Depression after heavy ecstasy use

[Junglefever1901]

I  have given up taking ecstasy after a few months of heavy use (probably taking 5 pills a week) I went through a sort of honey moon and loved it. However, I have given up and feel depressed like never before.( I was not depressed before taking the drugs.) I Have an uncomfortable mind, feel anxious,paranoid and confused all the time. This is 7 weeks on.Is is possible I have permanently damaged my brain and is there anything I can do? I feel so unhappy.

[Junglefever1901]

thanks guys

[s10sittnondubs]

I really can't tell you how I felt while not taking X, but in the time period that I was taking it I was using Meth, Coc, weed, prescription pills just to feel better.  But I know whenever I didn't have anything afterwards I would feel like I was just completely zoned out like a zombie and after a long night the next day I went to the library to read up on X while still half way zoned out but here is what I remember.  It creates wormholes in your memory and does cause long term damage to your seratonin receptors, not allowing all of the serotonin in your body to lach onto causing you to feel depressed or anxious.  It really messes with the brain and thats about all I can remember but once I saw a picture of brain tissue before and after use I never touched it again.  The effects are irreversible if I remember correctly but over time your body will adjust and begin to feel "normal" once again just like all drugs a long period of clean time is required to feel back to normal.  Hope this helped

[jr5656]

I've been living with what seem to be the after effects of some really bad experiences on exctacy for the last two years.  I wasn't a long term drug user but got caught up in it pretty heavely for a few months doing a lot of coke and x a bunch of times.  The last trip I had, which is going back almost two years now seemed to really **** me up.  I was alone which probably wasn't such a good idea and fealt as though I was gripped by this demonic force and felt as though I'd opened some door to a purely evil side of myself that I could never close.  I hung on for a few weeks but then ended up in the psych ward after getting rushed to the emergency room.  Since then the emotional volatility of the experience has long since subsided but I've been plagued by constant discomfort and a seeming inability to generate energy or emotion.  The first few months were absolutely unbearable and I was terrified that I'd done permanent damage to the parts of my brain that generated good feelings and that I was going to be stuck in this miserable condition for the rest of my life, a fate that seemed far worse then death.  While I still am suffering from major problems and there has yet to be a happy ending to this ordeal things have gradually gotten better.  My level of discomfort is nowhere near what it was and I definately have regained some ability to enjoy life.  Unfortunately the medical establishement has not been a lot of help.  I've had neurological tests, cognitive behavioral tests, x-rays of my spine, blood tests-pretty much everything under the sun and nobodies found anything.  Nevertheless, it's still clear to me from the moment I wake up in the morning to when I go to bead that there is something seriously off about the way my body and brain are working which dates back to my last few experiences on extacy.  In terms of ways to cope that I've found one thing I enjoy doing is juggling, it's sorte of a carefree outlet for my nervous energy and one of the few things that makes me feel decent,  I've also found when I'm feeling really bad I can get through the worst of it by just taking some Klonopin and going to sleep (the need to do that isn't nearly as great as it was early on).  Also, even when I feel like I'm incapable of feeling good being with other people and talking can often lift my spirits.  I know that when your feeling really lousy it's easy to generate theories to the effect that you've permanently damaged yourself and that you'll never get better but I can assure you things aren't as bad as they seem at those moments and the compelling nature of those thoughts has more to do with feeling bad at the moment then anything else.  From everything I know chances are that you've temporarily upset you're brain chemistry and it will correct itself, although it might take a while.  Hopefully your recovery will be swifter then mine has been.  Sorry this response wasn't more uplifting but yours posting caught my eye cause it sounds very similar to my experience so I thought I should write. Things will get better.  I have a posting jr5656 if you want to write back.

[justin21]

it took me about a year and a half to finally recover from my x use. It was like a cloud was lifted from me after a year and a half. I didnt notice that i was depressed except for like the first 5 months of coming off x. But after a year and a half i was like holy ****. what a difference. x does a huge number on your brain

[lonelyinCA]

X will do a full dump of the accumlated serotonin in your brain, causing you that great 'high'. However, after that has worn off - you will have very little serotonin and that is crash (depression) feeling you are experiencing.  You need to rebuild your levels.  That can be done, as others have said - through anti-depressents, however, there are other supplements. Serotonin is also called 5-HT and is synthesized by the amino acid tryptophan.  

You really should look into the Amino Acid protocal here: http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/Amino-Acid-Protocol/show/15?cid=66

Read (and search to read more) about the supplements 5-HTP and also DLPA. Both can help you.

You can also work with anti-depressents (although I understand side-effects can vary drastically), but wouldn't you love to get the doctors out of your life?

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

The only thing I know about x is from things I have read about it. From what I have read it can cause great depression after use and in some cases can damage the brain. It would probably be a real good idea to talk with a professional about it. First you can google it and do more research yourself.

[malenurse57]

See an MD about the depression issue and keep hanging in