How to Deal with Molly Addiction

What is a molly addiction? Read on to learn more about molly addiction, the symptoms of molly use, and treatment options at Soledad House.

Table of Contents

What is Molly?

Molly is a slang term for the drug 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA). It alters mood and sense of perception. It produces feelings of love, empathy, and sexual arousal. It can also be hazardous to health-damaging the heart, kidneys, and liver.

Is Molly Addictive?

While there is no evidence that people can get a molly addiction, it is known to stimulate many of the neurotransmitters addictive drugs interact with. It is also classified as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning there is a high potential for addiction to molly.1

Symptoms of Molly Use

People that are high on molly may exhibit the following symptoms:
  • Having More Energy: Molly boosts dopamine production, making the person feel more energetic.
  • Being More Talkative: People typically become more talkative when they use the molly drug. 
  • Being More Emotional, Empathetic, or Trusting: Research shows that MDMA users show greater empathy than those who use other types of recreational drugs, even after the high wears off.2
  • Sensitivity to Light, Sound, and Touch: Molly causes pupils to dilate, which results in an increased sensitivity to light. It also increases sensitivity to sound. Those high on the street drug molly will enjoy touching things and being touched.

Additional Symptoms of Molly Use

Listed below are additional symptoms of molly use:
  • Experiencing Feeling of Giddiness And Euphoria: The chemicals in molly interact with neurotransmitters in the brain increasing serotonin and dopamine, producing feelings of giddiness and euphoria.
  • High Blood Pressure: A 1998 study shows that molly increased blood pressure in the 13 participants and caused a more serious hypertensive reaction in one participant. This shows the drug’s potential to be a danger to heart health.3
  • Potentially Life-Threatening Increase in Body Temperature: Research shows that MDMA increases body temperature ranging from .2-.8 degrees Celsius and can be fatal in warm environments.4

Risks of Using Molly

Here are some other dangerous symptoms of molly to be aware of:

  • Drug Cravings: The molly drug stimulates the brain’s rewards center, making people want more after using it. This can result in a molly addiction. 
  • Depression: Molly boosts serotonin in the brain. Therefore, it can make people feel worse when the drug wears off, and the brain produces less serotonin. 
  • Confusion: The molly drug changes perception and can make some people confused. 
  • Memory Problems: The lower serotonin levels that occur when there is no molly in the system can cause issues with memory. 

Effects of Molly on the Brain

The chemicals in molly interact with the following neurotransmitters in the brain:
  • Serotonin: Serotonin acts as a mood stabilizer. It also plays a role in cognition, memory, learning, reward, and other physiological processes. 
  • Dopamine: Dopamine is key in producing feelings of reward and aids with motivation, movement, attention, and memory. 
  • Norepinephrine: Norepinephrine is central to a variety of bodily functions. It is also known as a stress hormone. 

Short Term Effects of a Molly High

The rise in dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine leads to short term effects that include:
  • Elevated Mood: The ingredients in molly will cause an elevated mood. 
  • Increased Sense of Alertness: People that are high on molly will experience a heightened sense of alertness.
  • Heightened Energy: The street drug molly can make you feel more energetic.

People that are high on molly may also feel an increased pleasantness of social touch. This is thought to be related to the rise in serotonin and oxytocin the drug produces.

Dangerous Side Effects of Molly

The various dangers of molly include will be detailed below.

Blurry Vision

Molly is known to produce optic disc swelling and consequential vision loss.

Abnormal Eye Movements (Nystagmus)

The molly drug may cause abnormal eye movements. It is unknown why this occurs, but it may be due to how it interacts with the neurons in your brain.

Nausea and Vomiting

Serotonin plays a role in physiological functions such as nausea and vomiting. Molly increases the neurotransmitter, negatively affecting digestion.

Hypertension

Molly raises blood pressure and may cause serious hypertensive reactions.

Rapid Pulse and Breathing Rates

The drug works as a stimulant, increasing pulse and breathing rates.

Tense Muscles

The molly drug can cause your muscles to tense up.

Jaw And/or Teeth Clenching

The increase in muscle tension molly produces affects your jaw muscles causing you to grind your jaw and teeth.

Chills and Sweating

Molly increases your body temperature producing chills and sweating.

Dangers of a Molly Overdose

Molly overdose symptoms include the following:

Heat Stroke

Molly raises the body temperature to the point where it can produce drug-induced hyperthermia or heat stroke.

Dangerous Dehydration

The rise in body temperature can cause you to become dehydrated.

Heart Damage

Molly is known to produce heart-related conditions such as cardiotoxicity, arrhythmia, dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and more.

Treating Molly Addiction at Soledad House

A molly addiction can be extremely detrimental to health and quality of life. Soledad House is highly recommended if you are looking for the molly recovery option that’s right for you. Soledad House is a women’s recovery center located in beautiful San Diego, California. We provide effective treatment for drug and alcohol addiction in a healing environment. We focus on relapse prevention to ensure you get sober and stay sober.

What We Offer

We offer inpatient and outpatient programs so you can decide on one that best suits your lifestyle. We provide science and faith-based methods to encourage healing. Our treatments include 12-step therapy and spirituality addiction recovery. Our care doesn’t stop when you graduate from our program. We follow up with life skills training, relapse prevention, and aftercare. We will provide you with the support you need to maintain sobriety.

An addiction to molly is a dangerous thing to deal with. Don’t go it alone. Contact Soledad House for the assistance you need in moving on to a higher quality of living.

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