Coping with Ecstasy Withdrawal During Detox

Ecstasy, also known by its street name Molly and its technical name MDMA, works as a powerful stimulant drug that also produces hallucinogen-type effects, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. With chronic or long-term users, ecstasy can bring on some distressing physical and psychological effects that only work to promote ongoing drug use.

Ecstasy detox enables users to make a clean break with the drug and its effects on their lives. Finding ways to cope with ecstasy withdrawal during detox can make this difficult period much easier to bear.

Chronic and long-term ecstasy use will likely result in addiction, which adds a whole new layer of difficulty to the detox process. Addiction brings with it a psychological dependency that only works to reinforce the body’s already existing physical dependency on the drug’s effects.

For these reasons, the best ways of coping with ecstasy withdrawal during detox provide relief for both the physical and psychological symptoms a person is likely to experience.

Ecstasy Withdrawal Symptoms

Ecstasy withdrawal symptoms develop in areas where the drug’s effects have most disrupted the body’s natural chemical balance. Brain chemical imbalances lie at the core of ecstasy withdrawal, which in turn impairs the body’s central nervous system functions.

The most common ecstasy withdrawal symptoms include:

Feeling on edge during ecstasy detox? Try going for a walk or eating a nourishing meal.

• Fluctuations in appetite
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Deep-seated depression
• Muddled thinking processes
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Muscle twitching

Ecstasy withdrawal typically follows a two-phase process where the physical symptoms appear during the first week or two of detox. From there, the psychological symptoms become more pronounced, which can last anywhere from one to six months depending on the addiction severity.

Diet & Exercise

The body’s central nervous system plays a central role in regulating the body’s digestion processes. Long-term ecstasy use not only disrupts normal digestive functions, but also impairs the body’s ability to properly metabolize food and extract essential nutrients.

Eating a well-rounded diet can go a long way towards relieving much of the discomfort experienced during detox. Vitamins and nutritional supplements can also help with replacing the body’s depleted nutrient supplies.

Regular exercise has a tremendous effect on the body’s ability to eliminate toxins and repair damaged cells and tissues. Getting some form of daily exercise greatly supports the body’s healing mechanisms and also provides a considerable boost in energy and overall mood.

Counseling Supports

While ecstasy withdrawal during detox may seem like a purely physical response to the drug’s absence, the psychological aspect of addiction is also at work. A psychological dependency breeds beliefs surrounding ecstasy in terms of feeling like you “need” the drug to make it through the day.

Counseling supports make it possible for a person to work through these faulty belief systems and develop healthy ways of coping with everyday life stressors. Counseling supports may take the form of:

• Daily, biweekly or weekly attendance at 12-Step support group meetings
• Individual psychotherapy
• Group therapy
• Getting a sponsor

Considering how harsh an ecstasy withdrawal period can be, many people opt to enter detox treatment in order to overcome the drug’s effects. Detox programs work to provide the nutritional, emotional and psychological supports most needed to get through this difficult stage of recovery.