Drug Cocktails: Ecstasy and Alcohol, Just How Dangerous is it?

Ecstasy and alcohol, two drugs that are common throughout the world, especially at clubs, bars, festivals, and raves. Ecstasy, a popular name for MDMA, is considered to be the most popular illegal club drug while alcohol is also one of the most popular legal drugs in use today. Over the past 20 years, ecstasy abuse has significantly risen while combining alcohol with it is becoming the ‘thing to do’. Oftentimes, people will take one of the small colorful pills of ecstasy on a night out; the venue they are at will likely serve alcohol that is too tempting to resist. Unfortunately, very little thought is put into the idea of this drug cocktail and the harmful effects that could happen as a result of mixing alcohol and ecstasy.

Alcohol

Although many people assume alcohol to be a stimulant, it is in fact a depressant. When a person drinks alcohol, it gets distributed throughout portions of the body that contain water; such as the brain. The brain is what controls our cognitive thinking and behavior; thus once alcohol is introduced to the body, the person may become dehydrated and suffer from a loss of inhibition followed by a decrease in alertness, impaired judgment, lack of concentration, and decrease in coordination. Alcohol also affects the body’s ability to control its temperature, making over-heating a real possibility.

Ecstasy on the other hand is a stimulant which causes the brain to release chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine which are associated with pleasure and excitement. Along with the high comes clenching of the jaw, thirst, paranoia, and depression amongst others. Oftentimes, ecstasy is taken in a club environment where it is already hot and overcrowded. People often forget to drink plenty of water or instead will drink alcohol as an attempt to quench their thirst; through this, the person becomes extremely dehydrated. Additionally, serotonin also helps to regulate the body’s temperature. This chemical is being affected by the ecstasy; therefore, the body struggles to regulate its own temperature, and furthermore can become overheated without warning.

The Drug Cocktail

Through mixing alcohol and ecstasy, not only is the user at risk for mixing a sedative and a stimulant which can cause irregular heartbeats, but also dehydration and overheating is a major factor. Because both of these drugs can cause the bodies temperature to rise without warning, a severe heatstroke can occur. This can potentially cause life threatening problems including unstoppable bleeding, liver and kidney failure, coma, and death. The majority of ecstasy related deaths that have occurred in the past were because the user was also consuming alcohol. Both of these drugs can cloud a person’s ability to ‘function’; this can cause numerous problems including accidents and other dangerous situations.

Warning Signs

Due to the fact that alcohol and ecstasy are such a popular combination to mix, it is crucial for people to be able to recognize the warning signs of overheating and dehydration:

• feeling very hot, unwell and confused
• inability to talk properly
• headache
• nausea and vomiting
• inability to urinate or urine becoming thick and dark
• not sweating even when dancing
• heart rate and pulse not slowing down even during resting
• fainting, collapsing or convulsing.

If one should notice any or all of these signs, intake water, sit down, and get help immediately.

The Bottom Line

All in all, alcohol and ecstasy is a drug cocktail that offers up a double dose of potential dehydration, overheating, coordination loss, and impaired alertness. These drugs, are harmful on their own, but are especially dangerous when mixed.

An addiction to alcohol or ecstasy should be look at very seriously and should be treated. The Cabin Chiang Mai can help you or a loved one to overcome their addiction and take back their life. Contact us today.