Young men are presented with various situations where their peers can entice them to drink and experiment with drugs. Substance abuse in young men is becoming more common these days with access to a wide range of substances. One such popular substance many young adults have tried at least once is molly. Is molly physically addictive? Understand the risk of addiction to molly in order to get the treatment you need.
What Is Molly?
Molly is a designer drug that is a form of ecstasy, also called MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine). Molly is both a hallucinogen and a stimulant primarily marketed towards young adults as the safest and purest form of MDMA.
However, most Molly sold on the streets contains very little, if any, MDMA whatsoever. Instead, it contains a mixture of ketamine, cocaine, meth, and other synthetic and often dangerous chemicals, including “bath salts.”
Why Does Molly Appeal to Young Men?
Molly has been popularized as being a safe substance that is harmless without any long-term effects. This glamorization of Molly is what makes it appealing to so many young men. If your son is staying out late and likes the club scene, it is very likely he is experimenting with Molly, alcohol, and other substances.
How Is Molly Abused?
Many young men abuse Molly recreationally at first. They primarily take it when clubbing to take the edge off, give them more energy, and make them more mentally alert. Plus, they like the hallucinogenic effects that enhance sensory perceptions and the feelings of euphoria.
Molly is usually taken in tablet pill or capsule form and swallowed. Since the drug has to pass through the digestive system, the effects are not always immediate. However, once the drug starts to get absorbed by the body, the effects can last several hours or longer.
In order to get an immediate effect, some young men will crush tablets or open the capsules and snort the powder. Doing so allows Molly to be absorbed much faster and in purer form than passing through the digestive system.
Molly can also be turned into a liquid form and injected directly into the bloodstream. Injecting Molly sends a young adult’s body into overdrive with very little wait time.
Is Molly Physically Addictive?
Most young adults, including young men, do not consider molly physically addictive since the drug’s effects are more psychological. However, physical dependence on Molly can develop the more the drug is taken.
Prolonged use can create a physical addiction where someone needs to take Molly to avoid physically unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, like headaches, nausea, sweating, blurred vision, muscle cramps, and chills.
Is Molly Mentally Addictive?
Mental addiction is highly probable from continued abuse of Molly because of the chemical changes the drug causes in the brain. Molly increases the release of the three “feel good” chemicals in the brain:
- Norepinephrine – Increased levels of norepinephrine boost energy levels while also increasing blood pressure and heart rates.
- Dopamine – Dopamine is the chemical in the brain that alleviates stress and puts us in a good mood. It also reinforces behaviors that make us feel good, like abusing molly.
- Serotonin – Large amounts of serotonin can increase sexual arousal and elevate one’s mood, leading them to engage in unsafe sexual practices.
As the levels of the chemicals begin to slow as Molly wears off, it can cause a person to become mentally addicted to the drug from continued abuse. They will not like the psychological withdrawal symptoms, including:
- Aggression
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
To counteract these feelings, they will take more Molly.
What Are the Dangers of Abusing Molly?
The primary danger young men face when abusing Molly is not actually knowing what they are taking. Each time they take it, they could be taking a toxic combination of dangerous chemicals that could cause them to have a seizure, heart attack, go into a coma, or worse, die.
Aside from this risk, young men that abuse Molly often start abusing other substances, such as meth, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Some young men also take Viagra with Molly for enhanced sexual pleasure, which leads to even riskier sexual encounters because of lowered inhibitions.
Other risks of continued Molly abuse include:
- Extreme Weight Loss
- Dehydration
- Seizures
- Paranoia
- Lowered Immune Response
- Increased Risks of STDs
- Chronic Fatigue
- Problems Concentrating
- Problems Focusing Mentally
- Loss of Appetite
- Elevated Body Temperatures
- Organ Failure
- Periods of Depression
- Hallucinating
- Violent and Aggressive Behaviors
- Frequent Sweating
- Lack of Personal Hygiene
Molly Addiction Treatment for Young Men in Southern California
Young men can get help with their Molly addiction in Southern California at New Life House. Our treatment programs are designed for young men in specific age groups assigned to one of our different treatment facilities.
We have found that placing young men with their peers helps create a peer support network to help young men achieve long-term sobriety. We also offer family programs to help young men and their families better understand their molly addiction and rebuild damaged relationships.
To learn more about our custom-tailored molly addiction treatment programs for young men, please feel free to contact us by filling out our online “contact us” form, emailing us at [email protected], or calling (888) 357-7577 today!
Last Updated on February 19, 2024
