Ecstasy35that felt after taking cocaine or methamphetamine. Otherpsychological effects of Ecstasy include increased excitement,laughter, relaxation, and talkativeness, and decreased feelingsof anxiety, alienation, and aggression.Because Ecstasy can produce mild hallucinations, it isoften referred to as a psychedelic drug having effects similarto those of LSD. Unlike other psychedelic drugs, however,Ecstasy does not produce vivid perceptual and visual distortions,like walls and ceilings turning into liquid. Rather, theperception of colors, sound, music, and touch appears to beintensified by Ecstasy. In addition, the perception of time maybe slowed or otherwise altered.Despite the pleasurable effects Ecstasy produces in manyindividuals, some people report negative psychological effectswhile on the drug, including feelings of confusion, depression,anxiety, paranoia, and depersonalization. These problems canalso occur when the person “comes down” from the high andthe drug begins to wear off. Insomnia and irritability oftenoccur as well.In spite of the pleasurable effects that it brings about,Ecstasy is nevertheless a very dangerous drug. Ecstasy canproduce sharp increases in body temperature (called malignanthyperthermia), which can lead to excess sweating, dehydration,and heat exhaustion, especially when the drug is taken atdances and clubs where room temperatures are abnormallyhigh. Malignant hyperthermia is the most common cause ofdeath associated with Ecstasy use. Another common cause ofEcstasy-related death is hyponatremia. Hyponatremia occurswhen a person drinks too much fluid (in an attempt to avoiddehydration), which results in kidney failure, swelling ofthe brain, and coma. Ecstasy also increases heart rate andblood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack,stroke, or brain hemorrhage. Other common physical sideeffects of Ecstasy include dilated pupils, jaw clenching andgrinding of the teeth (which is why many users chew on
36DESIGNER DRUGSpacifiers), muscle tension, headaches, nausea and vomiting,tremors, anxiety, shortness of breath, faintness, chills, andblurred vision.HOW ECSTASY WORKS IN(AND DESTROYS) THE BRAINEcstasy produces its effects by causing massive amounts ofserotonin and dopamine to be released from neurons in thebrain. In addition, Ecstasy inhibits the ability of neuronsto reabsorb these neurotransmitters after they are secreted.This has the overall effect of dramatically increasing thestimulation of serotonin receptors on nearby neurons.Ecstasy affects numerous brain regions, as described inTable 3.1:Table 3.1 Ecstasy’s Effect on the BrainEFFECTEuphoria, pleasure, empathyHyperthermia, decreasedappetiteHallucinations, heightenedperceptionsJaw clenchingBRAIN REGION(S)Limbic system, frontalcortexHypothalamusFrontal cortex, visualcortex, sensory cortexBrainstemEcstasy also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system(nerves located outside the brain and spinal cord), causingincreases in heart rate and blood pressure.It is becoming increasingly evident that repeated use ofEcstasy actually damages the brain. Scientists believe thatEcstasy interferes with cellular and metabolic processes,
- Page 2 and 3: DRUGSThe Straight FactsDesignerDrug
- Page 4 and 5: DRUGSThe Straight FactsDesignerDrug
- Page 6 and 7: Table of ContentsThe Use and Abuse
- Page 8 and 9: the connection between our demand f
- Page 10 and 11: The term designer drugs was origina
- Page 12 and 13: Designer Drugs and the Brain11may l
- Page 14 and 15: Designer Drugs and the Brain13Figur
- Page 16 and 17: Designer Drugs and the Brain15Other
- Page 18 and 19: Designer Drugs and the Brain17Figur
- Page 20 and 21: a much stronger “rush” than was
- Page 22 and 23: Methamphetamine21Figure 2.2 Methamp
- Page 24 and 25: Methamphetamine23known to hijack sh
- Page 26 and 27: Methamphetamine25or hemorrhage. Chr
- Page 28 and 29: Methamphetamine27Figure 2.4 Althoug
- Page 30 and 31: Methamphetamine29decline in their a
- Page 32 and 33: Figure 3.1 The chemical structure o
- Page 34 and 35: Ecstasy33Figure 3.2 Ecstasy tablets
- Page 38 and 39: Ecstasy37specifically in serotonin-
- Page 40 and 41: Ecstasy39parties, and raves, and it
- Page 42 and 43: Ecstasy41RAVESEcstasy and other des
- Page 44 and 45: and underground laboratories began
- Page 46 and 47: GHB45a coma-like state for which pa
- Page 48 and 49: GHB47assault to the police. In addi
- Page 50 and 51: GHB49a consequence, enforcement of
- Page 52 and 53: GHB51STATISTICS AND PATTERNS OF GHB
- Page 54 and 55: GHB53Figure 4.2 The number of emerg
- Page 56 and 57: and European countries. Rohypnol is
- Page 58 and 59: Rohypnol57Figure 5.2 The chemical s
- Page 60 and 61: Rohypnol59Rohypnol can also act dir
- Page 62 and 63: Rohypnol61Both of these are false
- Page 64 and 65: list, signifying that further restr
- Page 66 and 67: Ketamine65Figure 6.2 The chemical s
- Page 68 and 69: Ketamine67HOW KETAMINE WORKS IN THE
- Page 70 and 71: Ketamine69Figure 6.3 Although the n
- Page 72 and 73: Ketamine71the drug. As with other d
- Page 74 and 75: Figure 7.1 The opium poppy, shown h
- Page 76 and 77: Painkiller Analogues75In 1979-1980,
- Page 78 and 79: Painkiller Analogues77Figure 7.3 Th
- Page 80 and 81: Painkiller Analogues79Figure 7.4 Th
- Page 82 and 83: Painkiller Analogues81the brain tha
- Page 84 and 85: Bibliography and Further ReadingCha
- Page 86 and 87:
Dillon, P. Copel, and J.K. Jansen.
- Page 88 and 89:
www.projectghb.orgInformation about
- Page 90 and 91:
Talk With Your KidsInformation on t
- Page 92 and 93:
Date rape drugsEcstasy, 37GHB, 43,
- Page 94 and 95:
legal status of,18-19looks of, 19-2
- Page 96 and 97:
Picture Creditspage:13: Lambda Scie
Change language