The term “Molly drug” has come into popular use to describe a drug more commonly known as Ecstasy. However, the drug itself has been around for a long time and was known simply as crystal MDMA. The chemical name being 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine. You can typically find this drug at raves, dance clubs, and music festivals.
What is Molly Drug?
Molly drug is a synthetic substance that works to alter mood and a person’s awareness of other people, situations and things. It has a similar chemical profile to hallucinogenic drugs and stimulants. It produces energetic, pleasurable and warm feelings. Molly also has the ability to distort the perceptions of time and the five senses. People using it may hear, feel and see things that aren’t really there. MDMA began its popularity in the nightclub and dance club scene in the 1980s, though it was formulated for the first time in 1912. Its initial use was as a psychotherapy drug in the 1970s. As of 2017, MDMA is widely illegal and has no acceptable medical use.
Molly has a strong popular culture connotation. References to the drug are frequently made in popular music, further connecting it to the music and dance scene.
How Do People Use Molly Drug?
As previously mentioned, the majority of Molly drug use happens at venues with music, such as dance clubs, festivals, and concerts. Because of the drug’s ability to change sensory perception and give energy, it adds to the effect of music, crowds, and lighting. Molly users most commonly take the drug as a capsule or tablet, but it can also be swallowed as a liquid or snorted in a powder form. The nickname of Molly is actually short for molecular, which refers to the allegedly pure crystal powder form of MDMA. However, powder and capsules labeled Molly are often synthetic cathinones, also known as bath salts.
Molly users may also take the drug with either other stimulants like amphetamines, or other hallucinogenic drugs like LSD or mushrooms. Drugs labeled Molly often contain MDMA mixed with these other substances, and in some cases, contain no actual MDMA at all. Molly is also commonly consumed along with alcohol or marijuana.
How Does Molly Drug Affect The Brain?
Molly drug increases activity and affects three different brain chemicals:
- Dopamine
- Norepinephrine
- Serotonin
Dopamine causes a euphoric surge and a feeling of increased energy and the need to be active. Norepinephrine causes a surge in heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. Serotonin causes a surge in sexual arousal hormones and also affects the hormones responsible for trust. It affects the mood, appetite and decreases the desire to sleep. The surge in serotonin likely results in the feelings of empathy and emotional closeness that Molly users feel when taking the drug.
Molly users may also experience nausea, teeth clenching, blurred vision, chills, sweating and muscle cramping. The effects of Molly last between three and six hours, but in a typical music venue, users usually end up taking a second dose when the first starts to fade. More symptoms appear in the week following a moderate period of use of the drug. Such symptoms include irritability, depression, insomnia, anxiety, lack of appetite and impulsive or aggressive behavior.
Other Health Effects From Molly Drug
Use of Molly drug has a number of other physical and mental health effects other than those previously mentioned. Large doses of Molly begins to affect temperature regulation fairly quickly. Sometimes this causes a dangerous surge in body temperature that can result in failure of the liver, kidneys or heart. In some cases, this results in death. Because of the trusting feelings that Molly causes, users often end up engaging in unsafe sexual behavior. This increases the risk of contracting various sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS and hepatitis, among others.
Use of Molly comes with a strong risk for death by overheating. Nightclubs and other venues where this drug is popular may have a “chill room” that has cooler temperatures and cold water available. This allows users to cool off before returning to the club. However, use at an outdoor music festival during the summer may not offer any escape from the surge in body temperature. Two people died in New York at a music festival during the summer of 2013, allegedly due to this overheating factor of Molly.
Molly carries additional risk in how it sells. Drugs sold as Molly often contain mixtures of other drugs that can be extremely dangerous if a user doesn’t know what they’re taking. Police confiscations have reported any number of substance combinations labeled as Molly, including cough medicine, bath salts, cocaine, and meth.
Is Molly Drug Addictive?
Studies vary on the addictive quality of Molly. Some experiments show animals self-administering Molly, which gives a strong indication of its potential for abuse. There seem to be two different addictive models for Molly. One group may find themselves addicted the first few occasions of use, before tapering off. The other group may use it on weekends while partying and then find themselves using it during the week when they experience rebound depression. Because of the extreme high that results from using Molly, a crushing depression may show up a few days after use. That cycle of use can quickly turn into an addiction.
Chronic use of Molly, even if just on the weekends, has a high potential for addiction and altered brain chemistry. Experts consider it less addictive than other stimulant drugs such as meth and cocaine, though both are often mixed with Molly. About 15 percent of those who chronically use MDMA become addicted.
Molly Drug Addiction Treatment at Healing Springs Ranch
Molly addiction needs professional treatment as it almost always becomes worse with time. At Healing Springs Ranch in Tioga, Texas, guests will have access to completely individualized treatment plans. The professionals at Healing Springs know that addiction does not develop in a vacuum and are dedicated to finding the underlying issues contributing to the addictive behavior.
The Healing Springs Ranch treatment model starts with an exhaustive intake process to find out the motivations of those struggling with addiction. Almost every case of addiction comes with a history of other mental health issues, but many times other addiction treatment does not fully address those issues. Healing Springs believes that truly effective treatment must deal with both addiction and mental health to facilitate a true recovery.
At Healing Springs Ranch, guests will find:
- Integrated Addiction Model (I.AM)
- Customized holistic treatment plans
- Trauma Model and functional medicine
- Home away from home amenities including a gym, swimming pool, golf course
Let Healing Springs Ranch start you on the path to recovery with fully customized and individualized treatment plans. Stop addiction from controlling your life and overcome it through professional treatment. The first step to recovery is to seek help. Reach out today by calling 866-656-8384 if you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to Molly or anything else. We know we can help.