Ecstasy Detox Orange County

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a drug that may cause both physical and psychological problems and can result in dehydration, fatigue, nausea, and chills. Ecstasy may also lead to confusion, depression/anxiety, memory impairment, sleep problems, anorexia, tremors/tinnitus/ataxia [uncontrollable shaking], hyperthermia [above normal temperature], increased blood pressure, or heart rate, and liver toxicity. Ecstasy users may become psychologically dependent on the drug.

Ecstasy detox helps users to come off the drug safely. Detoxing at home alone can be dangerous -- ecstasy withdrawal symptoms include severe anxiety and depression. Detoxification helps ecstasy users abstain from using more of the drug. Ecstasy detoxification may be done in an inpatient facility or as an outpatient with appropriate medical supervision. Detoxification/withdrawal symptoms from Ecstasy generally last between 1-3 weeks, however, some Ecstasy users experience prolonged withdrawal symptoms months after Ecstasy is stopped.

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How Does Ecstasy Work In The Body?

Ecstasy's main chemical is MDMA, which the body processes into a substance called MDA. Ecstasy causes neurons to release three neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Exotic drugs produce various effects as they rush up and down neurons in the brain when introduced into the body. Ecstasy became popular primarily because of its stimulant properties, but uninformed users may risk neurotoxicity and long-term cognitive damage with use. Ecstasy increases the activity of neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Ecstatic drugs produce varying effects as they travel up and down the neurons in the brain when introduced inside the body. Ecstasy is popular because of its stimulant properties, but people may risk neurotoxicity and long-term cognitive damage with use. Ecstasy was once thought to deplete the brain's supply of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood, but this is currently believed to be false. Ecstasy or Molly can come in pill form and are often sold at bars, concerts, raves, or other dance parties as a party drug-taking advantage of its stimulatory effects like MDMA.

The Effects Of Ecstasy On The Body And Brain

MDMA is a psychoactive drug with stimulant and hallucinogenic effects that are similar to those of the drug MDA. Ecstasy typically contains a number of other substances, including amphetamines and in rare cases methamphetamine, which can cause additional side effects. Ecstasy isn't physically addicting like alcohol or cocaine but can produce psychological dependence; in addition to this effect, Ecstasy may also lead to depression and anxiety. Ecstasy is a stimulant, which causes heart rate and blood pressure to increase while simultaneously constricting blood vessels in the brain and increasing body temperature.

Ecstasy use may also cause damage to serotonin neurons, and Ecstasy is believed to be neurotoxic at high doses. Ecstasy use has been found to impair the body's natural abilities to regulate temperature for up to a week after Ecstasy use, increasing the risk of severe or fatal reactions to high environmental temperatures. Ecstasy causes hyperactivity by stimulating neurotransmitters in the brain that are involved with mood regulation (including serotonin), causing increased heart rate, reddening of the face and neck, and blurred vision. Ecstasy also reduces inhibitions, allowing users to engage in risky behavior such as unprotected sex; this combination increases the chance of sexual assault and unwanted pregnancies.  In 2003, 40% of Ecstasy users reported experiencing adverse effects from the drug. These effects included muscle tension and stiffness, nausea, blurred vision, and chills or sweating. Some of these side effects were reported to have lasted up to a week after taking the drug.

Ecstasy has been known to cause addiction and toxicity in some cases as well as death by dehydration due to increased thirst, fever, and hot surroundings which causes the body temperature to rise dramatically leading to profuse sweating.

Why Is Ecstasy Detoxification Necessary? 

There are many reasons why detox from ecstasy is necessary. First, the risks for that person's health are not worth it. Second, the person is addicted to the drug and needs to get free of their addiction. Third, there is a high possibility that the person will continue to use it even after they think they are "clean".

The health risks include liver and kidney failure, heart failure, muscle breakdown, seizures, Parkinson's disease-like symptoms, brain damage, and death.

The psychological effects are depression, anxiety, flashbacks (both good and bad), psychosis, or a mix of mania and depression called "suicide Tuesday", loss of memory which can last from months to years at a time, hearing voices in the head (auditory hallucinations), insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping too much or not enough). Psychosis is when a person becomes delusional thinking that someone else may be controlling them with electromagnetic waves. They may become paranoid believing everyone around them is trying to hurt them in some way while having visual hallucinations such as people who aren't actually there. Sometimes the person will experience minor psychosis without a full-blown psychotic break.

Ecstasy has been linked to Parkinson's disease. Some people who have taken large amounts of ecstasy over time have developed Parkinson 's-like symptoms with tremors, problems swallowing, and slow movement. It is believed that MDMA depletes serotonin levels in the brain and causes increased dopamine production which eventually leads to neuron degeneration in some areas of the brain when a person stops taking ecstasy.

Can I Detox Safely?

This is a difficult question to answer and depends on the extent of usage and how toxic the person's exposure to ecstasy has been. The first step in detoxing from ecstasy is reducing the dosage of ecstasy gradually until it has been stopped completely. If the person used ecstasy for a long period of time, it might be necessary to taper usage. This will decrease the risk of having withdrawal symptoms.

It may also be necessary to get medical help during this process so that medical professionals can monitor any problems with drug abuse as well as make sure that emergency treatment is available if necessary.

Treatment for ecstasy users may include psychotherapy, counseling, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. It has been shown that many people who use ecstasy benefit from professional help to teach them how to live without drugs.

If a person is dependent on ecstasy, some withdrawal symptoms can last for several months after completely stopping usage of the drug. Some of these symptoms include depression, anxiety, chills, fatigue, lack of motivation, and anhedonia which is the inability to experience pleasure in activities usually found enjoyable. This may cause a relapse back into drug use as it makes life seem less enjoyable when one cannot experience normal levels of enjoyment from activities they would normally enjoy such as relaxing or going on vacation with loved ones. Cravings are also something that most ecstasy users experience.

Cravings are another difficult symptom to get rid of when withdrawing and can cause a relapse back into ecstasy use. Cravings will subside over time but it is important for the person who experienced them to work with a counselor or therapist because they may have problems going without the drug, especially if they were dependent on the drug as it was having an increasing effect on their psyche and daily life.

In conclusion, detoxing from ecstasy is done gradually and under close observation in order to ensure that there are no side effects or reactions caused by withdrawing from this very toxic substance. The process will vary according to how long a person has been using ecstasy and how much of the drug they have taken in total during their lifetime. In most cases, it is best to seek the help of professionals as withdrawal from ecstasy can be very difficult and there is a risk of becoming psychologically addicted to the drug even after usage has stopped.

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