RECOVERING FROM ADDICTION NOT SIMPLE TASK

Ecstasy Treatment Requires Getting To Root Of Cause For Use

William Hobbs, drug and alcohol interventionist at Centerstone,
specializes in treating meth addicts. But when he treats people who
are hooked on Ecstasy, he sees similar reactions.

Hobbs said the common ingredient in Ecstasy is methamphetamine, or
meth.

Ecstasy's formal name is methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA. It
is an illegal drug that acts as a stimulant and psychedelic,
producing an energizing effect.

"Ecstasy is meth with other ingredients and hallucinogens in it,"
Hobbs said. "Many young people know about the danger of taking meth,
but because not much is known about Ecstasy, and it's not known it
contains meth, they try it.

"If you would ask someone if they'd like some meth ... they may say,
'No I don't want to try that,' but if you ask someone if they want
some Ecstasy, they may try it."

The drug known as the "love drug" or "hug drug" is highly addictive.
It can provide temporary feelings of euphoria and happiness, but the
aftereffect can be long term, both physically and emotionally, Hobbs
said.

Former Ecstasy users might not be able to see the devastating effect
of their addiction, Hobbs said.

"It's very hard to get them to see the downside when they talk about
the euphoric recall," he said.

X Effects

"When you take it, you feel good. You also can have sort of a
distortions in lights, in time and you crave tactile touch. That's
why it's considered the 'love drug,' they like to be touched," Hobbs
said.

Hobbs said a person using Ecstasy usually feels good, but what the
drug does to the body runs much deeper than emotions.

Ecstasy contains hallucinogens. It also increases blood pressure and
blood rate, and it makes body temperature difficult to regulate.

Someone using Ecstasy can overheat quickly, and the hyperthermia can
result in kidney damage.

Other effects include heart attack, stroke and death, Hobbs
said.

Teeth grinding and excessive thirst also are common side
effects.

Users can feel confused or aggressive while high, and Hobbs said
users are at high risk because their decision making ability is impaired.

Sexual impulsiveness is common and precautions might be ignored,
raising the risk of disease and pregnancy, Hobbs said.

The drug distorts chemical reactions in the brain.

"It hijacks your body's normal process and makes your body release
excess chemicals of dopamine and other chemicals," Hobbs said. "As
long as you take the drug, you have that euphoric effect. ... When
you crash, your body is without those things. Your natural ability to
make your body feel happy is not the same."

Hobbs said the body loses the ability to produce serotonin and
dopamine.

Changes in serotonin affect multiple functions of the central nervous
system, including mood, sleep, vomiting, sexuality and appetite.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter similar to adrenaline. It is
associated with thought processes and affects a person's movement,
emotional response and the capacity to feel pleasure and pain.

"If you don't have a lot of serotonin, you feel sad, depressed and
may feel suicidal," Hobbs said. "They've seen in animal studies you
have damage to the serotonin system years later after using 10 days.
These are not safe drugs."

Treating addicts

Hobbs said treatment for an Ecstasy addict requires getting to the
root of why the use began.

"It's not different than the use of any drug. They use it to feel
better, to make them forget about stuff they don't want to deal
with," he said.

"The other side of it is they use Ecstasy when they feel good. They
use it to feel better when they feel good. It's not uncommon to use
any substance to cover up any emotion. Until the person learns how to
deal with problems and cravings, they will depend on the drug."

Hobbs said treatment is essential for an Ecstasy addict.

"Treatment isn't just a singular event. You don't just go over here
and do this and you're done. It's a lifelong process," Hobbs said.
"It takes time to learn those coping skills. It's not perfect the
first time you try."

Hobbs said an Ecstasy addict should go to a treatment center for at
least 90 days. During that time, he said, an addict learns to
understand what he is doing to himself by using Ecstasy.

"If all you remember is euphoric recall, it can be a downside," he
said. "In treatment, you see the downside and get them thinking and
knowing about the process of euphoric recall. They can examine their
whole experience and see what impact it had on their life."

During treatments, Hobbs said, he teaches addicts how to deal with
cravings and anxiety, including techniques of breathing and
relaxation to stop thoughts about drug use.

Recovering addicts have 10 sponsors or people they know written on a
card they keep in their wallet. They can call these people for support.

Talking about the issue, reaching out to others and sharing
experiences is part of the healing process, he said. Talking to
someone is also a distraction technique.

Hobbs said recognizing emotions and putting names to those emotions
helps addicts learn to cope with their feelings.

"It's not just enough not to use," he said. "You have to teach them
coping skills."