Amy Thomson was just 16 years old when her entire life changed with just one pill. At a party in Glasgow, the teenager took MDMA and collapsed. For more than a month, Amy was hospitalized as doctors fought to stabilize her condition. A month later, her parents posted a video of her which showed a much different Amy than the one seen in her other social media pictures. Amy was in a wheelchair, her fingers curled, and her speech incredibly slurred. Amy was transferred to a special rehabilitation for brain injury because the MDMA she took had severely injured her brain. Likely, the supposedly pure MDMA Amy was given was not pure, as is often the case. The stimulant and hallucinogenic drug is known for being “dirty” cut with anything from heroin to crystal meth to LSD to cocaine and more. Unreliable and unpredictable, MDMA use poses a dangerous risk to those willing to try it.
There is an entire generation of millennials and GenX and GenY of people who love “Molly”, as MDMA is called. The party drug has a special place in the dance music scene where people celebrate Electronic Dance Music. First gaining notoriety in the trance, house, and techno music underground rave scenes of the nineties and early millennia, EDM has transformed into a global enterprise. EDM music festivals happen all over the world and attract thousands of party-goers who are likely to do a drug like MDMA. The hyper masculine culture of young men is also deeply intertwined in the EDM and MDMA scene, which puts young men at risk. Festivals are known to see four or five overdoses on MDMA a day, sending young people to the hospital and flooding on site medic tents.
MDMA causes the brain and body to speed up, get lost in hallucinatory trances, and ignore signs of danger. People under the influence of MDMA are known to grind their teeth unknowingly, bite their lip, and become seriously overheated. Overheating is the main risk for MDMA use as it can cause a kidney shut down, interrupt the flow of oxygen to the brain, and put someone into a coma. MDMA can cause fainting, panic attacks, seizures, and a loss of consciousness.
The biggest risk of MDMA is hyperthermia. EDM concerts and music festivals are full of people packed into one place, are often outside in warm weather, and include a lot of dancing. Hyperthermia raises the body temperature especially when there is vigorous physical activity like dancing, jumping, moving, and the ever popular fist pumping. If overheating isn’t quickly treated, it can lead to a severe electrolyte deficiency leading to renal failure or swelling of the brain. Brain swelling can be fatal or lead to long term damages, like the ones being experienced by Amy Thomson.
Recovery for men needs to be mind, body, and spirit. At Tree House Recovery we are building men from the ground up with sustainable changes to create a sustainable recovery. Call us today for information on our treatment programs and how we can help you find freedom from addiction: (855) 202-2138
