Ecstasy/MDMA is a synthetic drug that acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. It energizes users and promotes initial feelings of euphoria, but later disorients them and hinders their ability to gauge time and motion.
This substance has several different street names, including Molly and X. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies it as a Schedule I drug, and currently, there is no accepted medical use for it. As such, Molly is often abused by individuals seeking a quick high.
How long does a Molly trip last? Understanding the effects of this drug can help you identify signs of an overdose in someone you love. Today, we’re taking a close look at what Molly is, how it works, and where to seek help for an addiction.
What Is Molly?
The common name for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine is MDMA. This drug alters a user’s mood and perception, hindering their ability to be fully aware of their surroundings and conditions. Its chemical profile evokes both upticks in energy and pleasure. which soon give way to sensory distortions and mental fog.
Decades ago, Ecstasy/MDMA was known as a popular nightclub drug. Its stimulating effects made it a staple at late-night dance parties or raves, as it could help users stay awake for long periods of time. Now, it’s abused by a wider range of people, who often refer to it as Molly.
The nickname Molly is short for “molecular” because many people mistakenly believe that the drug only contains pure MDMA in crystalline form. However, most forms of Molly contain trace amounts of other drugs, such as synthetic cathinones, or bath salts.
How Do People Take It?
Molly is most often taken as a tablet or a capsule. However, it’s also available in a liquid form, or users can grind it into a fine powder and snort it.
To enhance its effects, users often take Molly in conjunction with other drugs, including marijuana and alcohol. They may also combine it with other illicit substances, such as heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, and LSD.
What Does It Do to the Brain?
The appeal of Molly is its ability to alter someone’s perception of time and space. This effect traces back to how the drug interacts with three major brain chemicals. These include:
- Norepinephrine
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
Let’s break down the major changes that occur.
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is a brain chemical that increases focus and attention. It’s also responsible for helping to regulate the following sensations:
- Arousal
- Alertness
- Memory formation/retrieval
- Vigilance
In addition, norepinephrine also supports a process called vasoconstriction, which is a narrowing of the blood vessels. When it’s present at high levels, it can lead to a faster heart rate and increased blood pressure. This effect is risky for anyone but can be especially dangerous in someone with a pre-existing cardiovascular condition.
Dopamine
Dopamine is often called the “happy hormone” or the “feel-good hormone.” This neurotransmitter is the main driver of the brain’s reward system and plays a major role in functions such as:
- Motivation
- Learning
- Pleasure
- Movement
- Memory
When someone’s dopamine levels are high, they might feel excessively energetic and active. They may also feel a rush of pleasure and reward, which reinforces their continued drug use.
Serotonin
Serotonin is another feel-good hormone, most commonly referred to as the “happiness molecule.” This is the chemical that carries key messages between the nerve cells in the brain and the rest of a person’s body. In this way, it helps to regulate several key processes, including:
- Sleep
- Mood
- Digestion
- Appetite
- Bone health
- Wound healing
Taking Molly can release large amounts of serotonin into a person’s brain. This helps explain why the drug is so closely associated with feelings of trust, arousal, mood elevation, and empathy.
Other Side Effects
In addition to the ways that Molly acts on a person’s brain, it can also have other side effects felt throughout the body. Some of the most common symptoms associated with this drug include:
- Nausea
- Muscle cramping
- Increased perspiration
- Chills
- Involuntary teeth grinding or clenching
- Blurred vision
Signs of an Overdose
If someone abuses any form of MDMA to the point of an overdose, this could point to a more serious drug addiction. Overdosing on this substance can be very dangerous and even lethal. Signs that someone has reached this point include:
- Abnormal heart rate or rhythm
- Hyperthermia (bodily overheating, especially in hot or crowded environments, such as concerts)
- Seizures
- Dysregulated body temperature
- Seizures
Very high doses of Molly can affect a person’s ability to safely regulate their body temperature. As a result, their internal temperature can spike. This can damage many different internal organs, including the:
- Kidney
- Liver
- Heart
Overdoses are more common when people choose to take second, third, and subsequent doses of Molly to expand the effects of their first dose. This can heighten the levels of the substance they have in their brains, body, and bloodstream, which makes an overdose more likely.
Serotonin Syndrome
Especially when taken with other drugs, high levels of Molly can also trigger a condition called serotonin syndrome. This occurs when someone’s serotonin levels become elevated to a very dangerous degree. This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Signs that someone is experiencing serotonin syndrome include:
- Muscle tremors
- Seizure
- Irregular heartbeat
- Fevers
- Unconsciousness
Seek emergency help if you notice any of the signs above. Even one Molly overdose can be fatal, and it’s important to know the signs to look for.
How Long Does a Molly Trip Last?
For most people, the effects of Molly tend to last anywhere from three to six hours. When the initial reaction begins to eventually wear off, many individuals choose to take a second dose so they can continue the experience.
It’s important to understand that using illegal substances like Molly even moderately can lead to long-lasting effects. Over the course of a week, someone who used Molly may experience lingering symptoms. Some of the most common ones include:
- Impulsivity
- Aggression
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sleep problems
- Memory problems
- Decreased appetite
These effects can be even more prominent if the person used Molly alongside other substances, such as marijuana.
Signs of MDMA Withdrawal
MDMA can be both physically and psychologically addictive. When someone decides to stop using this hallucinogenic stimulant, they can experience very intense and often uncomfortable side effects. Some of the most common signs of withdrawal include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Agitation
- Confusion
- Paranoia
- Strong cravings
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Loss of appetite
These sensations occur because the person’s brain has become dependant upon Molly to function correctly. It’s grown used to those high levels of dopamine and serotonin, for instance, and now it doesn’t know how to naturally produce those chemicals on its own.
The severity and duration of Molly withdrawal symptoms depend on a few different factors, including:
- Age
- Genetics
- Gender
- Metabolism
- General health
- Drug tolerance level
- Frequency and duration of drug use
It can be very difficult for someone to go through this process on their own. That’s why we always recommend that individuals complete the withdrawal process in a designated medical detox facility or inpatient rehab. This allows trained medical professionals to monitor the process and intervene to provide treatment as necessary.
At our Northern California Rehab Center, we provide four exclusive addiction treatment plans. Each of our 10,000-square-foot evidence-based treatment centers offers a whole-person approach to recovery.
Duration of Withdrawal
In terms of the withdrawal timeline, everyone is different. Most people find that the painful symptoms peak within a few days after they last use the drug. Then, they continue to persist in some capacity for about one week.
If an individual suffers from severe psychological symptoms, such as intense cravings, those side effects can last for several weeks to several months.
Risk of Relapse
For most people, the physical signs of withdrawal aren’t as dangerous as the psychological ones. This is because these are the ones that are most likely to lead to a relapse. As the person starts to feel more anxious or depressed, for instance, they’ll crave the substance that they know will give them an almost immediate lift.
Relapsing at any point during the withdrawal process can be very dangerous, notably because the person’s tolerance level has decreased. Thus, if they jump right back into their former behaviors and use the same form of MDMA as before, it could be too much and trigger a potentially fatal overdose.
Seek Help for an MDMA Addiction
Do you or someone you know need help for an MDMA/Molly addiction? It can be incredibly difficult to break free of those chains, but there are treatment options that can help.
At Reflections, our team offers professional drug and alcohol detox services, as well as residential treatment and intensive outpatient services as required. Our goal is to help our residents not only heal physically from their drug use but to find mental and spiritual release, as well.
Are you still asking, “How long does a Molly trip last?”
For some people, the effects have significantly diminished after about one week. However, others might find that they linger for a longer time. In either case, you can learn more about our Bay Area Rehab Center and the services we provide online!
