3.+The+Effects+of+Ecstasy

= Potential Effects of the Drug Ecstasy =

Ecstasy can have different effects on various people; they vary according to a person’s unique situation. These are the different factors a person must take into account when attempting to identify the possible effects of taking the drug ecstasy:
 * How it is administered
 * User's age and body weight
 * User's tolerance to the drug
 * How much of the drug is taken
 * User's state of mind and environment
 * If the user has any medical conditions
 * If the user is under the influence of any other substances (illegal or prescription)
 * The type or amount of other substances that have also been manufactured into the ecstasy pill or capsule (this will depend on what the manufacturer chooses to include, a pill may contain ketamine, caffeine, amphetamines and/or many other substances)

Short Term Effects of Ecstasy:
The most common short term side effects associated with ecstasy are: increased heart rate, increase in blood pressure, an increased feeling of “closeness” with strangers, an overall feeling of “well being” and a decrease in inhibitions. Other effects often produced by ecstasy are jaw clenching, teeth grinding, increase in body temperature and nausea or vomiting. Although these effects are not present during everyone’s experience with the drug, they are found to be the most common effects a user may feel. Other side effects of the drug will depend on the aforementioned list. For instance, the drug increases a person’s blood pressure, body temperature and heart rate. These factors combined with a pre-existing medical condition could cause heart attacks, stroke or seizures. The drug also reduces the effectiveness of the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). It has also been found that when ecstasy is combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) the desired effect of ecstasy may not be achieved. SSRIs have been found to prevent the increased release of serotonin from the neurons by the drug- this is in order to keep the brains chemistry balanced. There are numerous factors that will contribute to a person's specific experience with ecstasy; another common contributor to a person’s experience is their present mind state and environment when taking the drug. If the user is around a number of other people who are also taking the drug, in a setting the person finds desirable or positive then feelings of happiness and excitement might be more prominent in their experience. However, if you’re in an undesirable setting, for example a police station, feelings of anxiety or nervousness are more likely to be present. These, among other things, will play an important role in the user’s experience with ecstasy.

**Long Term Effects of Ecstasy: **
The long term effects of MDMA have been strongly debated throughout the medical community. Although the drug has been around since 1912 the studies that have been done on human beings is very limited. Most of the medical research that has been conducted has taken place on rats. The effects are also in direct relation to the amount of the drug that is taken, how long or how often the drug has been taken and the way the drug is administered. Researchers have conducted experiments using MDMA quantities as high as 6mg. A recreational user of the drug typically uses a dosage closer to 2-4mg in an evening. Researchers also injected the drug into the lab rats whereas a user would generally take it orally. It is possible for users to inject it, but generally considered to be rare. Although the circumstances of the experiments conducted are not common to recreational users of the drug, it has been observed that long term effects may also be present in humans. It is possible to have memory loss due to habitual use of the drug. This was reported by habitual users of the drug. Another reported long term effect of habitual ecstasy use is depression. The high a user feels when taking the drug is caused by a large amount of serotonin to be secreted by the brains neurons. If used frequently, the brain’s serotonin can be drained significantly by the drug, and in turn cause feelings of depression. Another long term side effect that has appeared in users of ecstasy is sleeping problems. With the increase in blood pressure and heart rate the user may find it difficult to relax or sleep. These feelings can last days or weeks after taking the drug and long-term sleep problems of habitual users have been reported .