Animal studies indicate that Ecstasy can reduce levels of serotonin, a brain chemical which helps control moods, impulses and a range of other behaviours. But George Ricaurte of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore doubts this holds the key to the mood swings. “The serotonin depletion persists, whereas the mood problem improves,” he says.
But MDMA offers people an opportunity to really drop their mask and connect with others, resulting in rare and memorable experiences. The drug is even being explored for its therapeutic potential within psychotherapy. If you intend to try MDMA ecstasy hangover soon, there are numerous steps you can take to minimise the effects of the impending hangover. This drawn-out comedown, or hangover, is a result of the chemically taxing mechanisms of MDMA.
What Does An MDMA Hangover Feel Like?
Only take it on rare occasions when you think it could really benefit you (and your buddies). Due to the illegal nature of MDMA, it is hard and almost impossible to locate a supply that is completely pure. There are many con artists and unreliable suppliers out there, meaning every time you buy MDMA, you really have no idea what else is inside that product. Take time to find a reliable and trustworthy person to obtain MDMA from. Who knows what your product could be cut with, and how much worse that could leave you feeling afterwards. Advice is constantly given to rave-goers to monitor their hydration.
Afterwards, subjects were told to write down as many as they could remember. Several days after a night out clubbing, regular Ecstasy users typically recalled about 30 per cent fewer words than those who said they had never taken the drug. Parrott says that this is “obviously worrying given the widespread use of MDMA among the young”. Curran addressed that issue by setting up makeshift psychology lab in a London club, helped by research student and part-time DJ Ross Travill. On successive Saturday nights, the researchers recruited a dozen clubbers who claimed they had taken Ecstasy that evening and a dozen who said they had only drunk alcohol.
- It can involve recurrent memories, nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety attacks, or a sense of impending doom.
- An MDMA hangover is bad enough, so don’t bring about the effects of an alcohol hangover too.
- Although MDMA has a harsh comedown, many users argue that the experience is worth it.
- Contact our helpline and speak with an addiction specialist today to find a drug rehab center near you.
- Molly takes effect in about 30 minutes and lasts three to six hours in a person’s system.
Long-Term Abuse Damages the Brain
It increases heart rate and blood pressure — which could interfere with heart medications designed to regulate blood pressure or heart rhythms. You should never take MDMA if you’re using heart medications of any kind or have underlying heart disease (including valve disorders). The duration of effects depends on what other ingredients may be included in the powder or tablets you’re using. It’s exceedingly rare to find ecstasy tablets that contain pure MDMA these days.
Always test your MDMA yourself before you use it to make sure it actually contains MDMA. Both magic mushrooms and MDMA produce changes in visual and auditory perception, promote introspection and a sense of connectedness, and last between 4 and 6 hours. MDMA is technically classified as a psychedelic because it targets many of the same receptors used by conventional psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and DMT. Classical psychedelics focus on the 5-HT2C receptor, which is the main mechanism of action involved in producing visual and auditory hallucinations. The results of this study have been extremely positive — prompting much larger studies. It’s sometimes used by couples to experience a deeper level of closeness and sexual intimacy.
Begin Your Path to Recovery
Lower doses are used interchangeably with MDMA at concerts, clubs, and music festivals. It’s stimulating and promotes a sense of clarity, energy, and connection in a similar way to MDMA. The effects between these two substances are similar in that they have many of the same qualities — but they’re distinctly different from each other. MDMA produces much more of the “lovey” feelings, while MDA is slightly more psychoactive and stimulating.
How to minimise an MDMA hangover in the future
MDMA, also known by a host of other names such as ecstasy, XTC, and molly, can offer the user a mind-blowing experience of openness and whole body pleasure. Many who have taken the drug report feelings of full-blown euphoria, connection with others, and total bliss. Not quite hallucinogenic, MDMA has been termed as an “empathogenic” due to the immense socialising effects. Participating in mutual-help groups can be a beneficial adjunct to cognitive-behavioral treatment, as you receive support from others who are also involved in the recovery process. MDMA causes its much-desired effects through a surge in the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
Physical Symptoms
Well, the common explanation is that it has to do with the way that MDMA affects your brain. MDMA causes its desired effects by creating an increase in the levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Many people will drink alcohol or take other drugs in addition to MDMA during their night out.
For those with mild addiction, outpatient treatment offers ongoing treatment through behavioral therapy, motivational therapies, and holistic therapies. Taking steps to support brain chemistry can help ease the unpleasant symptoms of an ecstasy comedown. As this article has made apparent, MDMA is taxing on the body and brain. When taking it, only take as much as you need to reach the state you want. And don’t take it all the time—MDMA really isn’t something to be taken lightly.
Keeping your brain occupied during an MDMA hangover will really help to stop you from dwelling on feelings of depression, anxiety, and unease. Going for a hike with friends is an excellent choice, especially along trails. The trail will keep your mind active, and the fresh air and sites are excellent for mental health.
Paired with the drug’s effects on cognition, many MDMA users overexert themselves (dancing for hours on end) and forget to eat food, drink water, or regulate body temperature. This can lead users to experience severe side effects like dehydration or hyperthermia — both of which can have severe consequences. This is one of the main drivers for the development of the expanded access program that allows patients and practitioners access to MDMA for the treatment of PTSD and related mental health disorders.
How Does MDMA Work?
Individuals who follow a binge pattern of MDMA use are at higher risk of developing a substance use disorder. The physical symptoms and emotional symptoms of an ecstasy crash vary in intensity. One major flaw is that none of the three teams could be absolutely certain what drugs their subjects had taken, as they did not perform urine tests. Nicholas Saunders, an independent researcher based in London who has written a book about Ecstasy, argues that many of the observed memory problems could be due to cannabis use. One test involved counting backwards in sevens from a three-figure number, a standard way of probing “working memory” and ability to concentrate.
Tryptophan is another precursor to serotonin, and also helps to form the sleep hormone melatonin. Combining multiple stimulants could increase the chances of side effects like rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, anxiety, or increase chances of heart attack or stroke. One of the key mechanisms of MDMA is an increase in both serotonin and dopamine activity in the brain. It’s also common to find ecstasy tablets that contain methamphetamines or MDA instead — which are closely related to MDMA but have different effects. Dance Safe reported that only half the substances users thought were MDMA actually contained detectable levels of this compound after testing. Similar findings from seizures tested by the DEA reported that only 9% of samples actually contained this substance.
A recent meta-analysis reviewed 18 studies on the use of benzodiazepines for PTSD (including over 5200 patients) found no evidence to suggest these medications are effective for treating PTSD 3. In fact, there was even evidence to suggest it might make symptoms worse. A pilot study funded by MAPS explored the effects of MDMA-assisted therapy with 20 PTSD sufferers 2. All patients taking part in this trial failed to respond to other therapies. Patients with PTSD often experience insomnia, anxiety, addiction, depression, irritability, or self-destructive behaviors alongside the condition. Most of the clinics currently awaiting approval for the expanded access program aim to use the MDMA for the treatment of patients diagnosed with PTSD.