Ecstasy

1. Ecstasy About ecstasy, what it’s made of, physical effects, what are the side affects and what problems are associated with this drug. By Bill Blogs

2. About Ecstasy: • Ecstasy was originally developed as a dietary aid, and was also used experimentally during counselling because of it’s ability to remove inhibitions. • It comes in tablet form which are often imprinted with a graphic design or logo. Like these: • Ecstasy has many other names including E, Ex, pingers, eccy, MDMA, eggs or even disco biscuits. • Ecstasy is popular among middle-class teenagers and young adults as it is easily accessible and is often sold in bars and ‘raves’.

3. What is it made of: • Ecstasy tablets are made primarily of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly knows as MDMA • Due to the decrease in availability of ingredients it is more likely to be made of methamphetamine (speed) combined with a synthetic hallucinogen.

4. Physical effects • Ecstasy usually produces a euphoric rush and can last up to eight hours. • Users generally feel more alert, energetic and affectionate. • Ecstasy works as it speed up to activity in the central nervous system. • There are generally three phases experiences when using ecstasy: • Coming up: muscle tightening, dilated (big) pupils, nausea or vomiting, strong pulse, confusion, increased temperature and panic. • Levelling out: feeling happy, more awake or alert, relaxed, more confident and increased thirst • Coming down: feeling exhausted, depressed, anxious, paranoid and irritable.

5. Side Effects: • Sides effects of ecstasy vary widely depending on the person. These side effects are long term and short term. • Short term examples include, increased heart rate and blood pressure, overheating, jaw clenching and teeth grinding, tremors, nausea, enlarged pupils and anxiety. • Long term examples are generally harder to overcome than short term, these long term side effects include, cracked teeth due to grinding, high blood pressure, memory loss and attention impairment, lethargy, decreased emotional control, severe depression and even possible nerve cell damage.

6. Problems: • If ecstasy is taken in a hot or humid environment (like a dance party or a rave),it can lead to dehydration and raise the body’s temperature to dangerous levels which can cause vital organs to fail or breakdown. • There is also a risk of toxicity, which is where the body has to much serotonin (the chemical in the brain) which can lead to an overdose. Symptoms of an overdose include: • Agitation • Confusion • Headache • Tachycardia (rapid heart rate of over 100 beats per minute) • Hypertension (high blood pressure) • Hyperpyrexia (abnormally high fever) • Muscle spasms • Coma • Death • After the comedown, users may suffer a “hangover effect” which is where the user suffers from sever depression which may last for days after. • There is also an increased risk of physical and psychological harm after taking ecstasy which include heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, liver problems, hypertension, panic attacks or an increase history of mental health.

7. References: • http://www.drugs.health.gov.au/internet/drugs/publishing.nsf/content/ecstasy3 • http://alcoholism.about.com/od/ecstasy/a/ecstasy.htm • http://alcoholism.about.com/od/ecstasy/ig/ecstasy/