MDMA (Ecstasy)

More commonly known as “Ecstasy,” MDMA is a synthetic substance with psychoactive properties that approximate those of both stimulants such as amphetamines and hallucinogens such as LSD. In addition to Ecstasy, the drug is also known as XTC, Adam, and the love drug.

About the Drug

Though it is outlawed worldwide (by an agreement reached in the United Nations), MDMA remains a highly popular and frequently abused drug. The drug produces a sense of euphoria, a feeling of connection with others, and – initially at least – a diminished capacity for fear and anxiety. MDMA first began to be used for recreational purposes in the 1970s, though it did not achieve widespread popularity until the late 1980s and early 1990s, when it began to appear in nightclubs and dance clubs in the southern United States.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has classified MDMA as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning that in the eyes of the U.S. government the drug has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use, and a lack of accepted safety (even under medical supervision).

Extent of Use

According to an InfoFacts report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), MDMA’s initial popularity was found among white adolescents and teenagers who frequented raves and other long-term dance-intensive gatherings. However, over the years the profile of the “typical” MDMA user has evolved, with the drug now being used by members of various ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

NIDA also reported that 43 percent of young adults and adolescent users of Ecstasy demonstrated behaviors that met the diagnostic requirements for dependence. “These results are consistent with those of similar studies in other countries that also suggest a high rate of MDMA dependence among users,” NIDA reported, adding that withdrawal symptoms experienced by MDMA users include fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed feelings, and difficulties with concentration.

According to the most recent version of the annual Monitoring the Future report, past-year abuse of MDMA by high school seniors increased from 3.0 percent to 4.5 percent between 2005 and 2007. Among high school sophomores, past-year abuse rose from 2.4 percent to 3.5 percent between 2004 and 2007.

Health Hazards

Although it is a quite popular drug – and though many users mistakenly believe it to be a relatively benign substance, MDMA has been known to cause a wide range of negative health effects. In stark contrast to its peaceful “hug drug” reputation, MDMA is similar in structure and effect to methamphetamine, a dangerous drug that destroys dopamine-containing neurons and can lead to coordination impairments and other disturbances to motor skills and mobility.

MDMA is a neurotoxic substance, which means it is poisonous to nerves or nerve tissue (other neurotoxins include mercury and lead). Research has indicated that the drug impairs the ability of the brain to synthesize serotonin – which means that use can result in an inability to regulate aspects of personality including one’s mood, pain threshold, and sexual desire. Psychological difficulties associated with the drug include confusion, depression, anxiety and paranoia – symptoms that have been known to occur weeks after last use.

According to NIDA, “chronic users of MDMA perform more poorly than nonusers on certain types of cognitive or memory tasks, although some of these effects may be due to the use of other drugs in combination with MDMA.” The organization reported that animal-based research into MDMA abuse included “one study in nonhuman primates [that] showed that exposure to MDMA for only four days caused damage to serotonin nerve terminals that was still evident six to seven years later.”

Physically, using Ecstasy can lead to chills, hyperthermia (heightened body temperature), muscle tension, and increased heart rat and blood pressure. Abuse of the drug can also lead to muscle weakness, kidney problems, liver damage, and cardiovascular difficulties.

Treatment

According to NIDA, no pharmacological treatments currently exist for individuals who are struggling to overcome dependence upon or addiction to MDMA. To treat those who have been abusing MDMA, the organization recommends “cognitive-behavioral interventions that are designed to help modify the patient's thinking, expectancies, and behaviors, and to increase skills in coping with life's stressors. Drug abuse recovery support groups may be effective in combination with behavioral interventions to support long-term, drug-free recovery.”