Hazards of Molly

I recently wrote about the reappearance of MDMA or ecstasy as Molly. Despite it being touted as a casual and safe party drug, its hazardous potential cannot be underestimated. 

Case in point: Over the long Labor Day weekend, two young people died from ingesting Molly at an electronic music festival here in New York City. "Electronic music festival" is what used to be called a rave, just as Molly was called something else. As long as there are revelers, there will be chemicals that alter the mind.

Again, education is the best defense. 

Pills Are So Hip!

If AA isn't hip, pill-taking is, apparently.
The fashion designer Betsey Johnson for her upcoming fall fashion show in New York has designed invitations to look like prescription bottles filled with breath mints. 

Photo By George Chinsee

I am not sure how I feel about this. 
On the one hand, psycho-pharmacotherapy has helped countless people manage symptoms of mental illness. 
On the other hand, abuse and overprescribing have created unnecessary suffering
and deaths. 

Does it promote irresponsible drug taking? 
Or, should we accept that everyone is medicated and move on?

It seems this is yet another example of what some people do for fun (recreationally using anti-anxiety and narcotic drugs; taking Adderall or Ritalin to enhance mental functioning or just to stay awake to drink more) has the potential to be very harmful.

I hope there is a label on that "funny" invitation to warn people that medications need to be treated with caution.

More to come on psychostimulant abuse...

Molly Will Make You Pay

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor a scientist. Following article may contain inaccuracies, and it is not my intention to disseminate medical information or advice. It is my personal take on drug use and its effect on mood and emotional health. Also, I am not endorsing or condoning recreational or pharmaceutical drug use.

In my work as a drug/mental health clinician at an outpatient mental health clinic, I was recently introduced to Molly. I wasn’t sure what it was and thought it was one of the newer synthetic drugs that are named to sound either like a candy or a cleaning agent. But The New York Times set me straight in a recent article. Molly is supposedly short for "molecule," convincing the user that it's pure MDMA (concocted in a laboratory by scientists!). And, it is a white powder, making it more difficult to adulterate than as a pill. Users are marketed to believe that it's purer and cleaner than Ecstasy, making it safer. And, because of its reported potential benefit as a tool for psychotherapy and treatment of PTSD, Molly can't possibly be harmful, and it may be actually beneficial! So goes the justification. 

The article quotes a drug user of notoriety who says cocaine is grimy and dirty (First World drug user's awareness of War on Drugs and narcotrafficking?) and marijuana is smelly and no longer fashionable. It's entered popular culture big time, and its touchy feely, feel good vibe makes it all the more attractive. It promotes a heighten state of sensuality (not just sexuality), and a simple loft dance party has the potential to become a spiritual happening among one's tribe. 

But is there ever a free ride for a neurotransmitter flood that makes you feel euphoric and at peace with yourself and strangers? Unless you are a disciplined meditator or a runner who experiences runner’s high, the short cuts, such as Molly, comes with a hefty price tag. The serotonin rush, Molly-induced euphoria, depletes the brain of serotonin and so for a few days afterwards, until the brain rebalances itself, you will experience depression and dysphoria.

For those of you who are susceptible to symptoms of depression or clinically depressed (now or in the past), post MDMA blues can mean suicidally dark moods, or it can trigger another major depressive episode. And continued use (abuse) of MDMA can permanently upset the balance of serotonin, which I interpret to mean that your ability to experience pleasure and happiness is permanently lowered, in addition to higher likelihood of memory and attention problems. However, it’s impossible to predict how someone will react, not just to one-time use but repeated use over time. This is especially worrisome with people with preexisting mental health issues.

I also want to caution that if you are taking one of the more popular antidepressants such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil) or SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors: Effexor, Pristiq, Cymbalta), you won’t feel Molly’s full effects since your brain is being treated to avoid serotonin flooding to maintain a steady supply. So it’s really just a waste of money and effort. But, more importantly, why mess with your brain while you are being treated for a mental illness?

And if you are taking something more serious like older antidepressants or antipsychotics (Nardil, Parnate, Abilify, Seroquel), please reconsider using Molly or any other street drugs. Combining serious prescription drugs with street drugs can be dangerous and it is never a good idea. If you are considering using, I hope you feel comfortable enough to bring it up to your psychiatrist or GP, whoever is doing the prescribing of your psychiatric medications.

Even though I try not to advise, one bit of advice I find myself repeating is, especially to clients with substance abuse issues, to consider the consequences of a decision before acting on it. It’s a simple act of reflection, checking in with yourself before acting on a desire mindlessly. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but with practice it does get easier. 

We are constantly offered short cuts and conveniences that promise quick jolts of pleasure instantly. Drugs such as Molly can deliver what it promises, but like making a major purchase on credit, you have to pay it back, with interest.