Treating Ecstasy Addiction

Ecstasy, the street name for MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine) is thought NOT to be a drug that you get habituated to, but this isn’t true thus should not to be taken lightly. In fact, when someone takes ecstasy on a regular basis their body and mind start to become accustomed to it. They will feel that they can’t function properly without ecstasy and if they stop taking it, they will go through withdrawal. Ecstasy withdrawal syndrome can induce serious cases of depression, and anxiety, or even extreme fatigue.

Symptoms of Ecstasy Addiction

The short term effects that users of ecstasy feel is emotional warmth, mental stimulation, increased energy, and enhanced sensory perception. So a person under the influence of ecstasy will feel happy, loose, full of energy, and experience enhanced senses. However, the withdrawal period of ecstasy addiction is not so bright. As MDMA leaves your body, you “crash” from depleted levels of dopamine in your brain.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) clinical criterion for ecstasy addiction includes a few main characteristics:

1. Using more ecstasy than intended.

2. Giving up important activities to use ecstasy.

3. Spending too much time getting or using ecstasy.

4. Persistent desire to cut down or control the use of ecstasy.

5. Continued use of ecstasy despite the knowledge of physical/psychological problems caused by it.

Treating ecstasy addiction should be the uppermost importance to abusers of the drug who are experiencing significant negative impacts on their lives or the lives around them.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that helps address abnormal emotions, dysfunctional behaviors, and cognitive processes through a goal-oriented systematic procedure. The therapy is effective for regulating withdrawal symptoms that can occur as a result of stopping ecstasy use such as anxiety, personality, mood, or psychotic disorders. CBT is offered in both individual and group settings, and is often a manual process with direct, brief, time-constricted treatment for individual psychological disorders.

2. Support groups for ecstasy addiction

If you are attempting to give up ecstasy, peer support groups can be a very helpful source of encouragement, guidance, and assistance. Support groups are helpful in both having a safe place to discuss challenges and get support, and also helping you maintain sobriety. When you connect with peers who have experienced what you have and know what you are going through first hand, it can help to reduce feelings of being lost or hopeless. When you are backed by the encouragement of a support group staying motivated is a lot easier, especially when you can turn to lean on them when getting through rough time periods.

3. Detoxification clinic

Detoxification is a great way to start the process of recovering from ecstasy addiction. Detox clinics help patients reduce the psychological and physical effects of withdrawal from ecstasy use. Medical professionals in detox treatment centers can carefully monitor a patient’s progress, and assist them in overcoming rough times during the initial process of withdrawal. If you consistently abuse ecstasy for a long period of time, the chemicals in ecstasy can have a severe negative effect on how your body and brain functions. Combined with support groups, a detox clinic can greatly help prevent the possibility of relapse or severe mental or physical suffering.

Shafa Home is a residential treatment facility and nasha mukti kendra offering complete treatment for Ecstasy addiction. We encourage you to contact one of our counsellors today if you are concerned about Ecstasy addiction