© 2024 StoneRidge Centers – Prescott Valley. All Rights Reserved.
MDMA, also known as “Ecstasy” and “Molly,” is a popular party drug that produces euphoric feelings and increases energy levels. The drug’s effects, which can be unpredictable, range from heightened sensations, emotional warmth, self-confidence, and an overall sense of wellbeing to an increased heart rate, high blood pressure, hot flashes, muscle and joint stiffness, disorganized thinking, and a sense of detachment. But MDMA doesn’t just affect the body. The drug also changes the way the brain functions. In addition to increasing serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels, MDMA can change the structure of the brain and cause long-term cognitive damage.
MDMA is a synthetic drug that combines the effects of amphetamine, a stimulant, and mescaline, a hallucinogen. The drug, which was created by German chemist Anton Kollöisch in 1912, was originally developed as a potential cure for internal bleeding and as a synthetic form of adrenaline. But since then, MDMA has become categorized as a Schedule I substance, meaning it has no acceptable medical use and has a high potential for abuse.
MDMA generally takes the form of a tablet or capsule, but the drug can also be a liquid or white powder. Ecstasy, the pill form of MDMA, generally comes in small, colored tablets that have a brand logo or cartoon character imprinted on them. Regardless of the form MDMA takes, the drug has a bitter taste.
As MDMA, which is also known as “Molly,” “E,” “X,” “XTC,” and “Adam,” stimulates the mind, the drug interferes with the brain’s delicate chemical balances, distorting the senses and causing a wide range of adverse and hallucinogenic effects.
MDMA’s effects begin about 30 to 45 minutes after the drug is consumed. At first, the amphetamine in MDMA stimulates the mind. This makes users temporarily feel euphoric, energetic, and confident. Other temporary peak effects of MDMA include:
These effects generally last anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, but when the high ends, the adverse effects begin, which can include:
The longer individuals use MDMA, the more the drug continues to affect the body. Individuals who continue to use MDMA can actually experience some of the following long-term effects:
As MDMA continues to interfere with serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels, the drug starts to negatively affect the brain.
Like most drugs, MDMA affects the brain by increasing the activity of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Even though this reaction initially produces euphoric feelings, this interference actually changes the brain’s chemical balance. As the brain starts to identify MDMA as a primary source of these chemicals, it stops producing serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine on its own. This causes neurotransmitter deficiencies, which is one of the first ways MDMA affects the brain.
As complex as the brain is, it relies on patterns and habitual behavior to function. When individuals continually use MDMA, the brain expects the drug to produce serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine on a regular basis. When individuals use MDMA, the drug floods the brain with these essential chemicals. When individuals don’t have MDMA in their system, the levels of these brain chemicals drop significantly.
In addition to regulating mood and behavior, serotonin affects sleep, digestion, blood clotting, bone health, and sexual function. Low levels of serotonin can cause:
Low levels of dopamine, the “feel good” chemical that also helps regulate body movements, motivation, learning, memory, concentration, and mood, can lead to:
Norepinephrine helps provide energy to the body and enhances focus. When the brain doesn’t have enough norepinephrine, the following symptoms can occur:
Most people probably don’t think about the health of their brain when they think about self-control, but certain regions of the brain determine how well individuals control their impulses. MDMA can weaken these brain regions. Research shows that MDMA users have higher levels of neuronal activation in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that manages cognitive functioning and impulse control. This means that their brains have to work harder than non-MDMA users to complete tasks of equal difficulty. This also means that the brain has to work harder to control impulses.
MDMA weakens fibers in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for creating and storing memories. According to one particular study, MDMA users who took 10 or more ecstasy pills in a year experienced memory problems. The study also revealed that consuming small recreational amounts of MDMA during a short period of time can also cause memory impairments and short-term memory loss.
Brain scans of MDMA users repeatedly show decreased activity in parts of the brain that help individuals learn, memorize, and process emotions and information. Even though scientists don’t fully understand how MDMA affects parts of the brain including the parietal and medial temporal cortices, the amygdala, cingulate, and hippocampus, they do know that impaired functionality in these areas can change how individuals perceive emotional situations. This means that using MDMA can lead to long-term or permanent anxiety, depression, and in some cases, paranoia.
The brain is a complex organ that helps to determine the quality of an individual’s life. Using MDMA can negatively affect the brain in a number of ways. Here’s the good news: the brain can rewire itself. Treatment programs like ours can help reverse some, if not all, of the negative brain changes that MDMA causes.
Contact us today if you or someone you know has been negatively affected by MDMA. Our brain-focused treatment programs can help individuals recover and live a thriving, purposeful life.
Because mental health and addiction concerns are so often interconnected, we utilize research-based approaches with evidence-based outcomes that promote overall healing and recovery.
This low-impact magnetic stimulation activates neurons inside the brain, relieving symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.
Using brain scanning and readings, we create a map of our patients’ brains, helping us develop more targeted and effective treatments.
This process assists patients in visualizing their own brain functionality through continuous EEG readings.
We use carefully monitored doses of Spravato to help patients struggling with complex mental health disorders, including severe depression.
Patients use this practice to help reframe intrusive or negative thought patterns and develop coping techniques for long-term recovery.
This practice helps patients learn to regulate emotions, communicate more effectively, and process their own thoughts and feelings..
Licensed and trained therapists guide patients through this technique for managing stress and anxiety on an ongoing basis.
Patients experience one-on-one therapy sessions with a licensed therapist to provide a safe and private place to recover and heal.
Patients can practice the skills and techniques they have learned in treatment with others in a safe, therapist-guided space.
5940 E. Copper Hill Dr. Ste B & E, Prescott Valley, AZ. 86314
928-583-7799
We exercise progressive, leading brain science in our treatment approach for patients in our community and across the country who are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges.
We exercise progressive, leading brain science in our treatment approach for patients in the Prescott Valley community and across the country who are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges.
© 2024 StoneRidge Centers – Prescott Valley. All Rights Reserved.