What is Molly? It’s received a great deal of attention recently due to the deaths of several young adults at major music festivals last year.
While Molly seems to have appeared almost out of nowhere, the drug has actually been around for many years. With it’s cheap costs and growing representation in pop culture, the drug appeals to young adults and has become rebranded as a “pure” drug that is allegedly safer than other illicit substances. The misrepresentation of the safety of this drug combined with its perceived popularity and acceptance, has made it more readily accessible, easier to abuse and ultimately, extremely dangerous.
What is Molly?
What is molly? Many people believe Molly is a new drug that has recently surfaced in club and concert scenes, but in reality, Molly is just a new name for an old drug: Ecstasy. The “new” version of ecstasy is a “purer molecular” version of MDMA. Molly is the powder or crystal form of MDMA; however, the version of Molly most commonly abused today is a toxic cocktail of synthetic drugs and chemicals, not a “pure” drug as it is often described. Instead of ecstasy or MDMA, many batches of Molly contain other stimulants, like caffeine, and are cut with a variety of other drugs and substances like PCP or cocaine to produce powerful effects. Molly is most often available in a pill or powder form and has recently even been found in liquid form, ingested using blotter paper printed with bright designs and colors.
Molly’s growing popularity is attributed to electronic music festivals and it is most frequently abused by teens, ages 12 to 17, who attend raves. Use of MDMA has risen in the early 2000s, with 15 percent (15%) of college students admitting that they have tried the drug. According to recent studies, emergency room visits related to use of ecstasy, MDMA and Molly rose by 128 percent (128%) between 2005 and 2011 among those younger than 21 years old. These alarming statistics only represent known emergency room visits. Nearly one-third of these emergency room visits involved the combination of alcohol and ecstasy, a combination that puts users at even greater risk. Unfortunately, the statistics do not fully represent the growing rates of abuse and experimentation taking place.
The effects of Molly often last three to six hours and it is not uncommon for users to take more than one pill at a time to enhance its effects. But because many users believe Molly is safer than other drugs (a huge misconception), users choose to mix Molly with other substances to enhance the high; however, this can put users at even greater risk.
The most dangerous aspect of Molly is its toxic mix of unknown chemicals. Users never know exactly what is in each batch and how high the dose is. In addition, the contents of Molly change from batch to batch, making it impossible for one to predict its effects and its potency. Since Molly is most readily available in a powder form, many batches sold as Molly do not contain MDMA and are cut with other substances that can significantly increase the risks associated with use.
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What is Molly? Understanding the Side Effects
What is molly? Molly can cause a number of adverse effects to the brain and body. Once ingested, it takes approximately 15 minutes for it to enter the bloodstream and the brain. This can cause users to feel extremely alert or hyper at first. Many report changes in perception and a heightened sense of touch. Some may experience feelings of empathy and emotional closeness to others due to the release of oxytocin and vasopressin in the brain. This often makes users readily trust those around them, even complete strangers, making them more vulnerable to threats such as sexual assault.
Molly In Modern Culture Information
Because Molly is most often used at raves, dance or music festivals, the side effects of use are exacerbated and can lead to even more dangerous, life-threatening consequences. Hyperthermia, a dangerous rise in body temperature, is one of the most common side effects of Molly use. This is often a result of physical exertion combined with an overheated environment. Dancing at a crowded festival without replenishing fluids is one of the most common scenarios of hyperthermia associated with Molly use. The combination of increased body heat and severe dehydration can cause heart failure.
Some may experience negative effects such as feelings of anxiety or agitation. Some experience chills or dizziness. And for those who do not experience negative effects during initial use, Molly can cause negative aftereffects that can cause individuals to experience feelings of confusion, depression and anxiety days and even weeks after use. The most common side effects include increases in heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, blurred vision, nausea and teeth clenching. In addition, high levels of the drug in the system can cause seizures, abnormal heartbeats, as well as heart, liver and kidney problems.
At this time, the addictiveness of Molly is unknown, but the drug is known to cause dependence, withdrawal symptoms and increased tolerance over time. Although the addictiveness of the drug is not fully understood, there’s no question that using Molly can be deadly.
What is Molly? Examining Treatment Options
What is molly? Molly abuse is incredibly dangerous and can lead to potentially life-threatening consequences. The most effective therapies for Molly abuse and addiction involve cognitive behavior therapies designed to help modify an individual’s thought process, expectations and behaviors. Molly is often abused in specific environments and is associated with festivals, concerts, parties and raves. The environment in which Molly is used reveals a great deal about influences and behaviors that encourage drug abuse by young adults. Treatment for Molly abuse is designed to help individuals develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with stressors and other influences that encourage substance abuse. Individualized therapies allow clients to receive treatments specifically designed to address the unique influences and factors that contribute to continuing addictive behavior. Molly is most frequently abused by adolescents and young adults, making treatment designed for age-specific influences and experiences especially critical. Therapy that is tailored to fit young adult experience makes recovery from Molly addiction easier.
Another beneficial therapy option for young adults is experiential therapy. Molly is often used in specific environments to alleviate social discomfort and enhance experiences. Experiential therapies provide traditional therapy benefits in nontraditional environments. Experiential therapy is designed to provide therapeutic benefits without the individual’s conscience awareness. This provides physical and mental benefits in real-world settings, allowing young adults to respond naturally to their environment. This provides an insightful look into the behaviors and needs of each client and allows treatment to be modified to their unique needs. This form of therapy is also beneficial in the way that it helps young adults develop new interests and hobbies that replace time previously used for drug abuse. Experiential therapy is one of the most effective methods of addressing Molly abuse because young adults are able to see immediately how modifying behaviors and coping differently with stressors changes their experiences in day-to-day life.
Dual-diagnosis treatment is another critical component of the rehabilitation process for young adults. Dual-diagnosis treatment explores the mental and psychological influences that encourage the development of addiction by treating mental health concurrently with addiction rehab. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular form of treatment designed to address the maladaptive behaviors that enable addiction. This form of therapy is especially effective in the treatment of Molly addiction because it is designed to identify problematic behaviors while simultaneously teaching healthy coping mechanisms for stressors and triggers. The skills learned in cognitive behavioral therapy help individuals avoid peer pressure, develop healthy self-esteem and create positive thought patterns. These skills improve the recovery process and set a foundation for continued successful sobriety following treatment. For more answers to the question, “What is molly?”, visit https://sobercollege.com//.
Sources
http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/mdma-ecstasy-molly-facts
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/22/health/9-things-molly-drug/
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/mdma-ecstasy-or-molly
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/03/concert-deaths-five-myths-about-the-drug-molly/
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20131203/ecstasy-use-on-rise-again-among-us-teens-report