Parents, Know the Facts! – Ecstasy

ECSTASY IS AN ILLEGALLY PRODUCED SUBSTANCE. ECSTASY IS A STIMULANT SUBSTANCE WITH HALLUCINOGENIC PROPERTIES.

Ecstasy is referred to be a designer drug since it was manufactured with the intention of inducing euphoria, and is also known as MDMA or Molly. Teens and young adults who frequently go to nightclubs, concerts, and "rave" events are frequent misusers of the substance.

Forms of ecstasy: pill or powder form.

PARAPHERNALIA:

Individuals that misuse ecstasy may begin to gather paraphernalia that amplifies the substance's effects. For instance, some adolescents collect glow sticks, suckers, pacifiers, or jawbreakers in preparation for an all-night party. The effects of ecstasy induce the individual to clench or bite with tremendous ferocity. These methods may help substance misusers feel more at ease when under the influence.

EFFECTS OF ECSTASY

There is no safe level of substance misuse. The following effects may be experienced:

A sense of intense wellbeing (euphoria), a feeling of excited calm or peace, heightened sensitivity, increased physical and emotional energy, increased sociability and closeness, relaxation, sweating, ataxia, or the loss of full control of bodily movements, blurred or double vision, changes in perception, dry mouth, bruxism, muscle tension.

WITHDRAWAL

Symptoms vary in intensity depending on the individual’s tolerance, overall health and metabolism, as well as the frequency and duration of substance misuse. These symptoms can include:

Depression, confusion, anxiety, cravings, agitation, paranoia, insomnia, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite, memory problems, changes in self-perception.

LONG TERM EFFECTS

Long-lasting brain damage affecting thought and memory; damage to portions of the brain that regulate critical functions such as learning, sleep and emotion; degenerated nerve branches and nerve endings; depression, anxiety, memory loss; kidney failure; haemorrhaging; psychosis; cardiovascular1 collapse; convulsions; death.