It’s part of a wider group of chemicals called phenethylamines, known for their hallucinogenic and stimulant effects. The drugs methamphetamine and cathinone (bath salts) are also part of this group. MDMA is classed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and is illegal in the United States.
MDMA stimulates the release of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, from brain neurons producing a high that lasts from 3 to 6 hours, but the length of a high is variable based on the user. The drug’s rewarding effects vary with the individual taking it, the dose taken, purity of the MDMA, and the environment in which it is taken. It is usually recommended to wait for one to three months between each use to give the brain adequate time to restore serotonin levels and avoid toxicity. Additionally, using excessively high doses and multiple redosing is highly discouraged as this is thought to significantly increase the toxicity of MDMA.
Getting involved in the future of medical MDMA
However, because MDMA affects brain chemicals, some researchers think it could have lasting effects on areas, such as cognition and mood. It’s important to note that recreational use is often much more frequent and higher in dose than therapeutic use. When used in a therapeutic setting, MDMA may enhance many aspects of talk therapy. Repeated studies show that MDMA can make it easier for someone to approach therapy with vulnerability and an open mind.
Read more of Leafly’s guide to psychedelics
However, some researchers are studying ways that MDMA might be useful as a treatment for certain mental health conditions. Users may take several tablets at once or in succession over a period of time. Abusers may also use in conjunction with other psychoactive drugs like LSD. As with many other “party drugs”, ecstasy is rarely used alone and it is frequently combined with alcohol and marijuana.
Visual effects
In addition to firing up these fundamental neurotransmitters in the brain, MDMA also lowers activity in the amygdala, the region of the brain that kicks off fear and propels the “fight or flight” mechanism. These effects help to reduce conditioned fear and stress responses, which is why MDMA represents a powerful potential treatment for PTSD and anxiety disorders. In the days following an MDMA experience, the brain can become depleted of this neurotransmitter, leading to feelings of low energy and mild depression, known as a comedown. Long-term MDMA use has been linked to a form of neurotoxicity that alters and impairs serotonin function in the brain.
This is thought to owe itself to the lower dopamine release R-MDMA displays relative to SR-MDMA. This result suggests that R-MDMA may be a safer and more viable therapeutic than racemic MDMA.55 However, more research is needed to validate this finding. In most countries, the drug is a controlled substance and its possession and sale are illegal. Taking an adulterated drug can lead to unexpected and unwelcome side effects and may increase its potential health risks. Over the past decade, illegally made opioids like fentanyl have been increasingly found in the drug supply, and have contributed to a dramatic rise in drug overdose deaths in the United States.
Penalties include a maximum of seven years and/or unlimited fine for possession; life and/or unlimited fine for production or trafficking. Evidence suggests MDMA is well-suited to treat a wide range of other disorders too, such as depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, suicidality, substance use disorders, and eating disorders. Compared to LSD, MDMA also increases plasma concentrations of oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone,” as it promotes social bonding, trust, empathy, and sexual attraction. Thanks to oxytocin, many people describe feeling “loved up” while under the influence of MDMA. MDMA is a psychedelic compound that is structurally similar to amphetamine, a stimulant that accelerates activity in certain regions of the brain, and mescaline, a hallucinogen. MDMA was first synthesized by Merck, a German pharmaceutical company, back in 1912 as a medicine to control bleeding.
MDMA is often called molly or ecstasy and is frequently taken in pill or capsule form. Some people who use MDMA do report symptoms of addiction, including continued use despite negative consequences, tolerance, withdrawal, and craving, according to the NIH. Research in animals indicates that MDMA is neurotoxic and may affect the brain.
Recreational
MDMA has been shown to cause sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction and delayed orgasm (see subjective effects). MDMA (an abbreviation of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also called “Molly” or “Ecstasy,” is a lab-made (synthetic) drug that has effects similar to stimulants like methamphetamine. It is typically sold illicitly as colorful tablets with imprinted logos, capsules, powder, or liquid. Some researchers and organizations consider MDMA to be a psychedelic drug because it can also mildly alter visual and time perception.
MDMA is more likely to lead to a serious emergency, like an overdose, if it’s been cut with another drug. If someone is overdosing, it’s important to get them medical attention right away. mdma wiki See this article and this article about clinical research into medical uses for MDMA. Dr Bronner’s has generously donated, though millions more in funding is needed. MDMA was first synthesized by a German company in 1912, possibly to be used as an appetite suppressant. It has been available as a street drug since the 1980s, and use escalated in the 1990s among college students and young adults.
Therapeutic uses of MDMA
It can be administered orally, sublingually, buccally or via insufflation (“snorting” or “sniffing”). It is highly advised to use harm reduction practices if using this substance. MDMA is legally controlled in most of the world under the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances and other international agreements, although exceptions exist for research and limited medical use.
Transpersonal effects
Research into the use of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for other conditions is making rapid progress, with clinical trials published on the use of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for end-of-life anxiety and social anxiety in autistic adults. However, MDMA also boasts other properties that attract people to experiment with it. Consumers report increased energy levels, improved mood, sharper mental clarity, and reduced anxiety. Many of these qualities have been identified as therapeutically significant too, with clinicians researching how to harness these properties to treat a range of mental health disorders. Regulation could reduce the risk of fake MDMA.6 MDMA appears to be safer than most other illegal drugs, though all drugs can be harmful under specific circumstances.7 MDMA is safer if you follow harm reduction guidelines.
Research suggests MDMA is potentially addictive, although more research is needed. MDMA also lifts the levels of other vital hormones in the brain, including oxytocin, which influences feelings of trust, empathy, and sexual desire. Collectively, these effects may account for the experience of increased trust and lowered defensiveness that many MDMA consumers report. MDMA increases the release of serotonin and can inhibit its reuptake, leading to increased levels of the neurotransmitter in the brain during the MDMA high. In simple terms, once serotonin has been released and creates a biological effect, it is usually inactivated through a reuptake mechanism.
Side effects
Therapy is typically directed by a substance use clinic or health care provider and involve supportive care and behavioral and group therapy. Almost 60% of people who use Ecstasy report some withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed feelings, and trouble concentrating. Also, there is evidence that people who develop a rash that looks like acne after using this drug may be at risk of severe side effects, including liver damage, if they continue to use the drug. MDMA exerts its primary effects in the brain on neurons that use the chemicals serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine to communicate with other neurons. MDMA (3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with a chemical structure similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. However, to be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, a person must meet specific diagnostic criteria for continued substance use despite negative consequences.
This results in users having to administer increasingly larger doses to achieve the same effects. In the United Kingdom, MDMA was made illegal in 1977 by a modification order to the existing Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Although MDMA was not named explicitly in this legislation, the order extended the definition of Class A drugs to include various ring-substituted phenethylamines.291292 The drug is therefore illegal to sell, buy, or possess without a licence in the UK.
- Fentanyl can make drugs it’s mixed with, including MDMA, more dangerous.
- Many of these qualities have been identified as therapeutically significant too, with clinicians researching how to harness these properties to treat a range of mental health disorders.
- MDMA, or 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine, is a synthetic molecule of the substituted amphetamine class.
- MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-Methylamphetamine) is an popular drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class known for its empathogenic, euphoric, and stimulant effects, and has also been used in psychotherapy.
The stimulant effects of the drug, which enable the user to dance for extended periods, combined with the hot, crowded conditions usually found at raves can lead to dehydration, hyperthermia (dangerous increase in body temperature), and heart or kidney failure. Users may encounter problems similar to those experienced by amphetamine and cocaine users, including addiction. Research has shown that animals will self-administer MDMA, an indicator of a drug’s abuse potential.
Although the compound is currently classified as a Schedule I narcotic in the US, this designation looks set to change. In 2017, MAPS won breakthrough approval from the FDA for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This temporary flooding of the brain with serotonin leads the consumer to experience the mood-elevating, stimulating, walking-on-clouds effects of the drug. While serotonin is a neurotransmitter, it’s also known as “the happy hormone” as it plays a central role in regulating well-being.
The final product delivers a euphoric high that usually kicks in within 45 minutes and lasts 3-6 hours. In rare cases MDMA can cause seizures, overheating, hypothermia, dehydration or water poisoning. It is important to keep an eye on body temperature and hydration while under the effects of MDMA. Additionally, some researchers have suggested that MDMA might be useful as a treatment for some mental conditions, such as PTSD and disordered eating.