There was always something about ecstasy that scared me, even despite the certainty I had during my uni days that it would increase my enjoyment of big beat electronica tenfold. Perhaps it was down to going through peak high school in the aftermath of Anna Wood’s ecstasy-related death and the ensuing drug and alcohol education, but I was one of those people who could never shake the sense that if I took it - if I dropped just one “pill of drugs” - I would die instantly of a heart attack.
That’s not to say I am necessarily anti-drugs - indeed, I have burned through a small old-growth forest’s worth of certain secret herbs and spices in my time - but there was a no-go zone surrounding MDMA, pills, pingerz, and whatever else you choose to call it. Other friends were certainly not so shy, nor was Lise, now 28, whose former ecstasy use is the subject of the short ABC2 documentary The Agony Of Ecstasy.
Having used ecstasy regularly - “every weekend, for two years” - in her younger days, Lise soon found herself dealing with detrimental effects to her mental health that went beyond the accepted ‘comedown’ period after each party: psychosis, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The Agony Of Ecstasy explores the possibility that regular use of the drug could contribute to long-term detrimental effects to mental health, memory, motor skills, and even the ability to learn.
“A friend of mine had been experiencing mental health problems that she believed was from ecstasy use, which also seemed to reflect the experiences of other people we knew,” says filmmaker Katrina Lucas. “This gave us the idea to make a film that explored the long-term effects of ecstasy/MDMA from a personal perspective.”