Ecstasy is a popular illegal drug whose scientific name is MDMA. Often classified as a "psychedelic amphetamine," it became the drug of choice in the "rave" scene of all-night dance parties that sprang up in the 1980s. Ecstasy produces feelings of...
Ecstasy is an illegal designer drug that has raised warning flags due to its recreational use. Also known as MDMA, ecstasy temporarily changes the chemistry of the brain to create feelings of well-being and contentedness. This amphetamine does not...
Ecstasy is a manufactured stimulant that may become addictive, according to the National Institute for Drug Abuse. It makes users feel self-confident, euphoric and friendly to all. The side effects of ecstasy may linger for up to a week or may...
Ecstasy, or MDMA, is a synthetic drug similar to methamphetamines. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes ecstasy as producing feelings of euphoria, increased energy and perceptual distortions. Ecstasy primarily targets the brain chemical...
Despite its damaging side effects and illegal status, Ecstasy remains a popular recreational drug in the United States and abroad. Originally associated with all-night dance parties or "raves," today Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, is taken in a...
Sodium plays a vital role in maintaining the body's functioning. Sodium helps maintain blood pressure, supports the nerves and muscles and regulates fluid balance within the body. When sodium levels drop, excess water enters the cells causing them...
Home drug test kits have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1997. These kits test for a variety of both prescription and street drugs, and all require a urine sample. While some kits test for a single drug, others test...
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, more commonly known as MDMA or Ecstasy, is a federal Schedule I illicit drug that is commonly found in the party and rave culture of the United States and many other parts of the world. This synthetic drug often...
How Does It Happen? Victims have had drugs unsuspectingly slipped into their drinks at bars, clubs and parties for the purpose of reducing their resistance to sexual advances. Once the individual is incapacitated, she is sexually assaulted. Left...
Overhydration can lead to a situation in which the blood concentration of sodium -- one of the chemicals in salt -- gets too low. This condition is called hyponatremia, and a headache is just one of the symptoms. You might recall a news incident...
According to the National Youth Network, 1.1 million young adults between the ages of 12 and 17 meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for drug dependence. Teenagers who are at risk for substance abuse may be depressed, have low self-esteem, feel...
The short-term effects of drug abuse can feel positive. Euphoric highs, feelings of invincibility, and lush visions may all seem attractive. However, drug abuse over time can impact multiple areas of health and wellness, so all areas of personal...
American sassafras, Sassafras albidum, is related to aromatic cinnamon, bay and camphor trees, all of which are in the Laurel family. It grows wild as a canopy growth, or top growth, in woodlands and along the sunny edges of fields throughout...
Short-term memory is the ability to store sensory information for relatively short times, ranging from a few minutes to a few days. The main site for storing short-term memories is the hippocampus, a region in the brain's limbic system. In order...
Hyponatremia refers to a dangerously low sodium level in the fluid surrounding your body's cells. Your body needs sodium, an electrolyte, for numerous critical life functions, including nervous system and muscle actions. Hyponatremia often...
Sodium in the blood normally stays within a narrow range, between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter, or mEq/L, MayoClinic.com reports. Sodium, an essential mineral, helps maintain blood pressure and aids in normal muscle and nerve function,...
Drug rehab centers work at meeting the physical, mental and emotional needs of people addicted to drugs. Often times the effects and withdrawal symptoms of drug addiction can be too difficult to handle independently. An intervention with the...
Hans Selye, a Canadian endocrinologist of Austro-Hungarian origin, was the first to apply the word "stress" to physical and emotional strain. Before that, "stress" was just an engineering term. Selye, who did the bulk of his research in the 1930s,...
The National Institute of Drug Abuse 5 test detects levels of mind-altering substances. If you drive for a living or work for the United States government, you may be asked to take this test. A urine sample is obtained to determine if you have...
The weight loss industry attacks people at their weakest points. Many diets and supplements are created claiming to help you lose weight fast without concern for the health and well-being of the people buying their products. Some diets can...
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an herbal supplement derived from the Griffonia simplicifolia plant. As a natural source of tryptophan, 5-HTP is used in alternative medicine to treat serotonin-related symptoms like low mood and overeating. The...
Nearly 4 percent of pregnant women in the United States take illicit drugs during pregnancy, the March of Dimes says, and even more are addicted to legal but potentially harmful drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. Most drugs easily cross the...
Hair follicle testing can be used for a variety of purposes. Though it might be most closely associated with drug testing, hair follicle testing can also be used to determine paternity, catch criminals and detect metals in your bloodstream. This...
Bipolar disorder---known also as manic depression---is a disorder of the brain that causes unusual shifts in mood and activity and energy levels, which all affect a person's ability to carry out everyday activities, as the National Institute of...
There are many different employment tests for drugs. Each test has different sensitivities and each company different cut off values for what is considered to be a positive or negative result. Most commonly, they test hair, sweat, urine or saliva....
According to HomeHealthTesting.com, blood nourishes the hair as it grows. Drugs in the blood enter the hair and embed in the hair shaft. It takes one week after drug use for the drug-affected hair to grow above the scalp. Hair samples may provide...
Substance abuse is a condition where physical dependence on a substance is present and the illness affects the relationships of the people around the abuser, according to "Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing" by Kathy Neeb. In 2008, the U.S....
Young people begin using drugs sometimes as early as age 12 and continue abusing through the teen years, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs are readily accessible for teens who choose to abuse them, carrying consequences that...
According to Medline Plus, drug abuse is the cause for many social problems. People who abuse drugs have a tendency to break the law. Many of these people don't see the actions as causing a problem, because they aren't officially addicts. One...
