Ecstasy: Its History, Uses and Effects

Ecstasy has gained widespread attention within the last ten years mainly because of its abuse in clubs and raves, or all night dance parties playing music most commonly known as techno.  Its growing use has caught the eye of the mainstream media programs such as Dateline and 20/20. Using hidden cameras to show teenagers popping the illicit tablets as well as a myriad of other drugs, these shows have taken Joe and Jane Public to a place not ordinarily visited by people outside of this subculture. Popular news magazine such as Time and Newsweek have also delved in the once underground culture of ecstasy and raves to discuss its abuse among the teenage users and to highlight its dangerous effects on them.

The drug's history first begins with its synthesis in 1912. The chemical 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), now commonly called ecstasy, was patented by E. Merck, a German pharmaceuticalcompany (Cohen, 1998).  Contrary to popular media reporting, it was never created as a diet aid.  It was a precursor agent meaning it had certain desirable properties, such as decreasingappetite, but was still in its developmental stages (Cohen).  After it was patented, it remained untested and unused until the 1950s when the US Army used it and other obscure drugs for a string of animal tests.  Human use was first reported in the late sixties or early seventies (Cohen, 1998; Beck & Rosenbaum, 1994).  With the emergence of the raves in the late eighties, ecstasy use has been on the rise since (Cuomo & Dyment, 1994; Johnston, O'Malley & Bachman, 1997).

Before the name ecstasy came into vogue, however, MDMA was called Adam in psychiatric circles. And starting in 1976, a few psychotherapists began to use it in well controlled therapy sessions claiming it effects could enable them to accomplish six months worth of therapy in a single session by opening communication and decreasing levels of inhibition (Cohen, 1998). It seems one of the greatest benefits of ecstasy is its ability to enable the user to confront traumatic and painful memories without fear of totally reliving the moments all over again.  This effect was termed entactogenesis or "touching within" by pharmacologist, David Nichol (Beck & Rosenbaum, 1994).  Many users feel this as a sense that all is right with the world or a great feeling of inner peace and tranquility that can almost be overwhelming at times (www.erowid.com).  Another one of its more intriguing features is its ability to engage the user in empathogenesis, or emotional closeness, which the psychiatric community embraced as atherapeutic factor further enabling them to help severely traumatize clients.  Those who have used MDMA recreationally report that they too are able to open up more and be themselves without fear of rejection (P. Brown, personal communication, February 17, 2001).  We will explore personal accounts and reactions to ecstasy in greater detail later. 

In the controlled environment of a counseling session, these factors were reported to help people process and work through painful past experiences such as rape and childhood trauma (Beck & Rosenbaum,1994; Torassa, 2001).  Dr. Philip Wolfson, a psychiatrist who used MDMA in his psychotherapy commented that MDMA, "provides a centering experience, rather than an ego diffusing experience" for treating his psychotic patients (Beck & Rosenbaum).One woman who took ecstasy outside of psychotherapeutic session found that it was even better than the two years she spent in it.  In her personal account she writes, "Ecstasy has activated a new found ability to nurture myself and love myself which psychotherapy took ages to even get near to…it has made a traumatic period of my life bearable and meaningful, I feel connected to this event as a process in the grand scheme of my life which I have a strong feeling of positivity towards now" (www.ecstasy.org).Another psychiatrist, Dr. Richard Ingrasci added a caveat to this drug assisted therapy noting that MDMA should not be the panacea leading to psychological health but can be a powerful tool in reaching that goal (Beck & Rosenbaum, 1994).  Itseems to work as a mechanism to facilitate the therapeutic process.  At the time this article was written, the author suggests that it would be helpful in maritalcounseling and in other conventional uses of psychotherapy (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1986).

Ecstasy finally made its way to the streets in the mid eighties and was being used by upper class professionals in their late twenties and early thirties.  Since it was still legal, one could purchase it in clubs and bars for twenty dollars a tablet and charge it on a credit card (Beck & Rosenbaum, 1994).  But when it was criminalized in 1985, its use among this crowd curtailed and quickly became just another fad (Beck & Rosenbaum).

A study conducted in 1990 and compared with a similar one done in 1986 of college students at Tulane University found that ecstasy use had increased from sixteen percent to twenty four percent as did use of other stronger hallucinogenics such as mescaline and psilocybin (Cuomo & Dyment, 1994).  Another survey conducted in Australia seems to fall in line with the previous one except the average age of the user was nineteen years old (Topp et al., 1999). Although we cannot directly infer from Cuomo and Dyment's study why ecstasy use has increased nine percent, we can assume that there is a positive correlation between the rise of the rave culture and use among college age students.  A search of the empirical data on raves yielded a scant eight English results on both Science Direct database and PsychInfo so it was not possible to even examine scholarly data.  Another search done by Erica Weir (2000) found only seventeen in the database PubMed since 1995.

The rave culture, as it stands now, is where ecstasy can most often found.  With its throbbing, hypnotic and endless beats, raves typically begin in the late evening and can last into the early morning hours after the sun rises.  A typical rave is set in a warehouse or event hall, such as a city's civic center.  Utilizing a fantastic array of colored light beams that move with the beat of the music (otherwise known as intellibeams), strobe lights, and lasers, the rave event can amplify the effects of the drug experience (Cohen, 1998).  Ecstasy has been and continues to be the driving force behind many euphoric nights of clubbers and ravers. Music preference has even become a predictor of drug use in Scotland according to a survey by Forsyth, Barnard & McKeganey (1997). The researchers found that those students who like "rave music" were more likely to engage in illicit drug use than those who enjoyed other musical styles (1997).

To enrich the reader's understanding of the effects of ecstasy, this author gave several interviews to former ravers and ecstasy users.  When asking them what it was like to take the drug and go to a rave forthe first time, one respondent replied, "It was incredible.  A little while after I took it, when I was dancing all of a sudden I felt the rush of energy start in my stomach and move its way into my hands and feet. The music changed from me just hearing it to it moving inside of me.  I was inside of the music.  I must have danced for two or three hours straight.  When you're dancing to this nonstop style of music, it can be quite strange. Its as if the dj knows what the drug is doing to you and guides you through this fantastic journey. The ebb and flow of the rhythms and beats can keep people moving all night. My friends kept trying get me to hang out with them but I just had to keep moving with the music.  Dancing became an emotional expression of my love for myself, my friends and of the music. To this day I still listen to dance music but take ecstasy rarely (once or twice a year). I don't even go to raves anymore either"(P. Brown, February 17, 2001).

Another person described his first rave very vividly remembering many of the details of the setting, the people and experience.  He said as the drug started to take effect, his first thought was, "I want to hug the world."  He went on to describe how he couldn't believe that this was actually a chemical.  It didn't feel synthetic like LSD did or dirty like methamphetamines.  It also didn't carry the paranoid hallucinations of LSD and made him extremely inquisitive about his friends' lives in a way he hadn't been before.  For several hours he and his friends talked about themselves and each other in a way that wasn't confined to the typical barriers of everyday conversation.  Instead, he felt like he was able to really understand his friends better and become closer than he had been than with anyone that he had known.  (E. Webber, personal communication, February 17, 2001).

Both of these interviewees agreed that there were other sensations that came along with an ecstasy experience.  They reported that tactile sensations were heightened greatly.  Holding hands and massages increased the physical pleasure that they were already feeling.  Vick's Vapor Rub and Tiger Balm also added something to the overall experience as well.  Interviewee 2 reported that once he dabbed Tiger Balm on his upper lip in front of his nostrils and the effects of the drug seemed to intensify for several minutes.  Drinking orange juice also enhanced the effects in the same way as mentioned above. Combined with other drugs, MDMA's effects tend to become a bit convoluted; conversely, they can also merge to have synergistic effects.  When taken with LSD (known as candy flipping), several people reported that the effects of the LSD could overwhelm ecstasy's effects so much so that it was like the ecstasy was never consumed (P. Brown & E. Webber, February 17, 2001). 

Another popular combination is ecstasy and psylocibin mushrooms (otherwise known as hippie flipping), where it can lead to a very surreal encounter according to Interviewee 1.  These two accounts are justexamples of the polydrug use that consumers engage in.  It is also commonly used with marijuana, amyl nitrate (also known as poppers), amphetamines and alcohol as well (Topp et al., 1999).  In fact, 93% of the sample used other drugs in combination with ecstasy during its effects and to help ease the "come down" (1999).These experiences fall in line with the way the drug exerts its
effects on individuals according to scientific studies of MDMA (Beck & Rosenbaum, 1994, Cohen, 1998).

By showing how ecstasy affects people outside of the psychiatric community it can be demonstrated how instances of bonding with friends can mimic the effects desired by psychiatrists and therapists of the seventies and early eighties and at the same time show the other reasons why ecstasy is popular.  Ecstasy does have its drawbacks.  Despite it fun and euphoric ride it can lead to unwanted depression and anxiety.  One such person recalled coming home after a late night of partying to find his old cat dead on his porch, which led him to what seems like a depressive episode with thoughts of, "death, failure, lossand fatigue for months after" (www.ecstasy.org). 

Another ex-user laments his use of ecstasy, which he claims brought back his anxiety disorder.  Just a half a pill sent him back into his self described anxiety and mild depression (www.ecstasy.org).  MDMA wears the guise of a benign substance but here presents itself in a different light with harmful effects on its users.

While the effects of ecstasy can be intense and enjoyable, the "hangover" or "post e glaze" as one interviewee called it, is quite a come down.  Interviewee number one reported that when she takes ecstasy, she was up all night and taking an amphetamine derivative made for a tiring next day in which he wanted to sleep.  "I felt burned out, spun, like I had been up all night taking illicit drugs.  It wasn't painful hang over like drinking can cause.  It was more like a feeling that you didn't want to talk for a while.  Although I did feel content the day after, I was tired and just wanted to sleep and recover" (E. Brown, personal communication, February 17, 2001).

So while ecstasy remains in the throngs of controversy surrounding its safety and abuse, its consumption continues to rise while its effects on the brain remain to be fully understood.  In any case, some people take the position of informed choice for those who wish to take ecstasy while the government has laid down strict laws governing every aspect of MDMA.  The goal here has been to provide a brief history of its discovery, uses and abuses by providing some empirical evidence and personal accounts to further uncover what this curious drug is about.