Ecstasy (MDMA) in Recreational Users: Self-Reported Psychological and Physiological Effects

✍ Scribed by D. DAVISON; A. C. PARROTT

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 126 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6222
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1077(199705/06)12:3<221::aid-hup854>3.0.co;2-c

✦ Synopsis

Twenty recreational drug users were asked to describe the psychological and physiological eects they experienced under MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine). The subjects comprised 11 males and nine females, in the age range 18±31 years. Five subjects had taken MDMA once, nine had taken it 2±9 times, while six subjects had taken it 10 times. Each subject completed a modi®ed Pro®le of Mood States Questionnaire (POMS), an Ecstasy Eect Questionnaire, and a structured interview, covering past experience with MDMA. Increased feelings of elation, agreeableness, energy, and mental confusion were reported on-drug ( p 0Á001), together with faster heart rate, feeling hot, increased sweating and dehydration, dilated pupils, and tight jaw (trismus). Coming o-Ecstasy led to feelings of lethargy, moodiness, insomnia, depression, irritability, and paranoia. Bad MDMA trips were reported by 25 per cent of the sample, following a variety of unpleasant experiences. Chronic pharmacodynamic tolerance was not apparent, since although regular users all described their ®rst MDMA experience as the most intense', later trips were aected by knowledge and expectancy, rather than any diminution in drug response. Acute pharmacodynamic tolerance was, however, evident, with a period between drugs being described as necessary in order to maintain drug eectiveness. This may help explain the low addiction potential of MDMA.