The dose may have been too high, or the pills may have been adulterated with caffeine or other amphetamine-like substances. Are you a scientist who specializes in neuroscience, cognitive science, or psychology? And have you read a recent peer-reviewed paper that you would like to write about? Please send suggestions to Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook.
Gareth, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, is the series editor of Best American Infographics and can be reached at garethideas AT gmail. Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue.
See Subscription Options. Discover World-Changing Science. Get smart. Sign up for our email newsletter. Sign Up. Support science journalism. Knowledge awaits. See Subscription Options Already a subscriber? Create Account See Subscription Options. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. This is because alcohol is a depressant and MDMA is a heavy stimulant. Molly and ecstasy are some of the most highly demanded drugs now a days, but are also some of the most dangerous as well.
I think that you could have maybe gone a little bit deeper as to why MDMA is so popular and why it is gaining momentum. Overall, the topic that you wrote about is one that is very relative to our generation and I felt like you did an excellent job with your blog.
Heey Spencer, Thanks for commenting on my blog post. I definitely see what your saying in me picking a certain time period and thank you for noticing it.
Time definitely affects the kinds of drugs and the type of music. Edm is definitely gaining momentum in todays culture.
I will in the next blog go into why MDMA is so popular. Also in my blog I put in a hyperlink that goes into a little detail about why edm is becoming so popular. This was a good first post! Maybe next time you can take advantage of the blogging platform a little more and give your readers a bit more of your personality. Aside from that, your post was interesting and informative.
I found an article that might interest you about MDMA. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
RSS Feed. If you don't stop and look around once in the while you might miss it". Sample Page. And you thought Molly was a bad thing…….. Nina says:.
March 13, at am. Gianna says:. March 19, at am. Colleen Kilburn says:. March 13, at pm. Sofia says:. BZP benzylpiperazine is now also being used as a "legal form" of ecstasy. Drug Class: Ecstasy acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen.
Common Side Effects: Some of the more common side effects of ecstasy include nausea, blurred vision, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and involuntary teeth clenching. Ecstasy usually comes in a small, colored tablet that may have a brand logo or cartoon character stamped on it. It can also come in a capsule, liquid, or powder form. It usually has a bitter taste. MDMA works by boosting the activity of three brain chemicals called neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
These chemicals play a part in a variety of functions such as mood, energy level, appetite, trust, sexual activity, emotions, and sleep. People who use ecstasy report feelings of euphoria, warmth, openness, and clarity as well as heightened sensations of touch, sound, and smell. Some people report feeling energetic and uninhibited. The effects typically begin within 30 minutes of taking the drug and last for three to six hours. Those that did contain the drug were frequently mixed with other substances, most often bath salts aka " fake cocaine ".
In nearly a quarter of the samples tested, researchers were not even able to determine what substances the pills contained. The researchers suggested that offering on-site pill-testing stations at concerts and other social events where ecstasy is commonly consumed might reduce risks to people who use MDMA.
The fact that most ecstasy pills contain unknown substances is dangerous because people taking the drug don't know for sure what they are ingesting or how their bodies will react. Another danger is that potential interactions can occur between the ingredients as well as any other substances people use with MDMA such as alcohol, medications, or other drugs.
The drug is often taken at social events such as raves and concerts due to its energizing effects. The problem is that it is impossible to know if these effects are due to the drug itself or the presence of other stimulants that ecstasy is often mixed with. MDMA was originally developed in as a pharmaceutical compound to help synthesize medications to control bleeding. During the s and s, for example, a small number of psychiatrists started giving MDMA to their patients as a way to facilitate psychotherapy.
Although MDMA was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration FDA , these doctors believed that it lowered their patients' inhibitions, causing them to talk more openly and honestly. While MDMA is still on the list of Schedule I drugs, studies are being conducted to see if it's effective in treating anxiety in people with a terminal illness, as well as those with post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD.
Ecstasy can produce the positive effects that people seek in as little as 15 minutes, but it can also cause a variety of negative effects. MDMA isn't a harmless drug—there are serious risks involved with taking it, including hyperthermia, cardiovascular effects, impaired mental capabilities, risky behavior, and overdose. MDMA is often used during high-energy activities, such as dancing at clubs or music festivals. However, it limits your body's ability to regulate your temperature, so when you engage in vigorous activity for long periods of time, you're at a higher risk of developing hyperthermia, a condition in which your body temperature becomes too high.
Thankfully, hyperthermia is rare, but it needs to be treated immediately because it can quickly lead to muscle breakdown, which can then result in kidney failure and heart disturbances. Cardiovascular Effects. If you use it regularly, taking MDMA can cause your heart to stop working efficiently, an especially dangerous effect if you're also engaging in strenuous activity.
Impaired Mental Ability. In the hours after you've taken ecstasy, there are significant impairments in your mental abilities such as processing information, memory, concentration, and your capacity to judge motion. Risky Behavior. Your risk of engaging in unsafe drug use, such as injecting yourself with a dirty needle, is also higher. Some of the common signs that someone might be using ecstasy include:. Ecstasy use can also lead to an accidental overdose. Using other drugs or alcohol with MDMA increases this risk.
You should contact emergency services immediately if you suspect someone has overdosed or is having a negative reaction to ecstasy. While some consider ecstasy a safe "party" drug, it can lead to a variety of short- and long-term effects. Mood issues such as anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and sadness can last up to a week after using MDMA. People also sometimes have memory and concentration problems and experience a lack of pleasure from sex.
Similarly, impulsive behavior, aggression, sleep issues, loss of appetite, and heart disease have been observed in people who regularly use MDMA. It's not clear if all of these effects are strictly from MDMA use. Some of them may be related to other drugs that people often use along with MDMA.
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