Does using Ecstasy lead to GAD(General Anxiety Disorder) or other psycological disorders years after use?

Anyone know anything about frequent ecstasy use (over about a year or more) leading to anxiety issues, or any type of issues with becoming abnormally paranoid when using marijuana, or having problems remembering things you were planning to do just a few minutes previously?

Any known treatments for this type of issue (i.e. Lexapro?), and any amount of time that one could expect it to resolve itself?

The short answer is -- YES.

It is now well known that prolonged Ecstasy use tends to damage the serotonin-producing neurotransmitters in the brain, which is a long-term and possibly permanent effect. As you get older, the damage may become even more apparent since there are other natural losses in the brain due to aging. It can cause all the symptoms you describe, plus others such as major depression.

Depression related to serotonin deficiency or too rapid uptake of serotonin in the brain can be helped with SSRI antidepressants such as Prozac, Lexapro, etc. HOWEVER -- a big warning -- if you start taking antidepressants of any kind, DO NOT take Ectasy. The combined effects of those two types of drugs can cause "serotonin syndrome", which means that the brain is flooded with far too much serotonin that it can't absorb or get rid of. Symptoms include sky high blood pressure, fainting, and even coma, and it can definitely kill you.

Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon.

Hi XT,
Absolutlety!!!!!!!!!!!! Prolonged abuse of Ecstasy has been known to cause GAD and Panic disorder. SOme Doctors report that after one experince with Marijuana and or Ecstasy can lead to the developement of GAD and or Panic disorder and have a tramatic effect on a balanced brain chemistry. Meaning that some people after taking Ecstasy and Marijuana have to be on anti GAD meds the rest of their life. "its pharmacology that damaged your brain now pharmacology (meds) will help it" Dr.Drew a board certified physician and an addiciton medicine specialist says. STOP USING DRUGS IMMEDIATLLY while there is still help. If you need some more info or help feel free to im me or email me photoguys2003 or photoguys2003@yahoo.com

If you're going to do it, you need to space it out as much as possible, eg once a month, so that your brain has a chance to re-balance itself. If you're doing it every weekend then it won't have a chance to recover properly and you'll feel permanently and more progressively wasted. If you can manage a break of a couple of months or more then you'll be fine, back to normal no problem.

There's definitely no doubt it blows a few holes in your short-term memory - I used to do E's frequently back in about 2001-02, and my memory has been shagged ever since, but its a price you pay, and a fair one in my opinion. The best advice I can give is to avoid smoking weed as much as possible. It will just gradually melt you down, rob you of any motivation and make you paranoid as hell. The only time to smoke weed is immediately when coming down from an E, so it softens the blow and brings you back up a bit. Don't smoke it at any other time if you can help it - I've always rated long-term weed use as being more dangerous than a few cheeky E's. Have a break from the pills, eat well and get some exercise and your brain will sort itself. Keep smoking weed and you'll be a vegetable.