Ecstasy Addiction Treatment
Ecstasy is a street name for MDMA, a synthetic, psychoactive drug chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. Ecstasy has many street names such as Adam, XTC, hug, beans, molly, and love drug. Ecstasy is a dangerous drug with many negative side effects. Ecstasy is taken orally in tablet form the majority of the time. Chronic users of Ecstasy perform more poorly than nonusers on certain types of cognitive or memory tasks. Research in animals indicates that Ecstasy can be harmful to the brain—one study showed that exposure to Ecstasy for only 4 days caused damage to serotonin nerve terminals that was still evident 6 to 7 years later. Because of this research, experts highly recommend that an individual that is suspected of using the drug seek ecstasy addiction treatment at the earliest indication.
The best Ecstasy addiction treatment program for a habitual user involves a great deal of counseling and close monitoring of the individuals emotional needs and sense of well-being. When individuals are trying to get off of the drug ecstasy (as well as methamphetamine or "speed") they often struggle with depression because of deficiencies in their levels of serotonin, and for this reason, the individual should be in the supportive environment of an Ecstasy addiction residential treatment center. An ecstasy addiction treatment program will also focus on the educational element concerning ecstasy, being sure that individuals in treatment understand the potential damage ecstasy will do to them if they continue use.
Studies about the repercussions of frequent or long-term ecstasy use are finally being released – and the results are alarming these studies indicate that with Ecstasy use, there is potential for permanent damage to neurons that create serotonin (which is critical for learning, sleep, and positive moods). Ultimately, users risk permanently damaging their brain in a way that can result in depression, memory loss, anxiety, and other psychological damage. Because of these studies, individuals are becoming aware of the dangers concerning Ecstasy abuse. In turn, drug rehab centers across the country are seeing record numbers of individuals entering programs for Ecstasy addiction treatment.
The side effects of long-term Ecstasy use are just coming to light through scientific analysis. A study of a small group of habitual Ecstasy users who were abstaining from use revealed that the abstinent Ecstasy users suffered damage to the neurons in the brain that transmit serotonin, an important biochemical involved in a variety of critical functions including learning, sleep, and integration of emotion. The results of the study have shown that recreational Ecstasy users may be at risk of developing permanent brain damage that may manifest itself in depression, anxiety, memory loss, and other disorders.
The use of the drug Ecstasy can cause severe adverse effects including nausea, hallucinations, chills, sweating, increases in body temperature, tremors, involuntary teeth clenching, muscle cramping, and blurred vision. Ecstasy users also report after-effects of anxiety, paranoia, and depression.
The goal of Ecstasy addiction treatment is to return people to productive functioning in the family, workplace, and community. According to research that tracks individuals in drug addiction treatment over extended periods, most people who get into and remain in treatment stop using drugs, and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning. Drug addiction treatment enables people to counteract the Ecstasy addiction's powerful disruptive effects on the brain and behavior and to regain control of their lives. The first step in Ecstasy addiction treatment is detox and withdrawal.
Detox and Withdrawal
The definition of withdrawal is "Discontinuation of the use of an addictive substance, and the physiological and mental readjustment that accompanies such discontinuation." Detoxification is the process by which the body rids itself of drugs and is often accompanied by unpleasant and sometimes even fatal side effects caused by withdrawal. Detoxification alone as drug addiction treatment does not address the psychological, social, and behavioral problems associated with addiction and therefore does not typically produce lasting behavioral changes necessary for recovery.
Detoxification should cover all aspects of the individual's withdrawal and purification from drugs. Some drug treatment centers have had astounding long term recovery success rates using a purification process to remove the drug residuals .Without this process, drug residues can remain in one's body and cause cravings for years after drug use has ceased. This particular form of detox has been proven to be a vital step in a successful drug detox, and long term sobriety.
Types of Drug Addiction Treatment
Long Term Residential Ecstasy Addiction Treatment- Long-term residential Ecstasy addiction treatment provides care 24 hours a day, generally in nonhospital settings. This type of treatment is by far the most powerful form of Ecstasy addiction drug treatment available. Long term Ecstasy addiction drug treatment represents 24 hour a day care at a facility away from the individual's home environment. By temporarily relocating to the Ecstasy addiction treatment facility, the individual is given a way to shut out all the distractions in their life and focus solely on recovery from Ecstasy addiction. Another advantage of long term residential Ecstasy drug addiction treatment is that it provides much needed structure at a time when the individual is coming out of the chaos of Ecstasy addiction.
Outpatient Ecstasy Addiction Treatment- Many individuals can neither afford, nor find the time to drop everything and enter into a residential Ecstasy addiction treatment program. For them, outpatient care offers the best alternative. Outpatient Ecstasy drug treatment features all the key elements of rehab and takes place during the day so that the individual is free to return home in the evening. Outpatient Ecstasy addiction programs tend to cost less. It is important to note, however, that according to current statistics available from drug treatment centers across the country, long term residential treatment is by far the best choice. In after drug treatment follow up studies individuals attending outpatient treatment centers, had a much higher rate or relapse in compared to those individuals completing long term residential treatment.
Ecstasy addiction can be mind altering and in some instances, abuse of this drug can be deadly. If you or a loved one is using Ecstasy, find a drug rehab center with a proven track record in treating Ecstasy addiction.
