Why am I Hungover? MDMA

Why am I Hungover from MDMA?

🍬⚡️MDMA (aka Ecstasy or Molly) causes intense feelings of euphoria by increasing a variety of mood and energy boosting chemicals in the brain. Afterward, the brain needs some time to rebalance to normal conditions, which explains the associated MDMA “come down”🤒

💭🪣Imagine the brain’s store of mood boosting chemicals in a bucket. Normally, positive experiences cause gradual pours from this bucket and incrementally increase mood. These small pours allow plenty of time for the bucket to be replenished. Consuming MDMA essentially causes the entire bucket to be dumped at once. The empty bucket takes days to refill. Without it the “happy” chemical supply the brain experiences depression, anxiety, and/or fatigue for up to 7 days🤕

🥵🚰After consumption of MDMA, users commonly report fatigue, dry mouth, loss of appetite, and muscle weakness. Since MDMA can alter the body’s ability to regulate temperature, hydration is very important to avoid potentially fatal heat stroke. Additionally, research has found that the combination of MDMA and alcohol causes organ damage🫀

📉🧠Frequent use of MDMA can cause long term changes to the brain. Over time, the brain’s ability to fill up its bucket of “happy” chemicals decreases. In other words, the bucket is no longer able to hold as much as it used to. Repeated use of MDMA may also lead to psychiatric disorders😵‍💫

💊😀Besides additional hydration, over the counter can supplements alleviate MDMA “come down” symptoms. Taking Alpha Lipolic Acid (ALA) *before* MDMA use has been shown to protect your “happy” chemical bucket’s capacity from shrinking by preventing neurotoxicity. Additionally, 5-HTP make be taken *after* consuming MDMA to make it much easier for the brain to refill its serotonin levels. In this way, 5-HTP aids in replenishing the “happy” chemicals bucket🥰