Ecstasy Addiction Treatment

What is ecstasy?

Ecstasy Addiction TreatmentEcstasy (MDMA) is an amphetamine, which can come in pill, tablet or capsule form, which has stimulant effects. Providing a boost of energy and feelings of euphoria, as well as triggering hallucinations and altered sensations, ecstasy is a common club drug and has been for decades – under various different names.

Frequently used by young people, ecstasy is very easy to find and cheap to buy. According to reports gathered by the Drug Enforcement Administration, 4 million people admitted to using ecstasy in the last year.

Ecstasy has a reputation for enhanced energy levels, feelings of connectedness with those around them and increased sexual arousal. The highs from ecstasy are known for their intensity and pleasure, but they don’t last and can lead to a world of new problems for the abuser.

How dangerous is ecstasy?

Because of the setting and circumstances in which people take ecstasy, it’s commonly mixed with other drugs and alcohol, as well as taken repeatedly in a short space of time. Not only this, but no one can guarantee what’s actually in the tablet they’re taking or how pure it is.

Negative effects of ecstasy drug addiction include:

  • Palpitations and increased heart rate
  • Jaw tightness
  • Fluctuating body temperature
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Dehydration

Ecstasy and mental health

Ecstasy use triggers a release of the brain chemical serotonin, causing a flood of pleasurable and happy feelings. Ecstasy causes such a high that the hours and days after the effects wear off can spell out depression, insomnia and anxiety for the user.

Ecstasy is often referred to as a ‘gateway drug’, because many other, harder drugs can seem appealing during the ‘come down’ period. Heroin and cocaine, amongst many other drugs, help users cope with the low moods and depression that can come when ecstasy wears off. The more an individual uses substances to get high and come down, the less able they are to experience their normal emotions without help from substances.

Ecstasy Addiction Treatment

When someone stops using ecstasy, depression and anxiety are quite common. Learning healthy coping skills and good habits are essential to prevent relapse in the future.


As part of treatment for ecstasy, it’s often recommended to take a course of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). These are widely prescribed antidepressants that make more serotonin available to the brain and cumulatively improve mood over time.

Counseling and therapy

The use of antidepressants should always be paired with effective therapy, exploring what led to the addiction and how to develop healthy methods of mood management. People who self-medicate, resorting to ecstasy abuse to manage their mental health are generally unused to dealing with their feelings without being intoxicated, so experienced guidance is imperative during their recovery.

What to expect after ecstasy treatment

Party drugs like ecstasy go hand-in-hand with the environment they’re taken in, so after recovery it might be difficult for former addicts to maintain the same kind of social life they once enjoyed. Ecstasy abuse treatment and recovery can involve drastic changes to lifestyle, which is a difficult adjustment that can cause mental health problems in itself.

It’s crucial for those in recovery through ecstasy treatment centers to replace these aspects of their life, which could cause them to relapse, with healthier activities that make sure they’re out of harm’s way. Their therapy program should address this and give the individual plenty of support so they can make the right choices well into the future.


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