You may have heard of Molly by now, the latest daughter drug of party-pill ecstasy. Marketed primarily to teens and young adults today, Molly derives from MDMA, a drug that acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Many believe that since the fall of ecstasy, Molly has risen as the purest and safest form of MDMA. The drug has been progressively glamorized by pop culture and the media as both a harmless substance and a necessary component to any late night scene.
If your son is staying out late, and is experimenting with drinking and drugs, there is a chance that he is abusing Molly. Abuse of Molly among young adults is extremely common today. Most users take Molly recreationally—it creates an altered mental state in which a person will experience great euphoria, mental alertness, increased energy, and increased sensory perception. Against all of its stimulating effects, the adverse side effects of Molly are not always apparent to the user. As a result, many people perceive no risk in taking the drug “a couple of times.”
Molly is now classified as a Schedule I substance, as it is not only illegal, but also carries a high potential of abuse. Found most commonly in pill form, Molly can be taken orally, injected, or snorted. Upon administration, Molly enters the blood stream and travels directly to the brain, altering its chemical structure and hindering proper communication between neurons. This is what produces the drug’s euphoric effects, but can become toxic for a teen’s central nervous system, and can send a young body into overdrive with prolonged use.
While many don’t see addiction as a risk of Molly abuse, psychological dependence on the drug is highly probably given its euphoric effects. Many teens and young adults seek out Molly regardless of its consequences, in order to mitigate a lack of pleasure in their lives or to alleviate the inevitable “boredom” present in adolescence.
Dependence is one risk, but the unpredictable perils of Molly make its abuse much more of a dangerous dance. While many see it as an untainted stimulant, Molly is actually a synthetic, designer drug made in home laboratories and put on the streets. While most young users are made to believe that they are taking the purest version of the drug, only 13 percent of Molly today actually contains any MDMA whatsoever, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. When tested, most Molly contains some muddle of dangerous chemicals with a toxic combination of drugs. Often these chemicals are the same ingredients found in “bath salts.”
Warning Signs of Molly Addiction
If your child is using drugs, or partying late with his friends, you may want to watch for these warning signs of Molly abuse. Not only is he at risk of addiction, but he is also putting his life on the line with every dose.
The short-term effects of Molly puts a user at risk of:
- Increased heart rate
- Heavy sweating and/or chills
- Teeth clenching
- Elevated body temperature (can lead to organ failure and death)
- Dehydration
- Convulsions or seizures
- Depression
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Confusion or trouble thinking straight
- Loss of appetite
Behavioral Signs of Molly Addiction in your teen include:
- Frequently attends dance clubs, raves, and/or music festivals
- Comes home late, abnormally exhausted
- Drinks and smokes marijuana
- Experiences great depression, often mid-week
- Lowered immune system
- Insomnia
- Chronic exhaustion
- Violent or panicked behavior
- Hallucinations
Molly Addiction Treatment
Knowing the signs and symptoms of Molly use in your teen will be your first step to get him on the road to recovery. Molly abuse can bring your child into withdrawal, a time in which he will feel as though he physically needs the drug to function properly. In this case, he will need to undergo detoxification in order to rid the body, not only of MDMA, but other potential chemicals it may have been mixed with. Molly withdrawal symptoms include aggressiveness, anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, memory or cognitive issues, and mood swings.
Because Molly is often accompanied by these withdrawal effects, teenagers and young adults may relapse if they attempt to go through this stage on their own. Taking this into their own hands can ultimately lead to overdose. Teen drug treatment professionals, with the adoption of counseling and behavioral therapies, can teach adolescents and young adults to cope and move forward from the damaging effects of drug use.
In particular, young men abusing Molly or MDMA may consider inpatient rehabilitation as a next step towards proper recovery. By being under watchful care, with attentive medical assistance, a young adult is able to thrive in a safe, sober environment without the outside pressures of parties, social scenes, and drug activity. In Turning Point’s young adult drug rehab program, we are able to assist young men in addressing the root cause of their Molly use, and help them develop the skills to carry out a successful recovery and drug-free future. Call us today for more information at 877-581-1793.