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What you should know about MDMA
This page talks through the effects of MDMA, risks and harm reduction. Young people helped create this page, working alongside the Unity service. Therefore, the stories featured relate specifically to Norfolk.
⚠️ Contaminated MDMA⚠️
Some MDMA in Norfolk has been found to contain other potentially harmful substances, including synthetic drugs called Nitazenes. Nitazenes have been linked to overdoses and even deaths.
Risks of using MDMA
Hover over the photos below, to see the risks of using MDMA.
Physical Health
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Increased heart rate and blood pressure
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Dehydration & overheating
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Nausea, vommiting, & jaw clenching
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Blurred vision
Agitation
Feeling Disconnected or Psychotic Symptoms
Low Mood or Depression
Panic Attacks
Memory Problems
Mental Health
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Anxiety, panic, or paranoia
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Depression or low mood
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Confusion or memory problems
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Sleep disturbances
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Snorting MDMA can cause damage to the nose and sinuses.
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Bombing MDMA can lead to an increased risk of overdosing
Substance-Related Effects
MDMA and the Brain
MDMA is a type of amphetamine that also has hallucinogenic effects. It changes how your brain works by increasing certain chemicals (Neurotransmitters). MDMA mainly affects four neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and oxytocin.
Serotonin
Serotonin helps regulate mood and body temperature.
Dopamine
can make you feel excited, focused, and motivated.
Norepinephrine increases energy and alertness.
Oxytocin,
the “love hormone,” helps you feel connected to others.
Drawings by Sam Pearson.
Serotonin plays an important role in a lot of what our bodies and brains do, it helps us regulate our mood and emotions, often helping us feel calm, relaxed and happy. However, it also plays an important role in many other functions like our sleep, nervous system communication and attention.
For this reason, MDMA use can come with a lot of complicated side effects. Users have reported panic attacks, anxiety, low mood and confused episodes, after using MDMA. These side effects can become more significant if you already have mental health problems or use more frequently.
If you use MDMA regularly or for a long time, it can change the way your brain is able to use Serotonin, making it harder to feel good naturally. That’s why overuse of MDMA can lead to long-term mood problems, anxiety, or depression. Long term use may also affect memory and your ability to think, remember stuff and solve problems. Daily life can become much harder to manage.
Serotonin Syndrome
Serotonin Syndrome is caused by too much serotonin being released in the brain at once. This can cause unpleasant problems like diarrhea, twitching, insomnia, shivering, sweats, overheating, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and more. In severe cases this can lead to tremors, seizures, irregular heartbeat, and death.
Some mental health medications such as SSRI anti-depressants can effect how Serotonin is released; This generally means there is less effect from the MDMA. Taking more may not make any difference, but it will place you at higher risk of overdose. Taking MDMA when on an anti-depressant like this can be a dangerous combination as both increase the brain’s release and use of serotonin. This can result in “Serotonin Syndrome”.
Blood Borne Virus
A blood-borne virus is a virus (such as Hepatitis or HIV) that spreads from one person to another through blood. This can happen through sharing snorting equipment like straws and tubes.
As a service, we can offer young people the Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccination to help protect you from the virus.
Stay Safe Tips For You and Your Mates
If you decide to use MDMA, it’s important to know there are always risks. The only way to completely avoid these risks is to not use MDMA. But if you do decide to use it, keep these tips in mind:
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Start with a small amount (1/4 or 1/2 of pill), wait 60 minutes before taking more. Every pill/powder is different and how it effects you may be very different to how it effects others you are with.
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Avoid mixing MDMA with alcohol or other drugs, reactions are highly unpredictable and can cause overdoses or death.
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Sipping a pint of water over an hour can help to avoid dehydration.
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Having regular breaks from dancing to avoid overheating. If someone is overheating, take them to a cooler and calmer place, removing outer clothing to cool them down.
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When bombing (powder wrapped in thin paper, swallowed), MDMA can take longer to kick in. Wait 2 hours before deciding to take more.
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Snorting - grind into a fine powder, use clean personal snorting tools and avoid using bank notes, limit how often you’re snorting, alternate nostrils and rinse your nose after use with sterile or bottled water, this helps avoid powder sitting in the nose and causing damage to the nasal passage.
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Having a sober trusted friend to ‘trip sit’ if something goes wrong, they can call help if needed. Do call an ambulance if needed, you will not get in trouble with police and it may save a life.
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We offer Hep B inoculations - 3 vaccinations. Over 90% effective after the full series. The vaccinations contain non-infectious parts of the virus so it trains the immune system to recognize and fight off hep B if you’re exposed.
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Use your own clean equipment i.e. straws, snorting tubes
What Young People in Our Service Have to Say
Hear from young people in our service about the impact of MDMA use on their life.
MDMA Video
After my 17th birthday I started using MDMA just to try it, but then it became more of a frequent use for 5 months, then it slowed down. When people talked about their MDMA experiences it made me wonder how I would feel on them, as they were described as “cool,” and I then got hooked on them.
MDMA now makes me live every day questioning if things are happening. It ruins my work days as I cannot focus, and my relationships with people, as I feel they never understand me. MDMA also increased as my tolerance built up.
The one event that made me realise I needed support is when I realised my day-to-day life was unhinged and my only hobby was doing substances. I felt odd living my life, when I realised I can’t remember much of my past and I questioned if things around me were real. I noticed physical changes to my body, such as my face looking horrible, feeling sick all the time, and my heart having problems.
The biggest challenge I faced to make a change was to speak up and ask for help. I never asked for help because I felt I was okay and nothing was going to happen to me, but then I felt super uncomfortable with my life and realised my mental health was ruined.
The Matthew Project helped me out by realising once you call out for help it will actually help you. Meeting someone new and talking about personal issues does actually take some weight off the shoulders. It’s also taught me new things about the things I do and has taught me better safety for myself.
Videos
Prefer watching instead of reading? Check out these videos about MDMA to see how it affects people and get the facts you need.
MDMA Information
About
The Matthew Project
If you’re under 19 and using ketamine or other substances, our Unity service is here to support you. You won’t get in trouble for reaching out. Click the button below to learn more about the Unity service.
If you are 19 or over, you will need to contact Change Grow Live.
