How To Spot An Ecstasy User

Spotting an ecstasy user can be difficult, especially if this individual is particularly close to you or related to you. It’s often hard to face when somebody you care about is using drugs and you’re usually none the wiser until it’s too late. Well, the information laid out here is designed to help and guide you into being able to spot when someone you know is using this drug. One major problem with parenting these days is being able to identify when you’re kid has a drug problem and precisely which specific drug problem they have. It’s one thing to have a vague suspicion that you’re teenager is up to no good, and quite another thing to be able to pinpoint what exactly is going on with your kid in order to take the appropriate and effective actions to deal with the situation. Most people you suspect who are using drugs will deny it outright, in a clever attempt to not only make this fact seem unbelievable or shocking, but also to make you feel like you’re over-analyzing what is going on with them by a long shot.

A lot of times it’s fairly hard to get this person to admit that they are using, and even more difficult to open up to you about it. Most of the time they feel lonely or shamed in regards to their drug habit and being asked outright isn’t a sufficient enough push to get them to communicate. However, if you hold your own ground and keep your confidence in your perceptions and observations about their drug habit, while at the same time making it okay and safe for them to talk to you about it, then you are setting up a comfortable enough environment for them to sooner or later come clean on the matter.

Is Someone I Know Using Ecstasy: What To Look Out For

While you’re trying to spot an ecstasy user, keep in mind that it isn’t always as easy as spotting another type of drug user. For instance, one for one a marijuana user will possess that strong and sweet marijuana smoke odor while they’re stoned (it’s a distinct smell that’s pretty hard to miss). On the other hand, not everyone responds in exactly the same way to ecstasy. This is compounded by the fact that these days there are usually various adulterants found in ecstasy and it can significantly shift the high the drug induces on the user. Some of these signs are relative when taking into consideration what the MDMA purity is as well. As you can see there are various factors to spotting this. However, there are a few garden-variety signs that mostly remain as telltale signs in a majority of ecstasy using cases. These signs are:

Emotional warmth
Mental stimulation
Increased energy
Being wide awake when it’s uncalled for
Very friendly
Possessing a strong sense of empathy
Teeth grinding or jaw clenching
Confusion
Increased tactile sensations (and sometimes other perceptions, as well)
Distortions in time
Euphoric
Boosted confidence and self-esteem

Aside from this, if someone takes a high dose of ecstasy, they can be lead into delusions, hallucinations or a psychotic state. This can leave to strange or bizarre behavior and is definitely something to keep an eye out for. The person might act aggressively or very manic. Additionally, the crash after the high can be easily observed as well, lasting up to a few days. This includes a loss of appetite, depression, anxiety and insomnia. There are some terms to look out for when trying to spot whether or not someone is using ecstasy. If someone is using ecstasy they might refer to the drug with one or some of the following terms:

E, X or XTC
Molly
Adam
Beans
Candy
Dancing Shoes
Disco Biscuits
Doves
E-Bomb
Egg Rolls
Happy Pill
Hug Drug
Love Drug
Malcom X
Scooby Snacks
Smartees
Sweets
Skittles
Thizz
Vitamin E
Vitamin X
Vowels

There are a few other street terms they might use that you could watch out for as well. If you hear the person use the term “Rolling”, they’re referring to being high on ecstasy. “Candy flipping” means taking ecstasy with LSD. When you hear someone say “Kitty flipping” that means taking ecstasy with ketamine. And last but not least is the term “Hippy flipping” which refers to taking ecstasy with a hallucinogen known as psilocybin.

Short Term Signs of Ecstasy Use

Additionally, there are some short term effects to look out for being exhibited aside from the ones mentioned earlier. These effects are the darker side one could get caught up in while being high on ecstasy. These short term effects include:

Nausea
Confusion
Muscle aches
Teeth grinding
Moving unsteadily
Impaired judgement
Psychosis
Aggression
Violent behavior
Paranoia/severe anxiety attacks
Jaw clenching
Faintness
Chills
Blurred vision
Rapid heartbeat
Sweating
Lessened inhibitions
Muscle tension

Long Terms Signs of Ecstasy Use

There are long term effects worth mentioning, especially if you suspect this person you’re suspicious of is a long term ecstasy user. However, even without using long term, someone is able to get long term effects for up to months after using. In other words, they are liable to still experience the negative effects from the drug months later. Some of these long term effects to look out for are:

Lethargy/fatigue
Susceptible to getting the common flu or cold, etc.
Hemmorrhaging
Difficulties with sleep or flat out insomnia
Poor memory or sometimes memory loss
Anxiety
Paranoia
Loss of appetite
Depression
Psychosis
Cardiovascular collapse

General Signs Of Drug Abuse

There are a few telltale and surefire signs that point to someone using drugs in general, aside from the Ecstasy-specific signs noted above. Some physical signs are:

Deterioration of physical health
Deterioration of hygiene
Puffy face
Shaky hands, feet or head
Nausea and sweating
Poor physical coordination
Pupils that are either larger or smaller than usual
Excessive talking
Acting hyper
Cold and sweaty palms
Changes in eating habits
Odd sleeping patterns
Unusual laziness

Some behavioral signs are:

Acting secretive
Excessive need for privacy
Irritability
Nervousness
Mood swings
Acting silly or giddy
Paranoia
Loss of interest in family
Lack of motivation/interest
Lack of self-esteem
Apathetic attitude
Trouble paying attention or keeping focus
Forgetful
Dishonesty
Change or lack in activities or hobbies
Lowered work or school performance
Needing to borrow money often

What To Do if Someone is Abusing Ecstasy

Once you’ve figured out whether or not this person is using ecstasy, it’s best to gently yet seriously bring it up to them. When someone’s using drugs they sometimes have a nonchalant attitude toward the situation. This is usually because drugs can numb you and generally impair your judgement that way, rendering you apathetic. So, when bringing this up to the person make sure you treat it like the serious matter it is. This, however, does not mean to put them down or make them uncomfortable in any way, but just to help them recognize the gravity of the situation. Make sure you show them that you’re coming from a caring position and that you in all honestly just want to aid them to sobriety as best you can. Communicate to them the value in becoming sober, and that there is hope for them. Let them know that you’re only here to help them and they can talk to you about what they’re struggling with, that they aren’t alone in this. Help them find a rehab that best suits their drug habit and precisely what they’re going through.