Ecstasy Withdrawal and Detox

Ecstasy Info

• Ecstasy Addiction and Abuse
• Ecstasy Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Ecstasy Treatment and Rehab
• Ecstasy Withdrawal and Detox

Ecstasy is a psychoactive drug, popular for its psychedelic and euphoric effects. Also called 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, MDMA or Molly, it was once used as only a ‘rave’ or party drug, but is now being abused by more people because many deem it to be ‘safe’.

Ecstasy can be harmful and it’s possible for you to become physiologically dependent upon it, like with most drugs. That means you are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms after you stop using it and during the detoxification process.

Ecstasy Withdrawal: What You Should Know

Withdrawal happens because your brain has become dependent on the drug to function. When you stop taking the drug, your brain must relearn how to function optimally without it. As you go through withdrawal, you are likely to experience the opposite of what you felt when you were ‘high’. This could be anxiety and depression, as well as an intense craving for ecstasy.

By the time you realise you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms in between uses, it’s likely you have already developed an addiction to the drug. To be free of your ecstasy addiction, you’ll need to let the drug leave your system during the process of detoxification. Your withdrawal symptoms will be extremely uncomfortable during detox, but once you are clear of the drug you will be able to continue treatment for your addiction thereafter.

Try not to be too worried about the withdrawal symptoms you are likely to experience as you recover. Thankfully, ecstasy is not considered to be as addictive as some drugs like cocaine, so, all being equal the recovery is normally easier to handle.

What Are Ecstasy Withdrawal Symptoms?

Research has shown that ecstasy increases the activity of certain important chemicals in the brain, including Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Dopamine. When you become dependent on the drug, imbalances in these chemicals affect the complexity and diversity of ecstasy withdrawal symptoms. Among the symptoms you may experience are paranoia, memory problems, concentration, sleep disruptions, depression, cravings, and agitation.

A common ecstasy withdrawal symptom is agitation, which may be so severe that you’ll feel like you have no choice but to take ecstasy to alleviate it. Cravings in particular can be the most disturbing symptom, because their intensity can easily drive you to take the synthetic stimulant – even after being clean for a while.

Some of the symptoms that tend to persist – even after you’ve stopped taking the drug for a long time – include memory and concentration problems. Symptoms such as sleep deprivation can also turn out to be dangerous. Severe disruptions in normal sleeping patterns can result in chronic health issues like obesity, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart and kidney disease, if left untreated.

Why Does Someone Go Through Withdrawal After Quitting Ecstasy?

You’ll have to face withdrawal symptoms until your brain returns to its normal state of chemical balance. By the time you recognise the damage that ecstasy is causing, both physically and psychologically, your body would have become used to functioning with the substance. The longer you have used the drug, the more intense withdrawal is likely to be.

Duration of the Withdrawal Period

Not everyone will experience withdrawal within the same timeframe. However, withdrawal symptoms generally last about a week and peak within a few days of cessation of ecstasy use. More severe psychological symptoms – such as cravings and depression – often persist longer; anytime from a few weeks to many months.

Withdrawal: The After-effects

Chronic use of ecstasy causes disruption in the regular production and transmission of serotonin, possibly leading to life-threatening serotonin syndrome. It’s even worse if the drug is combined with an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), which is one of the most well-known forms of antidepressant medication. Should your brain’s serotonin production be extensively damaged, it can take a significant amount of time to reverse, greatly extending the withdrawal period.

Long-term abuse of ecstasy can result in serious cognitive problems, including overall mental dysfunction and difficulties with emotional intelligence, logical reasoning, problem-solving, and executive processing. If you use the drug regularly, you may be unable to regulate your emotions. You may also find it difficult to feel any pleasure without using ecstasy. Unfortunately, withdrawal may result in severeafter-effects,such as suicidal thoughts and actions.

What Is the Cause ofthe Withdrawal Symptoms?

When ecstasy reaches the brain, it stimulates the release of massive amounts of serotonin, which affects the body’s appetitive, motor, cognitive, autonomic and emotional functions. While the rush of pleasure you feel can last as long as six hours, your brain only has so much serotonin and once it is depleted, you’ll experience the unpleasant effects that manifest as withdrawal symptoms.

If you use ecstasy for an extended period of time, your body will become accustomed to functioning with higher levels of neurotransmitters. So, if you reduce your regular dose of ecstasy or suddenly stop taking the drug, your body will try to readjust to the sudden change, resulting in withdrawal symptoms.

How Long It Takes Before Withdrawal Starts

You can expect to experience the most severe withdrawal symptoms within the first 72 hours of your last ecstasy dose. While you won’t have to deal with the physical symptoms for too long, the psychological symptoms will be around for longer, before they are resolved. If you have been using ecstasy long-term, you may have to deal with protracted and acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) such as muscle tension, memory loss, insomnia and anxiety.

• First three to six hours : After three to six hours, the ecstasy molecules in the brain will become inactive, suddenly depriving your body of the desirable effects of the drug. Your body then signals its craving by uncontrolled, sudden sensations or behaviour. This is called the ‘come-down’ phase. This can feel like the most challenging part of the entire process because of the sudden change from high to low.

At this stage, the symptoms are more psychological. You’ll most likely feel depressed due to the chemical imbalance of serotonin. The sudden change from pleasure to pain can cause panic attacks and you may experience out-of-body perceptions like the feelings of floating around your body. You are also likely to feel confused, finding it difficult to tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

Other symptoms you may experience at this stage include craving and paranoia. It’s best to detox at an inpatient clinic, because the initial stages of the withdrawal period can be unpredictable and frightening. In an inpatient facility, you’ll have all the professional help you need.

• Three-day mark : It may not take as long, but by day three, the MDMA should have left your system. During this period, you’ll most likely continue to feel depressed, paranoid and suffer insomnia. There’s also a strong chance you’ll have to deal with anxiety as well. You could lose your appetite, have trouble concentrating, feel exhausted, get irritable and suffer mood swings.

During this period, your body will be relearning how to properly function without ecstasy. It needs draw all the energy it can to do this, which will resultin fatigue and physical weakness.

• 10-day mark : After the first few days and up to day 10, your body will continue trying to return to the way it used to work before you started taking ecstasy. You can expect the previous symptoms to peak and in addition, you may experience hallucinations or muscle rigidity. While these rarely happen, you don’t have to worry too much if you do experience them. They are only temporary and will pass. Once you get past this challenging phase, the symptoms will gradually ease off.

• After 11 to 90 days : Depending on your individual situation, you may experience withdrawal anywhere from approximately 11 to 90 days. Whatever the case, the severity of the symptoms will ease off over time and eventually vanish. The cravings will most likely remain, but other symptoms like memory problems, concentration problems and insomnia, will fade.

Ecstasy Cravings Timeline

It is possible to start having cravings merely hours after using ecstasy. Conversely, it may also take days or weeks before they surface. However, your body may crave the drug after its initial effects have diminished as a way to avoid the crash that follows.

Treating Ecstasy withdrawal symptoms

If you’ve been using ecstasy for a very long time, coping with withdrawal can turn out to be more than you can handle if you don’t have medical supervision. It’s possible to get through the withdrawal period without the help of professionals, but you might not be able to deal with the compulsion to use the drug.

There are a few options for treating ecstasy withdrawal symptoms if you are a long-term user of the drug. One of those is detoxification in a controlled, ecstasy-free environment, where you’ll have access to quick medical care. There is also therapeutic care, but that comes after successfully detoxing and when the drug is completely out of your system.

Therapeutic care would be necessary if you are a chronic ecstasy user. Trained counsellors will hold sessions with you in order to unearth the factors that have contributed to your psychological dependence on the drug. This is a necessary step to ensure you have completely overcome substance dependence.

Support groups can also be a great help, especially when you are past the initial stages of withdrawal, but are still not in the clear. You’ll have the social support you need and it’s a bonus if your family is supportive too. They can help make sure you live in an ecstasy-free environment.

When most of the initial symptoms are gone, you will likely be left with cravings. Try to talk through cravings with friends and family and avoid situations or places that may trigger your urges. Also, it helps to practise mindfulness and try to distract yourself by engaging in activities that you enjoy. Other solutions include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), sauna therapy, art therapy, music therapy and motivational-based treatments, amongst others.

Treatment for Ecstasy: Where to Start

Considering that cessation of ecstasy use will result in undesirable symptoms, treatment is necessary to help improve your mental health and avoid drug substitution, while maintaining abstinence. Typically, you’ll need to take your time to find an addiction treatment centre that treats ecstasy addiction.

An inpatient or outpatient facility might be best for you, depending on your unique situation. Inpatient treatment will be preferred if your addiction is severe or if you’re dealing with any accompanying mental disorder. With inpatient treatment, you’ll have medical supervision throughout the detoxification phase and your symptoms will be closely monitored and managed for maximum comfort.

While inpatient treatment will require that you live in the inpatient facility for the duration of detoxification or beyond, outpatient treatment allows you to live at home as you recover. Outpatient treatment incorporates many of the features of inpatient treatment, but is a cheaper alternative. However, it’s not the best if you are likely to relapse, especially if your environment will make it easy to do so.

Which treatments work for Ecstasy addiction?

Medication management is one treatment option that can work for ecstasy addiction,as the drug may result in disruption of the chemical, serotonin. What many medications do is to allow more serotonin to be present in the brain. The group of medicationsused to achieve these results are called SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) and SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).

To date, the only medications available are those that can be used to manage symptoms and make you more comfortable throughout the withdrawal process. Both inpatient and outpatient treatment can work, as long as you go with the option that’s most suitable for you.

Another treatment that works is therapy, largely because it focuses on rooting out the reasons why the drug is being abused in the first place. Therapy also tries to ensure the root causes of addiction are addressed in healthier ways. Therapy actually complements medical management, because medical management alone cannot target the factors that led to ecstasy use.

Core treatment for ecstasy addiction typically falls to cognitive behavioural interventions. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a popular option. Its purpose is to guide you to learn to identify and correct whatever behaviours might lead to your ecstasy abuse. CBT will likely turn out to be a great help in ensuring you maintain sobriety.

Some of the techniques you’ll explore with your therapist include avoiding high-risk situations, developing strategies to cope with your cravings, identifying situations capable of putting you at risk of ecstasy use, self-monitoring to pinpoint cravings early, and exploring the consequences of persisting in MDMA use.

Which treatments work for Ecstasy addiction?

Medication management is one treatment option that can work for ecstasy addiction,as the drug may result in disruption of the chemical, serotonin. What many medications do is to allow more serotonin to be present in the brain. The group of medications used to achieve these results are called SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) and SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).

To date, the only medications available are those that can be used to manage symptoms and make you more comfortable throughout the withdrawal process. Both inpatient and outpatient treatment can work, as long as you go with the option that’s most suitable for you.

Another treatment that works is therapy, largely because it focuses on rooting out the reasons why the drug is being abused in the first place. Therapy also tries to ensure the root causes of addiction are addressed in healthier ways. Therapy actually complements medical management, because medical management alone cannot target the factors that led to ecstasy use.

Core treatment for ecstasy addiction typically falls to cognitive behavioural interventions. In particular, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a popular option. Its purpose is to guide you to learn to identify and correct whatever behaviours might lead to your ecstasy abuse. CBT will likely turn out to be a great help in ensuring you maintain sobriety.

Some of the techniques you’ll explore with your therapist include avoiding high-risk situations, developing strategies to cope with your cravings, identifying situations capable of putting you at risk of ecstasy use, self-monitoring to pinpoint cravings early, and exploring the consequences of persisting in MDMA use.

Where Will I Have My Treatment?

You might have your treatment in an inpatient or residential facility. Alternatively, you can opt for outpatient treatment, where you’ll even be able to receive treatment from home. While you’ll have to live in an inpatient facility for the duration of your treatment, you’ll be able to commute from home to your treatment sessions if you choose the outpatient option.

Both types of treatment work, although your own unique circumstances, needs, and preferences will determine which is the best option for you. Some factors that will determine which will be the best for you include the presence of other conditions requiring treatment, the degree to which you are dependent on the drug, and your living conditions or environment.

Generally, inpatient treatment is regarded as the best option for severe ecstasy addiction, especially in cases where there is an additional mental health issue. That is because inpatient facilities provide close medical supervision throughout the period of detoxification. Outpatient treatment is favoured in some cases, because it is not as expensive and also allows the continual fulfilment of any home or work obligations.

Does Treatment for Ecstasy addiction work?

Treatment programmes for ecstasy addiction are helpful, because they are aimed at managing withdrawal symptoms and reducing the risk of relapse – both during and after detoxing. Without proper treatment systems in place, it could be impossible for many to successfully quit the drug and prevent it from severely damaging their bodies and minds.

Medications are used to suppress the symptoms and therapy has proven to be successful in helping patients maintain sobriety after detoxing from ecstasy. Treatment centres provide a safe place to properly detox and encourage you to cultivate healthier habits. The focus is not only on curbing abuse of the drug, but also on identifying the triggers that initially resulted in ecstasy abuse.

Group therapy and behavioural modification techniques also work, as they help maximise comfort throughout withdrawal and equip you with skills to help maintain sobriety after treatment. Luckily, it is rare to develop a physical dependence on ecstasy, but treatment can be extremely useful in stopping chronic use of the drug.

Information on Ecstasy Detox and Treatment

People are becoming increasingly aware that ecstasy is not merely a recreational drug, but one that can result in symptoms of psychological dependence. This potential for developing psychological dependence on 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA – the main ingredient in ecstasy) and the possible health risks that come with prolonged use of the drug, has made detox and treatment necessary.

If you’re a heavy user of ecstasy, the recommendation is to go for detoxification and treatment under the supervision of medical personnel. On the other hand, if you’ve not used ecstasy that often, but want to stop for good, you should be able to detox at home, as long as you are disciplined. Do your best to stay hydrated and you should be fine.

If you proceed to detox in an inpatient facility or have a doctor to help, you may be prescribed medications such as 2-3 mg/kg Dantrolene sodium. The purpose of this medication is to lessen temperature fluctuations and rigidity, as well as to relax the body. Treatment is not strictly medical, as psychological counselling is used both alongside and after detox. Counselling often makes all the difference between successful drug rehabilitation and relapse.

Medically Assisted Ecstasy Detox

Medically assisted ecstasy detox involves physicians and other medical personnel closely monitoring you throughout the detoxification phase. Many outpatient and inpatient treatment centres offer this method. As you detox, your doctor will prescribe medications to make the withdrawal more bearable and take care of some of the psychological symptoms of withdrawal.

Medically assisted detox is also important in cases where ecstasy abuse was driven by serious issues such as mental or psychological disorders. If this is the case for you, medications will be given to help with those underlying conditions as you are taken off ecstasy. Also, cravings and relapse can be minimised through therapy and round-the-clock supportive care.

The withdrawal symptoms of ecstasy are often unpredictable, as it is a substance often cut with other drugs. In a medical detox situation, you’ll have the professional help you need if your symptoms become too severe. You’ll have a stable environment where you’ll be able to get the required level of physical and psychological stability, before continuing with treatment. It really is the safest way for you to begin your journey to sobriety.

We must point out that there are currently no specific medications approved to treat ecstasy withdrawal. The focus in medically assisted detox is on helping you to manage specific symptoms using different pharmacological tools. For instance, antidepressants can be used to suppress some of the psychological responses to withdrawal, while sleep aids can be used to combat insomnia.

If you also suffer from weight loss or malnutrition (as is often the case when MDMA has been abused over a prolonged period), you will be given regular, healthyand balanced meals, specifically to address your nutritional deficits. You will also be given increased fluids during detox if you suffer from dehydration. All these go beyond your physical wellness, as they help strengthen you mentally, thus fortifying you to avoid relapse.

Ecstasy detox: What to Expect

The process of detoxing from ecstasy comes replete with uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. The nature and complexity of the symptoms you experience will depend on a number of factors, including how long you have been abusing MDMA, the dosage you have been using, how often you take the drug, whether or not you cut it with other drugs, and the nature of accompanying conditions or substance-related disorders, if any.

Since physical dependence on ecstasy is not common, the symptoms you’ll experience will mostly be psychological in nature. Some of the most common are depression, anxiety and mood swings. Once you get past the first five to ten days of drug withdrawal – when the symptoms are expected to peak – you can expect them to recede, as your body gradually returns to its normal state of functioning.

If you are admitted to an inpatient treatment facility, you’ll have medical and mental healthcare available to you all day, every day. Typically, a medical detox programme will last between five and seven days, after which you will progress into a comprehensive addiction treatment programme.

How to detox from Ecstasy at home

You might be wondering if it is possible to successfully detox from home, especially since you won’t have professional medical supervision. Detoxing from home is certainly possible, but you’ll need to be disciplined and it helps if you have a very supportive environment. It’s the route to take if you’ve not been using ecstasy for too long and want to get off the drug before you do any more damage.

Detoxing at home will work for you if have no prior history of extreme detox symptoms and if you have not been diagnosed with any underlying mental health conditions. Essentially, as long as you are in good health and highly motivated to go through with detoxification, you should be able to manage detoxing at home.

If you are going to successfully detox from MDMA at home, ensure you remain hydrated and take more fluids than you normally do. You’ll also need to monitor your body temperature to catch fluctuations. You may approach your doctor to prescribe medications to help deal with temperature fluctuations. It’s always best to let a medical professional know that you intend to detox from MDMA at home, so they may provide medical direction.

In the event that you experience any difficulties or any serious symptoms that you cannot deal with, seek medical assistance immediately.

How long Does Ecstasy Detox Take?

As you go through the detoxification process, your body will rid itself of toxins, particularly from the central nervous system. While it only takes about 30 to 48 hours for ecstasy to be detected in your urine, the toxins won’t leave your body for two to four days.

If you detox in an inpatient facility, you may have to spend up to three to five days in the detox clinic. How long you actually stay there will depend on various factors, including your psychological state and how severe your symptoms turn out to be during the process of detoxification. You may also have to stay longer if you’re waiting to get on to a treatment programme.

Expect that you will likely need a longer time for detox if you’re a chronic or long-term user of ecstasy. Also, you are likely to experience more intense withdrawal symptoms, largely because of the dosage amounts you’ve been using, the duration and frequency of use, as well as the level of use. Nonetheless, don’t worry too much, because recovery is certain once you make up your mind. You are strong enough to do it.

Detox, Treatment, and Beyond

The first phase of getting treated for ecstasy addiction is detoxification. This step is crucial, because it’s the only way to get the toxins out of your system and truly pave the way for full recovery. Your body needs to be able to function optimally without the high levels of serotonin induced by MDMA, and can only relearn to do so when you rid your body of the toxins and avoid relapsing when the cravings come.

This is where a full treatment programme proves its worth. While detox will only get the toxins out of your body, you need a proper treatment programme to help you manage the cravings and keep you from relapsing. In an inpatient facility, you may be given medications to help with the cravings and other drug withdrawal symptoms. Also crucial is the therapy and counselling you’ll receive, specifically to ensure you can handle the cravings yourself and avoid relapse.

Before you leave rehab, medical personnel and counsellors will work with you to establish an aftercare treatment plan tailored to your needs. Typically, this will include individual or group therapy, family sessions with an addiction treatment counsellor, twelve-step programmes like Narcotics Anonymous, and peer-to-peer support groups.

After spending some time in an inpatient rehab facility, the biggest challenge you face on returning home is the risk of relapse. Often, the same temptations and triggers will still be present and those may include friends who use ecstasy, your weekend or evening social scene, or stress from school or work. Having the necessary support is crucial in cases where there are triggers to deal with.

To maintain long-term sobriety, your family can play a very important role by helping you to stay disciplined. For instance, they should be willing to talk and listen when you need to discuss your cravings. Simply talking about it can actually help suppress cravings. They may also help by enforcing a curfew or whatever else works for you.

Even years later, depression can still be a problem, but with supportive friends, family and community – combined with therapy – you’ll be able to overcome it and learn how to transition to a healthy, functional life.

Ultimately, the most important factor in your recovery journey is you. Once you’re ready to quit your ecstasy problem and are committed to seeing it through, you will make it to the end of the tunnel.

Ecstasy Detox Treatment Components

The ecstasy detox process essentially involves a period of ridding your system of toxins. One component of detox treatment is the medical management of your withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the nature and severity of your symptoms, you may be given medication to help suppress them. For instance, antidepressants may be prescribed to deal with anxiety and depression.

Another aspect is the management of any conditions resulting from excessive ecstasy use. For example, if you have suffered weight loss or malnutrition, you will likely be placed on a nutritional plan to ensure you get the nourishment you need. Also, if you have suffered dehydrations, intake of fluids will likely become a crucial part of your detox treatment.

There is also therapy and counselling that usually runs alongside detoxification. The purpose of therapy is to identify and address the root causes of your substance abuse, so they can be singled out and treated. Through therapy, you will learn how to identify cravings early and reduce the chance of relapse by controlling them using the techniques you will have learnt.

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