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Teens and Ecstasy
Teens and ecstasy use are a deadly
combination which has been linked to a
substantial number of overdose deaths
across the United States within the past
several years; these occurrences are
likely due to the common misconception
that is held by many adolescents - which
is that using this powerful synthetic
stimulant is safe. Ecstasy (MDMA), can
be taken orally, sublingually, snorted,
or injected; regardless of the method of
administration, teens that use ecstasy are
at a high risk for many dangerous and
potentially deadly side effects. The only
way to help to curtail teen ecstasy use
is to educate parents about the dangers,
symptoms and side effects that are related
to this powerful synthetic stimulant.
Side Effects and Symptoms of Teen
Ecstasy Use
Dry mouth- this side effect
occurs because ecstasy use can leave a
teen extremely dehydrated; it is at this
point that the teenager may begin to
exhibit symptoms such as sunken eyes,
racing heartbeat, extreme thirst and
dangerously low blood pressure.
Jaw-clenching- this side effect
involves the nerve that is located in the
jaw which is referred to as the trigeminal
nerve; jaw clenching is reported to
occur in this particular nerve as a direct
response to the changes in serotonin
levels in the body that occur with ecstasy
use.
Exhibiting
hyperthermia-
when a teen that uses ecstasy says
that are cold when they are not in a
cold environment, it is often because
of the overheating that is caused by
vasoconstriction; this condition causes
surface level blood vessels to begin to
constrict, which decreases the ability of
the body to release excessive heat. Other
symptoms of hyperthermia include
but are not limited to: dizziness and
lightheadedness, blurry vision, and an
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increase in body temperature.
Rapid Heartbeat- this effect
occurs when a teen uses ecstasy because
MDMA has been reported to stimulate
the fight or flight response in the
sympathetic nervous system.
Heightened
emotional
responses that are out of character
in the adolescent- many teens who
use ecstasy have reported experiencing
extreme euphoria and having a sense of
empathy for others which is above what
they would normally exhibit.
Exhibiting hyper-alertness-
many teens who use ecstasy report being
flooded with sudden bursts of energy
that races throughout their body. One
of the physical effects of these sudden
energy bursts is eye twitching, which is
referred to as Nystagmus; additionally,
when a person who is using MDMA
becomes hyper they may also experience
symptoms such as dilated pupils and a
racing pulse.
Profuse sweating- this effect is
the result of ecstasy use raising a teen’s
body temperature; it is at this point that
the MDMA user may begin sweating as
a result of feeling flushed and becoming
extremely overheated.
Crashing- many teens who use
ecstasy will experience a noticeable
“crash” as they are coming down from
the stimulant; symptoms that are related
to crashing may include extreme fatigue,
weak muscles, insomnia, depression,
and nausea. In some teen ecstasy users,
this “crash” period can occur shortly
after MDMA wears off and will cause
the adolescent to feel an overwhelming
sense of fear and to be noticeably weepy.
Hyponatremia
(water
intoxication)- this side effect of teen
ecstasy use occurs as the result of a
person drinking high amounts of water
while sweating profusely, which could
potentially cause swelling as the fluid
begins to enter the individual’s brain
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cells; in some instances, this swelling
can cause cerebral hemorrhaging,
which could result in death. The initial
symptoms of water intoxication may
include, but are not necessarily limited
to: nausea, fatigue, pale skin, impaired
mental response, muscle cramps or
spasms.
Exhibiting a high degree of
agitation- this side effect that is related
to teen ecstasy use is most often related
to a practice that could potentially be
life-threatening; this practice is referred
to as “stacking” or taking multiple doses
of the synthetic stimulant. Stacking has
been reported to cause a great number of
ecstasy users to experience seizures and
strokes, which could be fatal.
Long-Term After Effects of Teen
Ecstasy Use
Depression- is one of the most
significant long term side effects that
is related to teens and ecstasy use, as
has been revealed by scientific research
which was conducted through interviews
with over 3,800 10th graders in Canada;
data that was collected indicated that
the teens in the study who reported
taking ecstasy and various other types of
stimulants were up to 70% more likely
to suffer from depression for up to a year
after they last reported using the drugs.
These research findings were reported to
be consistent with other similar studies
which reported about the negative side
effects that are related to teen ecstasy
use.
Neurotoxicity- these long
term side effects of teen ecstasy use
encompasses the damage that can
occur to the central nervous system
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as a direct result of ingesting MDMA;
these symptoms may be manifested
cognitively as memory loss or impaired
thinking. Although researchers have not
been able to specifically identify what
causes neurotoxicity in a teen ecstasy
users brain, definitive conclusions have
been reached in relation to MDMA and
memory loss; whether the memory loss
is permanent is a subject that is still open
for debate.
Insomnia, paranoia, and
anxiety- these particular side effects of
teen ecstasy use have been reported to
occur long after the adolescent has taken
their last dose of MDMA, along with
headaches, dizziness, confusion and a
host of other negative long term effects
from the drug. Many teenagers who were
former ecstasy users have confirmed that
the above listed symptoms have been
bona fide long term side effects that they
have experienced upon withdrawing
from the synthetic stimulant.
Ecstasy overdose- while an
ecstasy overdose is unlikely to result
in death, it could cause a wide host of
potentially dangerous and unpleasant
symptoms; problems urinating, profuse
sweating and painful muscle cramps are
among the less serious side effects of
an ecstasy overdose. By far, the most
serious symptom of an ecstasy overdose
is that the body could enter into a state
of hyperthermia; it is at this point that
various different organs of the body
could be damaged.
This information was provided by
Columbia Community Mental Health.
