What is MDMA?
MDMA, also known as Molly or Ecstasy on the streets. The scientific name for it is 3.4 Methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine. It usually comes in pill, powder, or crystal form.
MDMA is supposed to contain the pure chemical. Although, many manufactures include other substances that mimic the MDMA effects. This can be very dangerous to the human brain.
What are the adulterants in MDMA?
Like mentioned before, there are ways to mimic MDMA and these include other substances such as:
- Amphetamine
- MDA
- Methamphetamine
- PCP
- Caffeine
- Cocaine
- CPP
- Paracetamol
- 4-FA
What does MDMA do to your body?
MDMA affects your neurotransmitters in your brain that control your reflexes, emotion, and serotonin. The effects of MDMA include loss of appetite, insomnia, empathy, and sociability.
It releases a great deal of serotonin which makes people feel empathy towards others. Often people feel as if they have fallen in love with another person. It creates happiness and generates a great deal of friendliness. Your sense of comfort with others skyrockets.
Since your body is making so much serotonin, your body also destroys a lot of serotonin. When you experience a comedown, your brain is deprived of serotonin. This can make you feel body aches, depressed, and tired. Some people have reported that they are in a low mood for 1-3 days after they experience a comedown.
MDMA can cause auditory and visual changes. The pupils will dilate making the eyes look very round and large. As a result, light sensitivity plays a huge role when on this drug. It will seem as if there are halos around, making the lights even brighter than they are. MDMA does not cause any hallucinations and no psychedelic visuals. Depending on the dosage, some people experience vibrations in vision, blurriness, and softness.
People tend to have an increased tactile perception, meaning anything they touch will feel incredible. For example, a fuzzy blanket will feel extra special causing the person to keep wanting to touch it.
How Long do the Effects Last?
The onset is usually 30 to 60 minutes. The effects can last 3-8 hours. After the comedown, an afterglow can occur, making it feel as if you are still on ecstasy. Although this is typically seen with people that have had a small does with no re-dose.
Why do people take MDMA?
The reason why people take MDMA varies from person to person. Molly is considered a party drug of choice for many, while others find they want to experiment and see what the pill does.
Recreational
The club scene may be the most popular place where people make the drug exchange. While it is illegal and club owners are not happy to find the dealers passing out party favors, they know it’s what brings people in through the door. When people take molly, it heightens their auditory and visual capacity which makes it a perfect concoction for clubbing.
Interpersonal
Others like to enjoy it at home with friends or with a partner. A home is a place where people feel most comfortable experimenting because of the environment. Since clubs are never predictable and taking MDMA can be dangerous if a conflict arises, people feel safest doing it at home with close people.
Therapy
MDMA can be used solo with a therapist to treat PTSD. Currently, some states are trying to legalize MDMA for therapy uses. The reason why it is great for PTSD therapy is that communication goes up and helps bring awareness to new opportunities in life.
The Negative effects of MDMA
MDMA was scheduled as an illegal drug due to its dangerous effects. People started being creative on how to keep these drugs on the streets and made them with alternative substances such as caffeine, amphetamines, and sometimes psychedelics.
What many people do not know about is the comedown and how badly it affects your daily life after consumption.
The negative effects of MDMA:
- Jaw Clenching
- Appetite Reduction
- Dry Mouth
- Sweating
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Insomnia
- Muscle Tension
- Impaired Balance
- Anxiety
- Inappropriate Behavior
- Chills
Does MDMA increase or decrease anxiety?
While many will say it decreases anxiety, that is true to some extent. When the initial come up occurs, the body will sense that something is off and unusual. This can drive someone to have anxiety and make them feel uneasy. But once that come up is over, a sense of relief overcomes the body and the individual can then relax without an ounce of anxiety.
Now, say the individual is in an environment where stress can be a variable, then the individual can feel anxiety overpowering their mind. This is common for users that have taken a larger dose and didn’t plan to feel a certain way in a particular setting. This can cause panic attacks.
After a few breaths, and passing time, the anxiety will go away.
Doses
Light: 75-100 mg
Common: 100-150 mg
Strong: 150- 175 mg
Redosing is very common but strongly discouraged. The rule of thumb is to re-dose only 1 time with half of the initial dose.
MDMA is definitely a drug that can make you feel euphoric and happy. But it is also a drug that is not suitable for every weekend. With the amount of serotonin release and destruction, it can permanently damage your neurotransmitters. The key is to wait 3 months before dosing again. This gives your brain enough time to generate new brain cells so you could feel the “magic” happen again. *Legal and illegal drugs are not advised in this article.*
