The effects of ecstasy on health are very detrimental and dangerous. Even so, there are still quite a lot of people who are curious and want to try ecstasy to feel a certain sensation.
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or better known as ecstasy is a type of drug whose use is prohibited by law. Usually, Ecstasy comes in the form of colored tablets with cartoons or capsules.
The effects of ecstasy that can be felt immediately are changes in mood to be very happy and energetic. That is why this drug is so easy to become addicted. However, this effect is only superficial. When the euphoria ends, ecstasy can cause a variety of dangerous side effects.
Various Effects of Ecstasy for Health
From the first use until someone becomes addicted to ecstasy, this illegal drug can have side effects on physical and mental health, both in the short and long term.
Short term ecstasy effect
The effects of ecstasy can usually be felt 20 minutes after taking this drug, such as hallucinations, confusion, and feeling anxious. Ecstasy users can also feel the effects on their bodies, such as blurred vision, nausea, chills, headaches, increased heart rate, and stiffness in joints and muscles.
Within a few hours after taking ecstasy, users will find it more difficult to concentrate and have difficulty observing movement. Therefore, people who are under the influence of these drugs have a greater potential for accidents while driving.
If the dose used is high (overdose), ecstasy can cause:
- High blood pressure
- Loss of consciousness
- Panic attack
- Seizures
- Hyperthermia
The effects caused by an overdose of ecstasy can be very dangerous for the body, even causing acute kidney failure and even death.
Subacute ecstasy effects
Ecstasy use usually has a characteristic pattern, namely periods of continuous ecstasy use, followed by periods of no ecstasy use at all, then repeated. Long-term use of ecstasy can cause heart damage and arrhythmias.
In addition, during periods when the user does not take ecstasy at all, he may experience:
- Depression
- Impaired memory and concentration
- Worry
- Easily offended
Long term ecstasy effect
In long-term use, the effects of ecstasy on health can cause:
- Sleep disturbance
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Impulsive behavior
- Decreased intelligence
- Difficult to control emotions
- Impaired memory and concentration
- Personality changes
Some of these side effects may not only be caused by ecstasy, but also result from combining ecstasy with other drugs, such as cocaine, alcohol, or marijuana.
Drug withdrawal effect
When a person has been on ecstasy for a long time, he will need increasingly higher doses to achieve the desired feeling of happiness. If that dose cannot be reached, for example if a person stops taking ecstasy, he or she will experience withdrawal or withdrawal effects.
Symptoms of withdrawal that can be felt include anxiety, confusion, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, to severe depression. This discomfort can make people want to continue using ecstasy until they eventually overdose.
If ecstasy users are not aware that they are pregnant and continue to take ecstasy, this can be very dangerous for the fetus. The effects of ecstasy on pregnancy and the fetus include birth defects, premature birth, or miscarriage.
Given the many effects of ecstasy on health, you should never try ecstasy. If you are already using ecstasy, immediately consult a doctor to undergo drug rehabilitation.