Molly is a recreational drug with the chemical formula 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. It is also known as MDMA, or in more popular terms, ecstasy. It can often be found in music festivals, raves, and nightclubs.
At first, MDMA was intended as a treatment for a number of psychological issues. However, research is still being done to find out if these treatments are effective. Currently, though, the drug is not used for medical purposes.
What does molly do when I take it?
Molly is a drug that is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. As a stimulant, it heightens feelings of empathy, sociability, and euphoria. At the same time, as a hallucinogen, it can distort your senses as well as how you perceive time.
Molly affects the activities of three brain chemicals:
Dopamine: Molly increases the amount of dopamine in the brain, which causes you to feel euphoric and more energized.- Serotonin: Molly strengthens the effects of serotonin in the brain, which increases sociability, empathy, and even sexual arousal. Your appetite and sleep cycles may also be affected.
- Norepinephrine: Molly also increases norepinephrine levels in the brain, which makes your heart rate faster and blood pressure higher. These may lead to dangerous consequences later on.
Once you take molly – which usually comes in the form of tablets or capsules – you will begin to feel its effects after about 45 minutes. Before this, though, you may feel nauseated and uncomfortable. But once the molly has kicked in, you will feel relaxed and energized. You will feel the peak of these effects within 2 hours.
The pleasurable effects of molly last for a few hours, depending on your dosage. Molly tablets and capsules usually have 50 to 150 milligrams of MDMA, which will last anywhere between 3 to 6 hours.
As time passes, you will slowly feel the effects wearing off. After a few days, you could experience bouts of depression or anxiety, which are the opposite of what molly made you feel. This happens because the brain’s supply of serotonin becomes low.
Is molly addictive?
According to studies, molly is only mildly harmful. It’s about 8 times less damaging than alcohol. Molly has reportedly the same effects as other stimulants like cocaine, but molly is not as strong.
But that does not mean molly has zero addictive potential. It can still cause you to be addicted if you take it constantly over time in large doses. In other words, molly is not a “safe” drug.
Some users report negative effects like tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings for the drug.
Is molly legal?
Despite being not as addictive as other more potent recreational drugs, molly is still considered illegal. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies it as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it is not medically useful and has high potential for abuse.
Another danger of molly is that some variants do not contain MDMA. They may be sold as “molly,” but they actually contain other substances like cathinones (“bath salts”). These drugs produce stronger cravings and have more violent side effects.
Other versions of molly are also cut with other substances, which can lead to more harmful effects. These combinations of drugs are particularly dangerous, especially because you have no idea what’s actually inside.
What are the signs that I may be addicted to molly?
When the effects of the drug wear off, you may begin to experience withdrawal symptoms. These include:
- Depression
- Drug cravings
- Confusion
- Trouble focusing
- Memory problems
These symptoms happen because your brain is having a hard time adjusting to the absence of molly. Cravings for the drug can be particularly strong, and this can drive you to take more of it quickly. However, when you experience withdrawal, this does not mean that you are already addicted to the drug.
It’s common for users to keep taking molly to get rid of the annoying withdrawal symptoms. If you take molly repeatedly, you may experience the following:
Panic attacks- Increase in heart rate
- Changes in your heart rhythm
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Depression
- Seizures
- Dehydration
- Kidney problems
Consistent use of the drug will soon lead to tolerance, dependence, or addiction. Take note, though, that tolerance and dependence is not the same as addiction.
If you become tolerant to molly, you will need a higher dose to get the same effects as when you first took the drug. This happens to a lot of users, and this explains why they tend to take more molly as time goes by.
Dependence means that you keep experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the drug. This makes it harder to quit those drug habits, as you will keep getting cravings for it.
Once you become addicted to molly, you can no longer function normally without it. You will keep on seeking the drug, spending more and more time with it. In turn, you may neglect responsibilities like work, school, or family obligations.
Here is another clear sign of addiction: Even when using molly causes harm to you or others, you would continue to take it. You would have much less concern for how your drug use affects the well-being of yourself and other people. In turn, relationships with your family, friends, classmates, and co-workers will suffer.
What can I do if I’m addicted to molly?
Molly addiction is treatable. Treatments usually involve managing withdrawal symptoms, reducing drug cravings, helping you reduce your dosage to zero, and preventing relapse. There are no known medications, though, that can help you recover from molly addiction.
It’s best to seek professional help to get the best treatment options for you. You may get in touch with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through their hotline at 800-662-4357. You can also use their online treatment locator to find therapists in your area.
As with any substance use disorder, you can recover successfully from molly addiction, especially if you have the right environment, a strong support system, and, most importantly, commitment to recovery. It may take time, but living a sober life once again is very possible.