How Does Ecstasy Affect The Body?

By Author: Emman Sioco
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Ecstasy (MDMA) is a synthetic drug that has psychoactive properties. The chemical make-up of ecstasy is similar to methamphetamine and mescaline. This illegal drug is ingested in a capsule or tablet form. Ecstasy is sometimes used in combination with other drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and various other substances. So how does ecstasy effect the body?

Ecstasy affects the specific neurons in the brain that use serotonin to communicate with other neurons. It can also have an effect on norepinephrine, which is the neurotransmitter that can produce an increase in heart rate or blood pressure.

How Does Ecstasy Effect the Body After Ingestion?

When an individual takes this drug, he can experience feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth. The user will feel as if he has unlimited amounts of energy, and he will have no concept of time. Perception and tactile experiences can be muted.

However, in addition to the high feeling, ecstasy can also produce depression, sleep problems, confusion, cravings for more drugs and extreme anxiety. These symptoms can happen right after taking ecstasy or sometimes days ...
... or weeks after using.

Research that has been conducted in animals shows ecstasy can be damaging to the brain. One study consisted of giving ecstasy to primates for only four days. After this short-term use, there was damage detected to the serotonin nerve terminals. This damage was still there seven years later. So the possibility of brain damage from ecstasy use is certainly there.

So how does ecstasy effect the body besides interfering with brain function? This drug can be very dangerous because it acts on the body the same way a stimulant would. It can cause a significant increase in blood pressure and heart rate. It can also produce nausea, blurred vision, sweating and chills. If ecstasy is taken in high doses, it can cause the body temperature to rise significantly. A high body temperature can damage the liver, kidneys, heart and even cause death.

Ecstasy can even interfere with the body's ability to metabolize this drug. This means that a significant amount of this drug can build up in the body after just a few doses over a short period of time. These drugs often contain a combination of other substances such as ephedrine, ketamine, cocaine and caffeine. The combination of other drugs, especially when used with alcohol could put the user at great risk for death. Ecstasy can become additive and the more it is used the more dangerous it can become.

Learn more about the effects of ecstasy and read addiction recovery interviews.