Ecstasy: Signs of use and what Parents should do

Ecstasy or Molly has become a widely popular drug among high school and college students and is rapidly being used at dance clubs and rave parties. Ecstasy is a psychoactive drug that is commonly taken with other stimulants like cocaine, methamphetamine, and ketamine. Also, teens with sexual performance insecurities report taking it with the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra as part of their sexual experiences. It can be dangerous not only because it results in a high that makes users more likely to take serious risks, but also has a harmful effect on a teen’s brains.

The association between low parental monitoring and high sensation-seeking, close friends’ drug use with ecstasy (MDMA) in adolescence was examined in a sample of US household-dwelling adolescents aged 12–18 years (N = 5049). High sensation-seekers among teens were observed to administer more of Ecstasy, Marijuana, and Alcohol/Tobacco, respectively, as compared to low sensation-seekers. In some cases, Ecstasy use is highly associated with peer drug use and less associated with high sensation-seeking. In this context, parents are advised to monitor high-sensation-seekers in adolescents and also encourage them to affiliate with non-drug using peers. Use of ecstasy in teens is even more dangerous for the fact that it is coupled with other dangerous mood- altering drugs to prolong the effects.

Signs and symptoms of Ecstasy Abuse

• Hyperactivity that is unusually elated
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Hostility, anger and non-co-operation
• Depression
• Involuntary teeth clenching
• Sleep problems
• Shifts in mood & personality
• Silence and non-communication
• Severe anxiety
• Secrecy
• Paranoia
• Messy appearance
• Behavioural changes
• Intense thirst
• Blurred vision
• Smell of smoke or other unusual smells on breath or on clothes
• Less motivation to school and social gatherings

Why do teens abuse Ecstasy?

Ecstasy, Molly, or MDMA, gives feelings of enhanced energy, Feelings of closeness/emotional warmth, euphoria, and distortions in time, perception, and tactile experiences. Teens are therefore enticed because of an increase in their partying fun, ability to stay awake and uplift their mood. Because it is responsible for all of these effects, teens want to administer it again and again.

What can parents do?

Alertness in parents is the most important trait that can help teens overcome their addictions. When parents notice unusual behaviour, unexplained disappearances, new groups of friends that their teens are hanging out with, unusual odours, marks of injections or abuse on their body and mania or depression, they need to check for drug abuse in their children.

How to check?

Keep an eye on your teen’s cell phone or other digital devices. Monitor their whereabouts. Look up for social media posts that hint at drug use or contradict the whereabouts and the groups of their association that you know. Also check their body for incisions and injection marks.

Check the websites for hidden icons of drugs and the street names to verify if any group mentioning them exists on the social media profiles of your children. Look for any unusual behaviour that exhibits euphoria or depression in shorter spans of time.

Once you confirm that your teen had fallen prey to ecstasy, it is vital to seek help at the earliest.