ECSTASY USE MAY AFFECT APPROACH TO LONELINESS

CHICAGO - People who use the drug Ecstasy cope with loneliness differently
than do people who use other drugs and people who don't use drugs, Canadian
researchers report. Noting that substance abuse and loneliness tend to be
linked - and that the drug MDMA, popularly known as Ecstasy, appears to
lift users' moods and improve their sociability - researchers from York
University in Toronto studied the issue in 818 people.

More than 100 reported being regular Ecstasy users; 88 used other
substances (such as alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines or heroin); and 624 said
they didn't use drugs. The people in the study also reflected on times they
had been lonely and answered questions about coping strategies that most
helped them. The questions focused on six areas: reflection and acceptance;
self-development and understanding (such as receiving professional help);
social support; distancing and denial of pain and loneliness; religion and
faith; and increased activity.

Ecstasy users were more likely than the other groups to use all the coping
strategies except reflection/acceptance and religion/faith, the researchers
found. The general population had used these strategies more than either
drug-using group.

The research was presented last week in Chicago at the annual meeting of
the American Psychological Association.

Because Ecstasy seems to help young people adopt many of the coping
techniques, such as being more sociable and more active, programs to
counsel users of the drug may need to focus on loneliness, the researchers say.