As a commonly used psychedelic, ecstasy (also known as MDMA) mostly appeals to teenagers and young adults who frequent “raves” or all-night dance parties but don’t let this stigma fool you. This drug can be found in small towns, big cities, and everywhere in between. Ecstasy produces feelings of belonging while enhancing sensory perception. These combined effects can go a long way towards inciting users to keep using the drug.

If you use ecstasy on a regular basis and want to stop using it but can’t, it may be time to consider ecstasy addiction treatment. A general understanding on how ecstasy addiction treatment works can help you take steps towards getting the help you need.

We can help you find a program that’s tailored to your treatment needs. Call our toll-free helpline at 800-609-2774 (Who Answers?) for prompt assistance.

Ecstasy and the Brain

According to the journal of Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, ecstasy produces both psychedelic and stimulant-type effects through its ability to increase serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter agent, impacts a range of bodily functions, including:

• Emotions
• Aggression
• Sensory perception
• Pain/please sensations

As pleasant as an ecstasy “high” may feel, once the drug’s effects wear off the brain’s serotonin levels have been depleted. In turn, this condition triggers the types of drug-using urges that breed an addiction problem.

Ecstasy Addiction Treatment Options

Support groups are useful during and after ecstasy addiction treatment.

When considering ecstasy addiction treatment, your age, mental state and severity of addiction ultimately determine which options will work best for you. Like most any addictive substance, the damaging effects of ecstasy accumulate with time, so the longer a person uses the drug the more severe his or her condition.

Types of interventions commonly used in ecstasy addiction treatment include:

• Talk therapies
• Group therapy
• Support groups

Talk Therapies

Along with serotonin, ecstasy also increases dopamine production, a chemical that regulates the brain’s reward system functions. In effect, increased dopamine levels train this system to rely on ecstasy effects. When this happens, fundamental personality changes develop in terms of your priorities, belief systems and motivations.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the types of talk therapies used in ecstasy addiction treatment work to retrain the brain’s reward system and help you develop a healthy, drug-free mindset.

Dangerous MDMA Health Effects

Group Therapy

More often than not, someone drawn to ecstasy abuse struggles with emotional discomfort in general, and has learned to use the drug to cope with difficult situations, be it with relationship conflicts or difficult past experiences.

Group therapy interventions provide an environment where participants learn:

• Healthy communication skills
• How to identify and process emotions
• Healthy conflict management skills

Support Groups

While a good majority of ecstasy addiction treatment programs use support groups as an intervention tool, support groups can also act as a long-term or ongoing treatment approach. Support group environments provide you with the day-to-day tools for building a drug-free lifestyle and managing drug cravings.

When to Consider Getting Ecstasy Addiction Treatment

An ecstasy abuse problem doesn’t just fade with time, but rather gets more intense. Before long, compulsive drug use becomes the center of your world at the expense of friends, family, work and your own self-care. For these reasons, it’s important to seek out needed treatment help at the first sign of an ecstasy abuse problem.

If you need help finding a program that’s right for you, please don’t hesitate to call our helpline at 800-609-2774 (Who Answers?) to speak with one of our addiction counselors.