Ecstasy (MDMA) - Consequences

Consequences

Ecstasy use can lead to death through several paths. An overdose can occur from a pill containing too much of the drug. In this case, the user collapses, becomes unconscious, and stops breathing. Cases have been reported of heart attack due to ecstasy overdose.

Sweating and hyperthermiaA dangerous rise in body temperature. or overheating brought on by ecstasy use in crowded settings, combined with exercise such as dancing, can lead to death in two ways. In the first case, the user simply dies of organ damage, similar to a heat strokeA condition resulting from longtime exposure to high temperatures; symptoms include an inability to sweat, a very high body temperature, and, eventually, passing out.. In the second case, the user drinks so much water that the body falls into a condition called hyponatremiaPronounced HY-poh-nuh-TREE-mee-uh; a potentially fatal condition brought on by drinking too much water; can cause swelling of the brain or sodium imbalance in the blood and kidneys., literally, water poisoning. Drinking too much water too quickly flushes important sodium from the body and causes the brain to swell. A sixteen-year-old girl in Boulder, Colorado, died of this condition in 2001 after taking ecstasy at a party.

The rebound "low" after taking ecstasy has been linked to suicidal depression. A teenager named Dayna Moore is quoted on the Monitoring the Future Web site on the pitfalls of ecstasy rebound: "When I came down, I fell into a deep, dark hole. It was a depression I couldn't stand." Anyone with a history of mental problems would be more likely to experience this difficulty.

Ecstasy might not always kill, but it does damage the brain—sometimes after even one use. Repeat users face a host of rebound symptoms, including panic attacks, phobias, depression, loss of appetite, and memory problems.