorder occurs, and, consequently, depression.

Acting directly on the psychological state of a person, the substance provokes the occurrence of the following sensations:

  1. Disappears shyness, stiffness in communication.
  2. Feelings intensify.
  3. Feeling of harmony with the world and perfection.
  4. The world is seen in a different, new and beautiful light.

In addition to some of the pleasant sensations that drug addicts use it for, there are a huge number of extremely negative effects on the physical and mental state of a person.

First of all, there are:

  • Hallucinations, which are often frightening and terrifying.
  • Lack of a sense of danger, when a person cannot determine what threatens him. Therefore, people who use these substances often enter medical institutions with hypothermia, burns, injuries, etc.
  • Strong thirst and feeling of dry mouth, dehydration.
  • Change in blood pressure and increase in heart rate.
  • Lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
  • Increase in body temperature.
  • Urinary retention and difficulty urinating.
  • Loss of coordination and loss of body control.

Depending on the period of admission and the individual characteristics of the body, the long-term consequences of using ecstasy can be limited to withdrawal or withdrawal syndrome, or end very badly. Taking the drug leads to pathological changes in the work of almost all organs and leads to the following types of disorders:

  1. On the part of mental health and the nervous system: depression, nightmares and painful dreams, paranoia, memory impairment, a decrease in the level of mental abilities and abilities to analyze, the development of psychological dependence.
  2. From the side of the cardiovascular system: the development of heart attack and stroke, tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension, cardiac arrest, damage to the heart muscle.
  3. From the genitourinary system: impaired renal function, development of renal failure, impaired potency, poor sperm quality, infertility.
  4. Metabolic disorders and other systems and organs lead to tremor of the limbs, obesity, jaundice, an increase in the size of the liver and its damage, poor condition of the skin and hair.

One of the strongest effects of ecstasy on the body is the development of severe forms of depression, which very often lead to suicide attempts. There is even a special term "suicide Tuesday", which characterizes the depressive states of people after taking pills on weekends.

The intake of this narcotic substance during pregnancy has an extremely negative effect on the fetus, leading to developmental delay and the appearance of numerous pathologies.

Signs of use

Depending on the form of use (pills, injections, etc.), the first signs that a person has taken the drug ecstasy appear after a time of approximately 30-60 minutes. They can be divided into physical and psychological.

Physical:

  • pupils are dilated;
  • the pulse is quickened;
  • skin is dehydrated and dry;
  • gnashing of teeth;
  • feverish state;
  • a long period of wakefulness up to several days.

Psychological:

  1. Behavior change.
  2. Lack of stiffness and significant animation, high spirits, attempts at bodily contact with others - touch, hug, etc.
  3. Sharpness in movements and a certain "twitchiness", the inability to focus on something.
  4. Actions are inconsistent, abrupt switching of attention, lack of consistency.

Similar conditions and changes in behavior can persist after taking from 8 hours to several days.

There are also special rapid tests that help determine with the help of urine whether a person has used a drug or not. Please note that they have a certain expiration date.

By itself, MDMA causes a rather weak dependence, and the usual effort of will is quite enough for a complete rejection of it. Dependence on ecstasy, nevertheless, is formed, and this happens for the following reasons:

  • Since there is practically no pure substance, and people take a mixture of several substances, persistent dependence arises just in time for these “additives”.
  • Some time after the start of use, the addict does not feel the previous effects of ecstasy, therefore, increases the dose, which significantly increases the side effects and increases the likelihood of an overdose.
  • The negative consequences of taking, for example, depression, the addict tries to "cure" with the help of stronger substances.
  • Fashion, as well as ill-informed people, leads to the opinion that it is a "safe" drug that does no harm.

Symptoms and consequences of an overdose

It should be noted that the exact dose at which an overdose occurs could not be established. It depends on many factors, among them: the individual characteristics of the body, the composition of the tablets, the intake of drugs or alcohol, etc.

On average, the number of pills that can cause death from ecstasy varies from 2 to 10 pieces. There are cases of death from taking just 1 dose. In the case when MDMA was used by a child, the lethal dose is much less. Therefore, there is no exact answer to the question of how many tablets are a lethal dose.

An overdose of ecstasy leads to toxic poisoning, which manifests itself in the following signs:

  1. An increase in body temperature to 41-42 degrees, which, in turn, has an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. This is fraught with the occurrence of a heart attack, collapse, muscle necrosis and other similar disorders, which can lead to death.
  2. Cerebral edema and, as a result, death.
  3. Hypertension can cause bleeding into a muscle or into the brain.
  4. DIC is a syndrome in which many small blood clots occur and then blood clotting decreases, causing bleeding and death.
  5. Liver failure and, as a result, coma.
  6. Anxiety.
  7. Liver failure.

Most of these conditions can only be determined by doctors after examination. An overdose on its own can be assumed if:

  • You know that a person has taken something, because his behavior is inadequate and different from the previous one.
  • He became ill, showing signs of dehydration and a high fever.
  • He is in an overexcited state and extremely anxious, panic may begin.
  • High blood pressure and heart rate.
  • Hallucinations are possible.
  • Loss of consciousness.

First aid

First of all, call an ambulance. If the victim is unconscious, it should be determined if there is a pulse or resuscitation needs to be initiated. In any case, you need to try to bring the person to his senses and support him until the ambulance arrives.

If possible, you should find out: what and how much was taken, how much time has passed since the moment of admission, whether alcohol was consumed at the same time.

When providing first aid, you need to act quickly and try to relieve symptoms that can lead to death:

  1. The body temperature rises to critical values, which means that it is necessary to bring it down with the help of rubdowns on the body, a cool bath or ice packs.
  2. If the patient is conscious and the drug has been ingested, gastric lavage should be performed. He is given a large amount of warm water to drink, after which they induce vomiting.
  3. There is severe dehydration, so you need to restore fluid balance. Best of all, special powders that are dissolved in water are suitable for this. You should drink in small portions, but often.

In a hospital setting, assistance to the patient will be aimed at the speedy removal of toxins from the drug from the body, since there is no antidote to it. For this, detoxification solutions and saline solutions will be administered intravenously to restore the water-salt balance.

The prognosis for recovery from drug addiction in the case of MDMA is positive, if no other drugs have been used. It does not require the use of special drugs. Rehabilitation consists in detoxifying the body and is accompanied by a psychotherapist for a smooth exit from a depressive state.

Video: ecstasy - how do drugs work?

Conclusion

In the case of using MDMA, the likelihood of severe side effects and overdose increases greatly, since the consumer never knows the exact composition of the tablets. Taking a “light club” drug, a person does not even suspect that he is “addicted” to such related substances as heroin, cocaine, etc.

In addition, the danger of ecstasy is in dulling the sense of danger and ignoring the promises of the body. Often, with an overdose, a person does not even notice a rise in temperature of 40 degrees, while forgetting to drink liquid. An overdose is discovered only when he has already passed out or died.