What Is Ecstasy And How Does It Affect You

More commonly known as ecstasy, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (or MDMA) is one of the most popular and dangerous hallucinogenic drugs available to American teens and adults today. Ecstasy’s stimulant and delusory attributes make it a curious experience which, for some, can be fatal.

Despite its popularity, many are still left asking—what exactly is ecstasy? And How does it affect its users?

Ecstasy: Facts And Myths

Like most street drugs, ecstasy is surrounded with falsehoods and myths which attempt justify its use. It is extremely important that youth and adults understand the truth about what ecstasy is and how it can affect you, over long and short term consumption.

“Ecstasy isn’t addictive.”

While every individual reacts differently to consumable substances, it would be a lie to say that ecstasy isn’t habit-forming. Ecstasy addiction is a very real issue which people enter treatment for on a regular basis. Even just one hit of the drug can produce a pull strong enough to drive a dependency.

As with cocaine, heroin, marijuana and prescription pills, continued use of a substance develops a bodily “tolerance.” Ecstasy is not an exception to this. After continued use of the drug, intense physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms set in which push users to continue to take ecstasy.

“If you take a little, it isn’t dangerous.”

Most people who take ecstasy do so without any concern for existing or potential health risks. In truth, even just one hit of ecstasy can produce brain damage, blood clotting, anxiety, convulsions, nausea/vomiting, kidney failure and heart attacks.

Those with any of the following conditions are considered at high risk of danger upon consuming ecstasy:

-diabetes

-heart disease

-liver issues

-epilepsy

The Highs And The Lows

Ecstasy didn’t get its name for no reason at all—the high is, for some, a short but intense, pleasure-filled peak. Users generally describe the positives of the high as an increase in confidence, energy and happiness. Ecstasy is also called the “love drug” for its tendency to make consumers feel extraordinarily affectionate towards one another.

The lows of this drug outweigh, by far, the highs.

The high from this “love drug” has a peak, plateau and a steep decline into a number of dark and uncomfortable come-down symptoms, including:

-depression

-exhaustion

-irritableness

-anxiety

As was mentioned above, all chemicals and drugs affect people differently. Hence, one individual may enjoy the short-lived high from a hit of ecstasy before crashing hard into the “come-down.” This is solved by taking another hit, and the cycle of addiction is not hard to discern.

Others may experience intense discomforts, physical harm or even death. Thus, it is extremely important that you take the time to educate yourself and those around you of the truth about ecstasy and the laundry list of its dangerous effects.

Additional effects of ecstasy that have been reported are headaches, jaw clenching, seizures, hypothermia, blurred vision and distorted perception/delusions. If a high enough dosage of ecstasy is taken, the user’s body temperature can rise sharply. This may result in cardiovascular system shut-off or failure of important bodily organs like the liver, kidneys, etc.

How Is Ecstasy Taken

Ecstasy is generally manufactured in a pill form which is then swallowed. These pills come in a number of shapes and sizes and are even referred to as “designer drugs.” They can be crushed and snorted, mixed into a drink or injected, and some users insert a pill into their rectum for fast absorption. This risky form of consumption is called “shelving.” dangerous

Ecstasy is illegal in all parts of the United States, and is also called by the following names:

-“E”

-XTC

-the love drug

-eccy

The drugs are often in pill-form shapes like hearts, triangles etc. and are brightly colored. If you see the drug or know someone who is using it make sure and get them immediate help.

The Importance of Drug Education

Drug Education And The Importance Of It

You have probably heard it said before, prevention is the best form of treatment. Of course, drug prevention is best executed at multiple angles:

1. Awareness
2. Family-based tactics
3. Education

 At the rate we are currently seeing, drug rehabilitation centers across the country will struggle to keep up with the influx of addicted individuals unless effective preventative measures are implemented in communities everywhere.

Raising Awareness Through Community Activity

Many communities, schools, hospitals and rehab facilities sponsor city-wide anti-drug activities like 5K walk/races, auctions or sports tournaments. Doing so gets increasingly wider networks of individuals to get involved in local efforts against drug and alcohol abuse.

Support these activities by joining in, telling your family/friends about them or volunteering to help run or manage the event. Even a simple Facebook “share” can go a long way. Lend a hand, and the fruits of your efforts will manifest in the form of a brighter community.

Prevention Starts In The Home

There are some parents under the misconception that drug education and prevention is a function of the community or the responsibility of the child’s school.

The most real and effective preventative efforts actually originate from within a child’s own home, from his or her parents. Our children and teens look to their parents for guidance and follow their example, even if it doesn’t seem like it all the time.

A few simple tips for a healthy child/parent relationship:

1.  By simply expressing an anti-drug opinion, your child learns what the “family position” is on drugs.
2.  Set boundaries and rules, founded by why those rules are in place. (Do not restrict your children from doing things without giving a logical explanation for it.)
3. Create a safe, open forum for questions and communication on these subjects.

 Stay involved in your child’s daily life, his/her friends and favorite activities or hobbies. By helping youth to achieve their goals, they will be much more able to stay focused. An accomplished, happy individual with reason to stay drug free is much more likely to do so than someone who has no future plans or objectives.

Educational Programs Nationwide

Drug education and its importance in schools cannot be overstated, but not all programs are equal in value and effectiveness.

As a parent or even just a member of your community, your voice matters. Speak out in support of drug education programs which offer the following:

• Factual information about drugs (not scare tactics or “war stories”)
• Engaging media or other tools interesting to youth
• Surveys and exercises which tie the information into students’ real life
• Real solutions to beating “peer pressure”
• Goal and future life orientation

 Conversely, programs which only offer “safe ways to use drugs” or scare tactics have less usability and actually act negatively in a teen or young adult’s decision to use drugs. Often, these worst-case scenario-style educational programs make one think, “That would never happen to me.”

Rather, stick to programs that give the truth about drugs and alcohol—plain and simple: potential dangers, mental and physical health effects, risks of addiction, etc.

There are plenty opportunities to try drugs and alcohol for youth today. At ages as young as 11 and 12, we see youngsters trying these substances for the first time. With proper early education, it is hoped that these individuals will be better able to make the right decision and stay drug free.

Additionally, look for programs which stay current with substance abuse trends. Today’s hot addiction topics are not the same as they were 10 or even 5 years ago. The arrival of synthetic and prescription drug abuse has necessitated a change in educational material.

The Rise Of Drug Use In The United States

Currently, across the United States, there is an estimated 22.5 million people that are dependent on alcohol and/or drugs. Painkillers seem to be what is driving the big increase in the rise of drug problems; however some illicit drugs are also to blame. 

The most prescribed medications in the hospitals and doctors’ offices are buprenorphine and methadone, which are used to treat people addicted to opioids. These are both powerful synthetic drugs which in turn people get addicted to as well.  In addition to this, prescription painkillers top the list of the most abused substances.

But according to new findings and research, there has also been a high rise in the number of drug and alcohol problems combined.  In fact, there was a 70 percent increase of drug and alcohol problems that were diagnosed by doctors between the years 2001 and 2009.  

There were two national surveys that were done recently on the number of doctor visits that involved alcohol or drug abuse or addiction.  In this survey it showed that there was an increase from 10.6 million between 2001 to 2003 to 18 million between 2007 and 2009.   

Over the same time period, the number of visits including diagnosis of opioid painkiller abuse, there was an increase from 772,000 to 4.4 million.  Unfortunately this is an ever-growing trend.  An estimated 14,800 Americans died from opioid overdose in 2008.  That is 3 times amount of overdose deaths that we had in America 20 years prior.  

Specifically, the number of medicines prescribed to treat drug or alcohol problems during doctors' visits increased by about as much as the number of visits related to opioid abuse.

Those medicines were prescribed to 643,000 people between 2001 and 2003. Between 2007 and 2009, that number grew to 3.9 million people.

Why Do People Use Drugs 

There are a number of reasons that people do drugs that contribute daily to the rise of drug abuse in the United States.  And unfortunately these days, drugs are easy to come by.  Painkillers are one of the gateway to many other harder drugs. Some of the reasons that people take drugs:  

-To escape from their problems, their life, reality, etc. To them it is a fast “solution”.   

-Young kids do it to try to “fit in”, to be “cool”, or to “experiment”.  

-Others do it because they want to change something about their life.  

-Then there are the physical injuries.  They take painkillers to relieve their pain, but then become addicted and cannot stop taking the painkillers even when there is no pain present.  The painkillers give them a false “high” in life.  

-They think drugs are the solution, but really the drugs become the problem.  

Abuse of prescription drugs has become more and more of a problem.  They have become more severe than street drugs.  There would be painkillers, sleeping pills, antidepressants, etc.  People think that these are “safe” drugs as they were prescribed and approved by a doctor; but in truth, these drugs as just as addictive as street drugs such as cocaine and heroin.  The prescriptions affect the body the same way as cocaine and heroin.   These lead to addiction and when one tries to withdrawal, it is very painful for them. 

Painkillers are used as a solution for physical pain, but unfortunately most painkillers are addicting and then the dwindling spiral starts with the addiction to the much harder and addicting drugs. 

Fortunately there are solutions out there to handle addiction.  There are groups to help people recognize that they have a drug problem and that they need help.  There are also drug rehabilitation centers that offer programs that get people off drugs successfully without using more drugs.   

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/23/substance-abuse-diagnoses-

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Fact or Fiction: Can Over The Counter Drugs Be Bad For You

We live in a world where many of our discomforts, obstacles and daily hassles are easily removed at the press of a button or by a mere pill. Is it possible that these conveniences could be harming us, physically or mentally?

Over the counter (OTC) drugs including cough syrups and diet pills each contain ingredients that, at high levels, can be toxic and even fatal. Yet, their value is considered by many to be far in excess of their dangers.

What are the facts behind this debate? Read on to explore further and decide for yourself whether it’s fact or fiction that over the counter drugs are bad for you.

The Evolution Of The American Substance Abuse Problem

With each passing decade, we have seen tremendous changes in drug and alcohol abuse trends. New substances emerge on the scene, putting others on the “backburner” of popularity. Today, it seems, nearly every month we see consumer alerts and frantic media reports about the most non-traditional substances being called “addictive” and “dangerous.”

Chemical dependency cases used to largely surround well-known drugs like heroin, cocaine, marijuana and meth. Modern government now calls prescription drug abuse the fastest-growing addiction problem in our country. Further, we see stories emerging of youth abusing pills stolen off their parents or, worse, the most basic household items you would never think of.

Just a few of today’s youth drug threats include:

Synthetic Drugs (Bath Salts and Synthetic Marijuana)

Nutmeg

Hand Sanitizer

Air Conditioning Freon Gas

“Whippits”

Glue

In addition to this, a staggering rise in the popularity of OTC drug abuse has manifested in teens and young adults. Diet pills and cough syrup have developed as youth drug threats among those who will go to nearly any length to get high.

Adverse Effects Of OTC Cough Syrups And Diet Pills

The problem of prescription drug abuse has nearly overtaken the field of chemical dependency and treatment. Powerful pills, packed with mind-altering substances, are underestimated in their addictive qualities. Over the counter drugs are not generally as potent as prescription pills like Vicodin or Xanax, but they are more affordable and obtained without a doctor’s note.

Dextromethorphan (or DXM) is a very commonly abuse OTC drug found in a wide variety of cold and flu medicines as well as cough syrups. If taken excessively, the drug can cause hallucinations, dizzy spells, loss of coordination, nausea and generally distorted visual/mental perception. In extreme cases (when taken excessively and mixed with other drugs/alcohol), DXM is potentially fatal.

Stimulant drugs are found in diet pills, and these substances affect the central nervous system of the user. By making the heart beat faster, one’s metabolism usually improves, causing weight loss. These kinds of drugs, taken excessively, can cause rapid and unhealthy weight loss, interruption of normal sleep patterns, urinary tract infections, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, visual impairment and a discontinuation of a normal menstrual cycle.

Abuse of diet pills is especially risky for individuals with preexistent heart conditions or blood pressure issues. Even the stimulant diet pills that are marketed as “natural” could, if taken excessively enough, cause any of the above adverse reactions or eventually a heart attack.

Education Is The Most Powerful Anti-Drug

Prescription and over the counter drugs both are surrounded by misconceptions and false ideas. OTC medicines are purchasable at your local pharmacy, with no doctor permission or supervision required before purchase. Thus, they are thought to be safe and “good for you” no matter what the case.

You’ve often heard the saying, “everything in moderation.” This is no exception.

Take the time to educate yourself and your family members on the OTC drugs you buy, before consuming them. Understand all the drug facts, risks and adverse effects that are possible, as well as potential reactions to other drugs or alcohol. By proper education and moderate “by-the-box” use of OTC products, you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe.