Ecstasy is a chemical that is usually taken orally as a capsule or tablet. It is a man-made drug that is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens.6 Taking ecstasy causes chemical changes in the brain that affect your mood, appetite and sleep.7
While taking ecstasy some people experience muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, and chills or sweating. Some people also experience confusion, depression, sleep problems, and severe anxiety while taking ecstasy, even for days or weeks after.8
Ecstasy has been shown to damage nerve cells in the brains of animals. The cells most vulnerable are those that are involved with mood, appetite, sleep, and memory. Animal research has shown that ecstasy is also linked to long-term damage to neurons that are involved in mood, thinking and judgment. Ecstasy can make it difficult for your body to control its temperature. This can cause hyperthermia, which is an increase in body temperature that can lead to liver, kidney and heart failure9 Although this is a rare event, it is also unpredictable.