'ECSTASY' GIVES A NEW GENERATION THE HIGHS--AND LOWS--OF THE '60S

KENDALL PARK, N.J. -- I grew up in the 1960s and was part of a youth
culture that opposed war and advocated civil rights. Our banners included
sexual freedom, community, and chemically induced enlightenment. Folk music
carried our message and we believed ourselves unique.

I remember dismissing warnings against drug use as being "overreactions."
It seemed absurd that marijuana use might kill memory cells or that a tab
of LSD could affect unborn children. After all, these were "soft" drugs and
we were middle- and upper-class kids who used them to create community and
enhance personal growth.

Nearly four decades later, another youth subculture has emerged that
reminds me a lot of the '60s. They have yet to take a political stand
regarding war, but the signature of sex, drugs, and music packaged in a
philosophy of tribal community and personal awareness is startlingly familiar.

I am talking about the club drug culture and one of its drugs of choice,
Ecstasy, or "E."

Recent newspaper stories have reported young adults combining Ecstasy with
the anti-impotence drug Viagra in order to experience a sustained sexual
high. This practice--known in the club scene as "sextasy"--overcomes the
side effect of diminished sexual function that accompanies use of Ecstasy.

Addiction specialists say it also puts the user at increased risk of heart
problems (particularly if taken with amyl nitrite, or "poppers"), AIDS and
socially transmitted diseases, and post-E depression. When combined with
prescription drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which are often
prescribed as antidepressants, it may cause death.

What is the appeal of Ecstasy? The simple answer is that it makes one feel
good about self and others while being part of a larger community.

About 30 minutes after ingestion, one feels peaceful, empathetic and
energetic. Unlike drugs such as marijuana, LSD, or cocaine that produce
confused states, Ecstasy produces clarity. In contrast to normal social
isolation, a user often talks endlessly and shares inner feelings with
complete strangers.

For the life of the drug dose, utopia is created--a microcosm of world
peace, safety, and love. Many Ecstasy users say the insights revealed in
their first "E" experience motivated them to change their lives and pursue
inner dreams. They point to feeling a oneness with people and nature that
is hypnotic.

Unfortunately, as with cocaine, the intensity, insight, and power of the
first "E" high is rarely repeated. In addition, the "E" high is always
followed by depression and difficulty with memory recall that may last up
to a week.

This is because Ecstasy works by rapidly raising the level of serotonin--a
feel-good brain chemical--to very high levels, which depletes the store. As
a result, Ecstasy users awaken the next day with very low serotonin levels
and feel off-base until pre-usage levels are restored.

Research studies suggest that repeated use of Ecstasy leads to problems
with sleep, mood, and anxiety, as well as increased impulsivity, and
attention and/or memory problems. These effects may continue up to two
years after the drug is stopped.

I must say that the positive effects of Ecstasy are quite attractive and I
can identify with the quest for pleasure, enlightenment, and community. If
I were between the ages of 15 and 30, like most club drug participants, I
would certainly be tempted to try Ecstasy.

But I have developed a dual realization since my radical days in the '60s.
The first is that enlightenment is a lifelong process, and the second, that
it is best accomplished clean (of drugs) and sober.

I have found that such conscious awareness enhances all beauty and that the
formation of community takes work. While it is good to "feel" connected to
everyone, living out that ideal means looking closely at oneself, and
removing physical, emotional, and spiritual obstacles to isolation,
prejudice, and fears.

I recognize and support the quest for beauty and oneness of the club drug
generation and suggest that there is another ecstasy. One that is separate
and longer lasting than that induced chemically.

JUDY SHEPPS BATTLE is an addictions specialist, consultant, and freelance
writer.