Symptoms can include loss of appetite, insomnia, depression and muscle aches. It can also make concentration difficult - particularly on the day after ecstasy is taken. Higher doses of ecstasy can produce hallucinations, irrational behaviour, vomiting and convulsions. There is some evidence to suggest that long term use of ecstasy may cause damage to the brain, heart and liver. Overdose of ecstasy can occur and some deaths have been related to overheating and dehydration.
People can develop tolerance to the pleasurable effects of ecstasy.
This means that more ecstasy is needed to get the same effects as before. Other drugs are often used with ecstasy as a way of coping with some of its undesirable effects. Little is known about the effects of these combinations. In general, health risks tend to increase when two or more drugs are used together, particularly if the doses are large. MDMA was developed in 1914 by a German chemical company as an appetite suppressant.