[boomerjones99]

I want to start off by saying I'm in no way a doctor or trained medical professional. I'm 19 years old, and this information is subjective to me, but also supported by anectodal research I have done over through other forums. Ecstasy will likely NOT help all people, but will definatly help some (if not most)

If you've never had any experience with ecstasy, you probably have a very negative image of it. It's a class A drug, however it's NOT addictive, and has some VERY theraputic qualities to it. In fact, before it was made illegal, it was being used by psychiatrists, and it today being used very successfully on people with post traumatic stress disorder. Of course, it's not 100% safe, but when used responsibly people generally get no negative side effects. (If you've ever heard of the 'holes in your brain' propaganda, I will be provide proof that thats not true)

Ecstasy is not like any other drug. The 'high' you get is so complex, and so much more than just happy and energetic, as most people may think. It allowed me to open up to my friends and express my feelings, maybe for the first time in my life. I've always been very private with my feelings, but being on ecstasy takes away any anxiety you would generally feel. It also increases your social skills by a 10 fold. Your speech is quicker, wittier, and you never have a word at the tip or your tongue, and you never studder. It gave me confidence for the first time in a LONG TIME. These things may not sound like much, but you cannot understand it's power unless you try it.

Ecstasy gives you a clear head, and your able to think about touchy subjects without getting anxiety, therefor you can think more clearly. You will truly realize while on this drug, how silly some of your behaviour is.

After taking ecstasy for the first time, I could FEEL that some of the effects were still with me. I still felt more confident, more outgoing, and got less anxiety around people. I was able to be more relaxed and focused on conversations, instead of trying to get inside the persons head who I was talking to. I have taken ecstasy 5 times since I first tried it a year ago, and my life is so much different now.

I've had social anxiety since I was a child, possibly avoidant personality disorder. However, I will say I don't think it was quite as severe as some people on this forum. I used to pretend I didn't see people I knew when I would walk right by them, because I wouldn't have anything to say and would look like an idiot. Now I am more relaxed and can make small talk, something I could never grasp before. I'm going out and seeking new friends now. I'm in college staying in residence, and I thought I would just be hiding in my room most of the time, alone, but instead I'm out hanging out with my friends.

Now of course, you should never take my word for any of this. If your interested in this though, do some of your own research. Google! Learn more about this amazing drug on your own. I recommend doing this drug with a few of your friends, but try to be in a situation where you can practice your social skills, and build confidence.

NOTE: If your on an anti depressant, you won't feel any effects from ecstasy.
Be careful when getting ecstasy, many of the pills may contain other substances, and maybe not even any MDMA (which is the chemical that you want)
For the sake of you brain, ecstasy should only be used once every 3 months or so, so your brain can fully recover. Abusing this drug will make all of your problems worse

I highly recommend watching this documentary with Peter Jennings called Ecstasy Rising, it goes more in depth to the effects and risks. Full version is about 45 mins, shortenned is around 10
LINKS
Full:
Here's a good thread on pre and post loading, which is taking supplements that will reduce any damage done to your body by ecstasy:
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=407429

Erowid is another great and informative site, they offer tons of links and information about anything you could want to know.
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma.shtml

Feel free to post any experiences you've had, good or bad, with ecstasy with respect to your social anxiety

EDIT: Also i want to add that this is not some miracle cure, I believe it has to be used in combination with a healthy lifestyle and a strong effort to actually overcome social anxiety. Again, this is all subjective. What worked for me may not work for you. But I just had to make this thread and share my story, in hopes that it would atleast help one person.

 

[millenniumman75]

I don't know this. If taking this drug supposedly reduces people to using pacifiers and waving lightstick rattles like a baby, I wouldn't be for it. :no

 

[lyricalillusions]

Ecstasy drastically reduces the brains serotonin level, irrevocably, especially when used often. That can CAUSE social anxiety, not cure it. I've even heard others say that their SA was caused for that very reason: using ecstasy. Despite the heart problems it causes, which is another of the thousands of reasons it's so dangerous.

 

[VanDamMan]

E is a derivative of amphetamines.

However I believe the FDA has approved for two different mental conditions for use by psychiatrists.

 

[JimmyDeansRetartedCousin]

SWIM tried it a couple of times, The best times were when SWIM and a bunch of SWIMS friends (about 8 in total) obtained some pure MDMA crystals. We all sat around on cushions on the floor of SWIMS house and blissed out. Talking beautiful nonsence that seemed so profound at the time. We made sure to only take small doses that were relevant to our body mass and were sufficiantly hydrated. There was also a doctor present.
Exercise extreme caution if you are considering taking this, personally SWIM wouldn't buy ecstacy tablets they cut them stuff with all sorts of **** that SWIM would rather not ingest.

 

[VanDamMan]

Swim?

 

[JimmyDeansRetartedCousin]

Someone Who Isn't Me.

Google is your friend

 

[crayzyMed]

Stop using swim please, its the most stupid thing on the internet, it wil NOT protect you at all, if you are uncomfortable posting about illegal drug use then dont post it

XTC has has had a DRAMATIC positive effect on my social anxiety, its also the only drug that can have a positive impact (next to psychedelics) coke, speed etc will have a negative impact, even weed has a very negative impact on social anxiety.

That said the neurological cause of SA is still there, it wont cure you, it will just teach you social skills and help build up confidence.

 

[crayzyMed]

Ecstasy drastically reduces the brains serotonin level, irrevocably, especially when used often. That can CAUSE social anxiety, not cure it. I've even heard others say that their SA was caused for that very reason: using ecstasy. Despite the heart problems it causes, which is another of the thousands of reasons it's so dangerous.

XTC should be used with the neceserry supplements to prevent any possible neurotoxiticy from occuring, even vitamin C+aspirin will do the trick.

That said the negative effects associated with XTC most likely come from polydrug use.

J Psychoactive Drugs. 2007 Mar;39(1):31-9.Links
Is recreational ecstasy (MDMA) use associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms?
Guillot C.

University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS, USA. [email protected]

Due to potential serotonergic deficits, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) may cause long-term mood disruptions in recreational Ecstasy users. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the evidence for a relationship between recreational Ecstasy use and higher levels of depressive symptoms. Eleven out of 22 studies initially have reported significantly higher depression scores in Ecstasy users in comparison to control participants. However, only three studies ultimately have revealed significantly higher depression scores in comparison to cannabis or polydrug controls. Furthermore, most studies have suffered from methodological weaknesses, and the levels of depressive symptoms that have been found in Ecstasy users have not been shown to be much higher than those found in normative groups. The evidence for an association specifically between Ecstasy use and higher levels of depressive symptoms is currently unconvincing, but the frequent concomitant use of Ecstasy and other illicit drugs has been shown to be associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. Possible causes include polydrug use in general, MDMA-induced serotonergic deficits, individual effects of illicit drugs besides Ecstasy, combined effects of MDMA and other illicit drugs, and preexisting differences in the levels of depressive symptoms in Ecstasy users.

PMID: 17523583 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007 Mar 16;87(2-3):303-11. Epub 2006 Oct 30.Click here to read Click here to read Links
Anxiety, depression, and behavioral symptoms of executive dysfunction in ecstasy users: contributions of polydrug use.
Medina KL, Shear PK.

Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive (151B), San Diego, CA 92161, USA. [email protected]

BACKGROUND: Given ecstasy's (MDMA) potential serotonergic neurotoxicity, it is plausible that regular ecstasy users would have an elevated prevalence of behavioral executive dysfunction or mood symptoms. However, recent studies have found that the relationship between ecstasy use and psychological symptoms was no longer significant after controlling for marijuana use (e.g., Morgan et al., 2002). The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between ecstasy exposure and self-reported executive functioning and psychological symptoms after controlling for gender, ethnicity, and other drug use. METHODS: Data were collected from 65 men and women with a wide range of ecstasy use (including 17 marijuana-using controls). Participants were administered the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for adults, and the Beck Depression Inventory-2nd edition. RESULTS: Although 19-63% of the ecstasy users demonstrated clinically elevated psychological symptoms, frequency of ecstasy use did not predict the psychological symptoms. No gender differences or interactions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results revealed that, although ecstasy users demonstrate elevated levels of psychological symptoms and executive dysfunction, these symptoms are not statistically associated with their ecstasy consumption. Instead, other drug use (alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and inhalants) significantly predict psychological symptoms in this sample of polydrug users.

PMID: 17074449 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

If you want to avoid negative effects, use XTC ALONE (no poly drug use) and use enough anti oxidants and other supplements that prevent neurotoxiticy.

And the most impartant thing, use with moderation!

 

[JimmyDeansRetartedCousin]

SWIM will continue to call himself SWIM whenever SWIM feels the need. SWIM is drinking a Stella Artois right now and SWIM likes it (thanks belgium). On a serious note I think SWIM might Go for a Swim tomorow, front crawl is weak.

 

[boomerjones99]

Ecstasy drastically reduces the brains serotonin level, irrevocably, especially when used often. That can CAUSE social anxiety, not cure it. I've even heard others say that their SA was caused for that very reason: using ecstasy. Despite the heart problems it causes, which is another of the thousands of reasons it's so dangerous.

Somewhat true, however serotonin is reduced usually for about a week to a month, until it returns back to normal. 5-HTP is a great supplement to take after using ecstasy to help speed up this process. When people abuse this drug, serotonin receptors can be damaged for long periods of time, however they do repair, but it's not known whether or not when they repair they are as productive as they once were. I won't argue that social anxiety isn't a side effect from longterm ecstasy abuse, because it seems for many, it is. Moderation is key.

Using ecstasy once every few months generally will not cause any short or long term damage to serotonin levels or receptors. This is supported by studies which can be found in the links I have provided.

 

[soto]

be careful man, I've known more than a few people who have 'self-medicated' with MDMA in order to overcome depression, anxiety and even PTSD. Eventually you come full circle and end up fueling your depression and anxiety and dealing with mood swings mid-week on a constant basis. I'm not an anti-drug type by any means, I think in moderation people can gain something positive from MDMA and gain some insight, just don't fall for the illusion that it is an effective therapeutic for chronic use.

 

[Classified]

I've never taken it, but I wonder if using less amounts as a prescription drug would make SA therapy work better.

Then again, dancing at a club in Ibiza waving lightsticks around probably would help SA too.

 

[Your Crazy]

Stay away from that **** please...

 

[Dempsey]

I tried it once. Made me very open, I was not in the slightest way anxious, and I was obsessed with one person and couldn't leave them alone for about an hour.
Afterward I was still pretty much the same I was before. The effects of the drug dont strike me as a long-term solution.

 

[crayzyMed]

I tried it once. Made me very open, I was not in the slightest way anxious, and I was obsessed with one person and couldn't leave them alone for about an hour.
Afterward I was still pretty much the same I was before. The effects of the drug dont strike me as a long-term solution.

The point is too gain confidence and social skills on the experience, the anti social anxiety effect lasts a day after taking the mdma for me, so that was a great oppertunity to go out with ppl.

The "chemical" cause of social anxiety doesnt get fixed unfortionally.

 

[crayzyMed]

Stay away from that **** please...

I dont know where that picture is coming from, but i assume some bad propaganda site, its best to just look up objective information about XTC.

 

[boomerjones99]

Stay away from that **** please...

Please don't post government propaganda without the context. That shows serotonin levels right after ecstasy use. But guess what, your brain can and will make back the serotonin! Give it a week and it's almost back to normal, and around 6 weeks and it IS back to normal. I'll try and find the study that proves this. FYI American government isn't the most reliable and unbiased place to get information.

NOTE: Abusing the drugs and using it more then say 8 times a year, you could destroy your serotonin receptors, in which case this image would be somewhat true, but to infer that your brain is 'half' of what it used to be after one usage is complete bull

EDIT: Here's an article from the NY Times (notice not government related, and impartial to the issue)
"Pictures from the study aEUR" PET scans of the brains of Ecstasy users aEUR" were used on a famous postcard from the drug agency, "Plain Brain/Brain After Ecstasy." The postcards were distributed to thousands of teenagers and implied that Ecstasy users had shrunken brains with holes in them.

The study had nothing to do with holes, but with serotonin levels, which Dr. Ricaurte found drastically depleted in 14 subjects who had taken Ecstasy 70 to 400 times.

Dr. Marc Laruelle, a Columbia University PET scan specialist, called the work so technically flawed that it was "something to put under the rug." He cited a recent German study showing that serotonin decreased only modestly and returned to normal within six weeks. The Hopkins team, he said, presented its data in logarithmically compressed graphs that seemed calculated to mask the fact that it had found impossible results: its 15 "control" subjects had serotonin levels 50 times normal."

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1857/a03.html

 

[crayzyMed]

Please don't post government propaganda without the context. That shows serotonin levels right after ecstasy use. But guess what, your brain can and will make back the serotonin! Give it a week and it's right back to normal. I'll try and find the study that proves this. FYI American government isn't the most reliable and unbiased place to get information.

NOTE: Abusing the drugs and using it more then say 8 times a year, you could destroy your serotonin receptors, in which case this image would be somewhat true, but to infer that your brain is 'half' of what it used to be after one usage is complete bull

Ive used MDMA twice a week for 1 year, considering that i have social anxiety and never noticed it getting worse due to my MDMA use, i do not beleive MDMA on its own does any kind of long term damage.

Polydrug use is another story tough, i only used MDMA not even weed or alcohol. Those 2 studies i posted support the fact that its poly drug use that explains the long term symptons associated with MDMA use. [1][2]

 

[VanDamMan]

Did anyone see the 90210 when Brandon did Euphoria..............that was awesome.