shal
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2000
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Risk of overdose soars as ecstasy users chase a longer high
Click here to read SMH Article
One in four ecstasy users is taking antidepressants and other pharmaceuticals to heighten the effect of the drug, dramatically increasing the risk of overdosing, a study has found.
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre survey found 25 per cent of 216 ecstasy users - mostly young, well-educated, inner-Sydney residents - were combining the drug with prescription pills for an extra "rush". Mixers were mostly men and long-term users, who supplemented their ecstasy intake with Viagra, benzodiazepines and antidepressants, to boost the high and help soften the comedown. They reported side effects such as muscle rigidity, nausea, severe headaches and profuse sweating.
Drug experts said combining ecstasy with antidepressants could quickly lead to serotonin syndrome, a condition that causes the body to go into meltdown and is responsible for a handful of deaths in Australia each year.
Serotonin - released by ecstasy - is a chemical in the brain that stimulates happy feelings. Antidepressants prevent the re-uptake of serotonin into the body, prolonging the rush.
Associate Professor Gordian Fulde, director of emergency services at St Vincent's Hospital, described the results as "a frightening example of how misinformed many young people are
... If people think they'll get an extra kick out of benzos, they're wrong, because benzos have a calming effect."
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre's spokesman, Paul Dillon, said the chances of overdosing were "drastically increased" when ecstasy was used with antidepressants. "I've seen one case and it was just about the most horrible thing I've ever seen - a young man who was so hot you couldn't physically touch him," Mr Dillon said. "The body can't cope with the huge serotonin rush and it melts."
The study found most drug mixers were given pharmaceuticals by their friends, and men in their 20s were procuring Viagra prescriptions easily from their doctors. "We thought they'd be getting [Viagra] from the internet, but we found that a lot of young men in their 20s were getting it prescribed, no questions asked," Mr Dillon said. "The study has raised a number of concerns for primary health care practitioners and pharmacists about how easily these products are distributed. People can get antidepressants anywhere."
A 2001 National Drug Strategy household survey found that ecstasy was the third most popular illicit substance, after cannabis and amphetamines. Of all people aged over 14 years, 6 per cent had used ecstasy.
Wow. Some people are really misinformed. Benzos and Ecstasy? Huh? 8( <--- Maybe on the comedown!
Click here to read SMH Article
One in four ecstasy users is taking antidepressants and other pharmaceuticals to heighten the effect of the drug, dramatically increasing the risk of overdosing, a study has found.
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre survey found 25 per cent of 216 ecstasy users - mostly young, well-educated, inner-Sydney residents - were combining the drug with prescription pills for an extra "rush". Mixers were mostly men and long-term users, who supplemented their ecstasy intake with Viagra, benzodiazepines and antidepressants, to boost the high and help soften the comedown. They reported side effects such as muscle rigidity, nausea, severe headaches and profuse sweating.
Drug experts said combining ecstasy with antidepressants could quickly lead to serotonin syndrome, a condition that causes the body to go into meltdown and is responsible for a handful of deaths in Australia each year.
Serotonin - released by ecstasy - is a chemical in the brain that stimulates happy feelings. Antidepressants prevent the re-uptake of serotonin into the body, prolonging the rush.
Associate Professor Gordian Fulde, director of emergency services at St Vincent's Hospital, described the results as "a frightening example of how misinformed many young people are
... If people think they'll get an extra kick out of benzos, they're wrong, because benzos have a calming effect."
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre's spokesman, Paul Dillon, said the chances of overdosing were "drastically increased" when ecstasy was used with antidepressants. "I've seen one case and it was just about the most horrible thing I've ever seen - a young man who was so hot you couldn't physically touch him," Mr Dillon said. "The body can't cope with the huge serotonin rush and it melts."
The study found most drug mixers were given pharmaceuticals by their friends, and men in their 20s were procuring Viagra prescriptions easily from their doctors. "We thought they'd be getting [Viagra] from the internet, but we found that a lot of young men in their 20s were getting it prescribed, no questions asked," Mr Dillon said. "The study has raised a number of concerns for primary health care practitioners and pharmacists about how easily these products are distributed. People can get antidepressants anywhere."
A 2001 National Drug Strategy household survey found that ecstasy was the third most popular illicit substance, after cannabis and amphetamines. Of all people aged over 14 years, 6 per cent had used ecstasy.
Wow. Some people are really misinformed. Benzos and Ecstasy? Huh? 8( <--- Maybe on the comedown!
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")