Drug Addiction: MDMA Use, Legal Implications, and Treatment Options

This essay examines the psychoactive drug MDMA (ecstasy/molly) and its complex relationship with drug addiction and mental health. The essay begins with an introduction to MDMA, its recreational use, and its potential as a treatment for conditions like PTSD. It then delves into the drug's effects on the brain, its addictive properties, and the various health risks associated with its use. The essay also explores the legal implications of MDMA, discussing drug laws and regulations, including the impact of legalizing medical marijuana. It further reviews treatment options for drug addiction and mental health disorders, including behavioral therapies, psychotherapy, and pharmacological interventions such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of individual treatment approaches and the need for further research to better understand and address MDMA-related issues. Contributed by a student, this essay is published on Desklib, a platform offering AI-powered study tools for students.

Running Head: DRUG ADDICTION 0
Drug use and Addictive Behavior

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Introduction
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine is a psychoactive drug which is normally known as
molly or ecstasy (E) that used in the treatment of anxiety, depression and different mental
health issues in the form of recreational drug. It also called MDMA and used in diagnosing
(PTSD) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in people. MDMA in the first place developed in
1912 and used in the 1970s to improve the beginning of psychotherapy. It was popular in the
1980s with the name of the street drug (Colbert, 2018). It was primarily common for the night
dance parties or raves and clubs, but now by the continuous use, it affects the mental health
of the people in large number. The possible legal implications on the drug laws and
regulations have discussed in the essay that can be useful for the mental health care of the
people. Additionally, the research of the other drugs as medical options is provided in the
essay, which can help people in treating their mental health. A description of the legal actions
has given here, and analysis of the effect of the drug misuse in the states or countries that
have legalised the use of medical drugs like marijuana and the consequences are highlighted.
Given that the treatment and prevention of drug addiction and the mental health issue is
important.
Drug use and addictive behaviour
MDMA is a basic synthetic drug, which changes perception and mood of the people. This
drug indeed works as both hallucinogens and drugs, which produce energy, emotional
warmth, distorted sensory, pleasure and time perception. It has a tendency to make the people
feel empathetic, energetic and increase in transformed sensations. Most of the people take
drugs for experimental, amusing purposes, to release mental instability or pains (Lankenau, et
al., 2018). MDMA surges three activities of brain chemicals in which, first is Dopamine, it

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produces increased activity and reinforced the behaviour of people. Second is
Norepinephrine, it increases blood pressure and heart rate and it is particularly very risky
with blood vessel and heart problems in people. Third is Serotonin, which affects sleep,
mood, appetite and other functions. It is harmful to hormones that may affect sexual arousal.
If serotonin releases in large amount, it causes elevated mood, empathy and emotional
closeness in the people who are using MDMA (Mithoefer, et al., 2018). Some other health
effects are included sweating, chills, nausea, involuntary teeth clenching and muscle
cramping. The effects of MDMA last for three to six hours many users of it take the second
dose when the effect of the first dose starts to fade. In moderate use of the dose of drugs for
one week, one may experience depression, anxiety, sleep problems, decreased appetite,
memory problem, aggression, impulsiveness and irritability (Elbe, et al., 2018). Some of
these symptoms occur because of using other drugs like marijuana with MDMA. With high
dose, it can reduce the ability of the body to regulate temperature, which leads the changes in
temperature of the body, and the result can be heart, liver, kidney failure or death. There are
erratic results on MDMA that it is also addictive for some people, although it is less addictive
than other drugs like cocaine (Pavarin & Fioritti, 2018). There is no exact medical treatment
for the addiction of MDMA but some behavioural therapies can be helpful in it. Still, there is
a need for more research for the effectiveness of this treatment on MDMA addiction.
There are many kinds of drugs existed from a long time in the world, in which some are legal
and some are illegal. Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and the prescribed drugs are legal in most of
the countries. Some drugs from these have restrictions too, for example- age restriction, place
of using them, limits while driving, buying with prescription (prescribed drugs) and sailing
with a health warning. On the other hand, illegal drugs include heroin, cannabis or marijuana,
amphetamines and ecstasy (MDMA) (Caliskan, et al., 2018). These drugs are banned because
their uses can affect any person so bad and endanger their life, health or life of any other

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person. These drugs are not regulated but the legal drugs are, and no one ever sure about the
strongness of these and what is in them. Use of Illicit drug includes misuse of
pharmaceuticals or use of non-prescribed drugs, illegal drugs and unsuitable use of
substances like sniffing glue.
Drug laws are very complex and the legislative documents, which determines a restricted
substance is known as the standard of poison (Paradise, 2018). Therapeutic Goods
Administration through public consultation regularly updates and manage it. It is listed in the
schedule where the drugs, which affect are available and how they available. There are some
federal laws which apply on the drugs like regulations of export and import, Criminal Code
Act 1995 which covers serious offences of drug and Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 which
regulates the use of cannabis in medicine (Martin, et al., 2018). Some medicinal cannabis is
available currently under special access scheme of TGA and only applies to the patients in
certain conditions with the prescription of a doctor.
In the present time, the random roadside drug test is very common all over the world. If
someone breaks the law or found with a blood alcohol concentration over 0.05, they may face
disqualification from driving as a penalty because it is harmful to them and for the other
people too. They may penalize by the fine or may be imprisoned. Some owners of the
organizations tested their employees or workers for the use of the drug in the workplace as a
part of working conditions, it includes alcohol and other illegal drugs (Crumpton & Mitchell,
2018). A workplace must have a policy for complete alcohol and drug test. Training for this
testing must be provided to the employees to make them understand different types of tests
and the time of drug testing in which it can be done. Some industries or organizations like
transport, aviation and construction have mandatory drug testing.
Several drugs can help in treating the mental health and illness of the people and commonly
used drugs are anti-anxiety, mood-stabilizing, antidepressants, anti-psychotic and stimulant

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medications. For the treatment of depression, there are several drug options like MAOIs,
SSRIs, SNRIs, NaSSAs and some other. The most successful treatment of the depression is
possible with L-methyl folate, it is an active form of vitamin-B which is called folate and it
helps in regulation of the neurotransmitters which control the moods. FDA considered it
nutraceutical or a portion of medical food (Zhu, et al., 2018). It required a prescription of the
doctors before using in a treatment. These treatments having some side effects too which are
varied, and depending on the type of drug a person is taking, and these are also improved
once the body regulates with the medication.
Psychotherapy is also a treatment for several mental disorders, it is an interpersonal
involvement, which generally provided by a health professional of mental disorders such as a
psychologist. There are various types of therapies mainly included CBT. Cognitive
behavioural therapy positioned on adapting the patterns of behaviour and thoughts and used
for different disorders related to mental health (Stallard, 2019). There are different kinds of
cognitive behavioural therapies which may pick by the mental health professionals for the
approach of mental disorder. But there may be some issues of confidentiality, trust and
engagement in the therapeutical relationship between the patients and the health
organizations, which can reduce the number and quality of treatments. For this, there are
some ethical standards which are applying on the treatment of the people, and they can
regulate the potential of powerful therapies to recover mental health. The ethical standards
include- treatment of patients without doing any harm, establishing trust with patients,
truthfulness and honesty, taking proper precautions and doing fair treatment and respect for
the dignity of the patients.
Alcohol abuse increases the risks in uncertain individuals as families with social pathology
and psychological histories are at high risk of the problems of alcohol. It was found in
Ireland, that the young person of the disrupted family appears to be at the high-risk factor for

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alcohol or drug abuse and 10 per cent in them are between the age of 15 to 20 years (Boland,
et al., 2018). Countries like India and others are also increased with the number of heroin
addictive people. There are family therapies are also available for the people, when
simultaneously more than one family member involved in the drugs abuse.
MDMA is not available for the treatment of PTSD without clinical or physiotherapist
prescription but the previous success of this drug in improving PTSD can increase its uses in
future for a large number of mental health treatment. From the last 17 years, there is no other
treatment has been found for PTSD and because of this, the only way for its treatment is the
MDMA (Dahlgren, et al., 2018). On the other side, Marijuana is also the most probably used
illicit drug in the US among young people. More than eleven million adults between the age
of 18 to 25 used marijuana, in the 2015 year. Many students of middle school and high school
have dropped in the last few years; however, many young people do not want to believe that
the regular use of marijuana is injurious to their health. Legalization of marijuana in adult
recreation or for the medical use is very rapidly increasing and it may affect the view of the
people. Most of the young people smoke marijuana in the blunts-emptied cigars and some are
smoke it in pipes or cigarettes or using water pipes. Medical marijuana is legalized in the
District of Columbia and more than half of the U.S. states (Kesler, 2019). Many states are
also considering to do it as FDA has approved it for the treatment of 2 rare epilepsy and
mental health problems, which are Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. DEA
considers marijuana as a schedule I drug which is same as LSD, ecstasy and heroin, and it
may be lacking medical value.
There are many ways to quit drugs and make better health by reducing any mental disorders
and illness. Every treatment is not working for all patients. Drugs are affected every person
differently and the treatment is also needed to be done individually for a different person, and
it is important to find out the particular treatment which can work on a person. Counselling

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can help in giving the options in the treatment and it depends on the seriousness of the drug
involved in the addiction of the person (Bryant-Jefferies, 2018). Different treatments for the
mental health and drug addiction include some options which are, cold turkey, counselling,
detoxification and rehabilitation. In cold turkey, a person can quit taking drugs without any
help or support of the therapist. Lifestyle changing and counselling is the therapy for the
group and for the individual both in which a person learns to survive without taking any
drugs. Detoxification comes with a treatment in which a therapy clears the body of a person
from the drug and a patient should stop taking drugs with it (Marcus, et al., 2018).
Rehabilitation is a longer psychological treatment to help the person in dealing with the
issues and the patients have to stay in the hospital, clinic or at home for a long time
Conclusion
It is concluded that MDMA is a basic synthetic drug, which changes perception and mood of
the people. This drug indeed works as both hallucinogens and drugs, which produce energy,
emotional warmth, distorted sensory, pleasure and time perception. There are many kinds of
drugs existed from a long time in the world, in which some are legal and some are illegal.
Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and the prescribed drugs are legal in most of the countries. It is
also provided that several drugs can help in treating the mental health and illness of the
people and commonly used drugs are anti-anxiety, mood-stabilizing, antidepressants, anti-
psychotic and stimulant medications. For the treatment of depression, there are several drug
options like MAOIs, SSRIs, SNRIs, NaSSAs and some other. Psychotherapy is also a
treatment for several mental disorders, it is an interpersonal involvement, which generally
provided by a health professional of mental disorders such as a psychologist. From the last 17
years, there is no other treatment has been found for PTSD and because of this, the only way
for its treatment is the MDMA. There are many ways to quit drugs and make better health by

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reducing any mental disorders and illness. It is the fact that not all the treatments work for
everyone. Counselling can help in giving the options in the treatment and it depends on the
seriousness of the drug involved in the addiction of the person.

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