Therapy can help whether your goal is to cut down, to stop, or to make sense of why you use.
What this covers
MDMA (ecstasy) is a Class A drug. Tolerance can develop, and psychological dependence is possible. If you use more than one substance, see polydrug use.
Signs use may be becoming a problem
- Using more often, or in larger amounts, than you meant to
- Needing more to get the same effect
- Low mood, anxiety or paranoia for days after using
- Using to get through the weekend, or to feel anything at all
- Mixing substances without being sure what is in them
Risks and safety: read this
- MDMA can cause overheating and dehydration, especially when dancing for long periods in hot places. Drinking too much fluid, including water, is also dangerous. FRANK advises sipping no more than a pint of water or other non-alcoholic drink per hour.
- People with heart conditions, blood pressure problems, epilepsy or asthma can have a dangerous reaction, and high doses can be deadly.
- Pills and powders vary widely in strength and can contain other drugs, so you can never be sure what you are taking.
- Mixing with other drugs or alcohol is always risky, and some combinations are more dangerous than others.
- A low mood can follow for several days. Long-term use can bring memory problems, depression and anxiety. If you are low or having thoughts of ending your life, call Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24 hours).
- Call 999 if someone is seriously unwell after using, and tell the crew everything you know about what was taken.
LSD and other hallucinogens
There is no evidence that LSD is addictive, although tolerance can develop. It can still cause harm. A frightening trip can be very distressing, LSD can worsen existing mental health problems or trigger one that had not been noticed before, and ongoing visual distortions or flashbacks can occasionally occur. LSD is a Class A drug. If you are worried about your own use, or about what it has done to your mental health, or about someone you love, we can talk it through.
Support you can get alongside therapy
Therapy sits alongside medical care, not instead of it. How to get treatment without going through your GP, and where to find helplines.
What therapy can offer
- Working out what the drugs do for you and what else could do some of that work
- Support with the low mood and anxiety that can follow
Confidentiality
Worried about your job or your driving licence? What I report, and what stays between us.
If it is someone you love
It can be hard to know what you are dealing with when someone uses more than one thing. Support for families and loved ones.
Short answers to common questions
Is MDMA addictive?
Whether or not you call it addiction, if you are using more than you want to or it is hurting your life, it is worth talking about.
What are the mental health risks of MDMA?
FRANK says some people feel low the next day, and that this comedown can last several days. Some people report anxiety, panic attacks, confusion and paranoia, and even psychosis. Long-term users may have memory problems and may develop depression and anxiety. Therapy can work on the low mood and anxiety alongside any medical care.
Is MDMA illegal, and can I drive after taking it?
MDMA (ecstasy) is a Class A drug. FRANK says possession can bring up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, and supplying others can bring life imprisonment. It also says driving when high is dangerous and illegal, with penalties that can include a heavy fine, a driving ban or prison.
Can you drink too much water on MDMA?
Yes. FRANK says drinking too much, including water, can be dangerous. MDMA can make you stop urinating, and drinking too quickly can upset the body’s salt balance. It also affects temperature control, so dancing in hot places raises the risk of overheating and dehydration, and regular breaks to cool down are advised. If someone is seriously unwell, call 999.
What are LSD flashbacks?
FRANK says flashbacks, or ongoing visual distortions, can occasionally happen after LSD and often cause great distress. Some people call this Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD). FRANK says little is known about why some people are vulnerable or how to help them. I can help with the worry and distress it brings, alongside medical care.
What should I do if I am having a bad trip on LSD?
FRANK says to tell the people you are with, get their help, and move somewhere quiet where you feel safe. It says people have been known to harm themselves during a bad trip, and advises against using LSD when you are in a bad mood, depressed or worried, in an unsafe place, or without people you trust.