Does ecstasy use have any effect on dream patterns?
597960
I have used the drug before and it makes my dreams crazy...I think it's more like hallucinations...It's like, whatever I'm dreaming I hear voices to go along with it...It's really weird, because I don't even have to really be asleep...The visuals and voices take place simply when I close my eyes...When I do finally get into a deep sleep, I have very unpleasant nightmares...It's just crazy...Like a state of confusion...
243978
Party Drugs: Dancing the Night Away Part 2\n   Ecstasy and Rohypnol  (also known as pargchuting drugs)\nby Jeff Kopito, EMT-D \n\nEcstasy \n[3,4 Methylene-dioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA)]\n\nOriginally synthesized and later patented in Germany by Merck in 1914, MDMA was thought to have some appetite-suppressant possibilities. However, Merck never moved forward with clinical trials, and the drug was eventually abandoned. Although it was never brought to market, legend has it that during the 1950s the US Army briefly investigated it for possible military applications as part of its chemical warfare program.1 \n\nThe drug remained largely forgotten until the 1960s, when Alexander Shulgin, a successful research chemist for Dow Chemical, began his own investigations of the phenethylamine family of drugs. He and Dow eventually parted ways over this research, and Shulgin went on to catalog more than 179 psychoactive drugs, including MDMA. Shulgin, in fact, is reputed to have been the first human to have tried MDMA and often has been referred to as the "Father of Ecstasy." \n\nBy the 1970s, MDMA, now under the name Ecstasy, was being used by members of the psychotherapeutic community who were familiar with the possible therapeutic effects of hallucinogenics. The drug eventually found its way to the general population, where its potential for abuse as well as reports of its possible neurotoxicity brought it to the attention of drug and law enforcement authorities. Although researchers sued the US government to prevent a ban on Ecstasy, it was eventually outlawed and branded a Schedule I drug in 1985 by the Drug Enforcement Administration, putting MDMA into the same class as heroin. \n\nas more research is done, there is greater evidence to support possible permanent brain damage in users, including short-term memory problems, cognitive difficulties, insomnia, and anxiety. Interestingly, in a recent report on MDMA toxicity in The Lancet, the researchers found a higher incidence of destruction of serotonin transporters in the brain among female users, as opposed to men.3 \n\nSince the effects of the drug wear off quickly, users tend to take more of the drug and in higher doses. This leads to paranoia, restlessness, and anxiety. Ecstasy users are also warned about dehydration so they often drink copious amounts of water. This can cause severe imbalances of electrolytes in the blood, creating a condition known as hyponatremia (literally "low sodium"). These electrolyte disturbances can lead to stupor, vomiting, and diarrhea. In rare cases, they also cause swelling of the brain, seizures, and death. \n\nThere is also a greater chance of injury when the user has a history of heart disease such as high blood pressure, aneurysm or stroke, glaucoma, liver or kidney disorders, or hypoglycemia. \n\nRohypnol\n(Flunitrazepam) \n\nRohypnol, a member of the benzodiazepine family, is a highly effective sedative that is about 10 times more powerful than an equivalent dose of Valium. Wearing the notorious title of "date rape drug," Rohypnol is actually a tranquilizer sold worldwide outside the US as a sleep aid and presurgical sedative. Manufactured by Hoffman-LaRoche, it is listed as a Schedule IV drug in the US. Since the FDA does not approve it for human consumption, it is illegal to possess, prescribe, or manufacture. \n\nRohypnol's reputation comes from one of its effects — anterograde amnesia — that prevents the user, or unwitting victim, from remembering any of the events occurring while under the influence of the drug. Although that reputation may be deserved, Rohypnol is actually rarely used for this purpose. In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, approximately 2,000 urine specimens taken from sexual assault victims showed that GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) and Rohypnol turned up in less than three percent of the samples.5 \n\nI do not recommend Parachuting by drugs... this is
177953
I wouldn't suggest you do it... but if you are going to, i suggest you read up on the drug first... get to know what the risks are before doing it...\n\nI can tell you from first hand experience that prolonged use of Ecstasy can trigger depression, anxiety and panic attacks... you can become paranoid and then you may even feel like you want to hide away in isolation.\n\nRemember to drink enough water because you dont want to dehydrate but not too much water because you dont want to flood your brain...\n\nEcstasy may be fun when your up and high but when the come down starts to happen thats when you may feel a bit regrettful\n\nI hope this helps
682894
Yes, I have.  It worked pretty well, and the dreams were great.  However, I found that you are not supposed to take it on a daily basis, or for extended periods of time, as your brain will get lazy and decide it no longer needs to make it's melatonin, and then you will be up the creek without a paddle.....
206401
as a Christian, i totally believe that dreams sometimes come to alert us of certain things.  Sometimes when we are victims in the dreams we may have troubles and trials coming our way, from a Christian perpective.  When we are the agressors in the dreams, it may also indicate that we have some evil disturbing our peace, again from a Christian perspective, if you are not a Christ follower, disregard this message if you prefer.
567834
Nobody knows for sure, but they are essential. After several days of dream deprivation a person will exhibit severe mental and emotional reactions. Much research has been done on the subject, much of it at the Stanford University Center for Human Sleep Research. You can find more info at their website.
642314
http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma_chemistry.shtml
958740
Wow, I can totally relate to your problem... I have some pretty bad dreams myself! I had one the other night.. it was so scary, and I woke up at 5:30 in the morning just to get out of the dream! \nThat is what I do most of the time, I force myself to wake up, and sometimes it's only after it's gotten worse! I wondered how I could get through the previous parts without waking up... but when I do wake up, I usually get up quickly, to try to chase the memory of the bad dream away! It works most of the time...  There was an old saying once upon a time about what to do about nightmares... "take a bale of hay to bed with you to feed them!"  ;0)  Seriously though, I have found out that the most frequent nightmares are from when I am eating close to bedtime!\nIt's mostly sweets too... so I have had to cut back on those darn things and not eat so late at night.  I have also found that when I wake up from a nightmare, I am usually on my back... and I hate that... So I try really hard to stay on my side, or my stomach! I know it's not like I can control it when I'm sleeping.. but I do try! \n The meds are supposed to help you relax and sleep, but there is a potential for addiction to some types of sleep inducing drugs!\nWork with your Dr. and see what is best and safe for you ok! I have alot of empathy for you, I have been through this for years! \nGood luck... and as one good person already said, Prayer helps!
3010
Yes I believe there is a great deal of significance to dreams. Your mind is giving you clues while you are asleep to help you through issues in your waking life. They may not be major things, some can be pretty petty. \n  There is a reason for the cliche "Let me sleep on it"\n  Your dreams contain many symbols and when analyzed can help you understand many things that may be happening in your life. Things that while you are awake you may not even be aware of.\n There are many excelllent dream dictionaries and such available through any bookstore, online and in the malls.\n Online websites are rather limited but can help with some quick analysis.\n Dream on !
248491
The dream is a way of seeing emotions and the past. The people in the Giver are on drugs so they don't have any feelings.
11019
That's actually an interesting question.\n\nOneriology, the scientific study of dreams, has revealed much about these mysterious experiences full of imagery.\n\nOne theory of dreams (the activation synthesis theory) states that dreams are the brain's attempt to interpret random impulses from the brain region known as the pons (which produces REM sleep). "Memory, attention and the other features lacking in a dream state depend on the lack of norepinephrine and serotonin, producing a psychotic state, as well as a lack of orientation to time, place and person."\n\nIf we could accurately measure these random impulses and the brain's reaction to them, we might be able to construct a probablistic (or, though unlikely, a deterministic) model of dreaming. This may vary greatly among individuals, though. If we could do that, along with being able convert the imagery into a visual format (definitely not trivial), we might be able to record our dreams.
86107
Unfortunately, there's no easy answer there.  Simply put, a dream is where you become conscious of some activity in the brain that occurs seemingly randomly in the brain while the normal mechanisms that make your conscious reality--both actions and perceptions--are disabled (partially of completely).\n\nThe problem with finding a good scientific answer is that the dream is by definition subjective rather than objective. Science might try to localize where certain brain functions occur in the brain, and they might be able to show what parts of the brain correlate to conscious perception, but they can't -explain- consciousness per se.  Consciousness is subjective, and science is objective.
540026
DREAMS\n\nAll of us have experienced "dreams". Sometimes they are good other times they are bad (nightmares), while in still others they are just confusing. I have seen many dreams, and actually do not remember most of them. They seem very real, yet you just forget it really quickly. So exactly what are dreams?\n\nWe typically spend 2 hours a night dreaming and in 85 to 90% of REM awakenings a dream is reported (5). The REM stage has always been considered the most intriguing, not only because of its unique features in relation to the other stages, but because of its strong correlation to dreams. It has been experimented that most people who claim to see dreams are awakened from REM (2). REM sleep begins with the pons sending signals to the thalamus, which then goes on to the cerebral cortex. Signals from the pons that shut down neurons in the spinal chord is seen as the source of the limb muscle paralysis. REM's relation with the cerebral cortex is seen as the source of dreams. Some scientists say that dreams are the cortex's attempt to find meaning in the random signals it receives during REM sleep (1). \n\nAlthough it is not fully proven, it is possible to see why the pons sends signals to shut down the limb muscles. In recent years it has been discovered that the paralysis prevents us from harming ourselves by acting out our dreams. There are people with a REM sleep behavioral disorder who act out their dreams and risk hurting themselves and others (6). The opposite of this form of REM sleep behavioral disorder is kanashibari (sleep paralysis) when we our conscious but are unable to move our bodies (2).
650742
Dreams are very personal things so dream dictionaries are mostly useless unless you have a 'big dream' in which case swot up on your mythology etc (read some Carl Jung - archetypes etc). One of the best dream books I ever read was The Dream Game by Ann Faraday - based on Gestalt theory - very practical way of analysing your dreams. Good luck!
1165149
It is unknown where in the brain dreams originate — if there is such a single location — or why dreams occur at all. However, there are many competing theories of the neurology of dreams.\n\nDuring a typical lifetime a person spends about 6 years dreaming[1] (which is about 2 hours each night[2]).\n\nThe activation synthesis theory developed by Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley asserts that the sensory experiences are fabricated by the cortex as a means of interpreting random signals from the pons. They propose that in REM sleep, the ascending cholinergic PGO (ponto-geniculo-occipital) waves stimulate higher midbrain and forebrain cortical structures, producing rapid eye movements. The activated forebrain then synthesizes the dream out of this internally generated information. They assume that the same structures that induce REM sleep also generate sensory information.[3] Memory, attention and the other features lacking in the dream state are taken to depend on the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin, which are present in reduced concentrations during REM sleep. This chemical change is hypothesized to produce a psychotic state, as well as a lack of orientation.
817015
i wouldnt take any aids if i could help it .. but if you must though , this usually heightens your REM dream sleep and i feel it would reduce astral somewhat\n\nhhmm spirit above says the opposite .. i have found this to be true though ... unless different aids do different things ...\nthe ones i have found to enhance it has been stress reducing aids
361511
Anti-emetic properties \nModulation of working and short-term memory \nImpairment of short-term memory in some users \nEnhancement of many other drug effects (including those of alcohol, ecstasy, tobacco, heroin, cocaine) \nAuditory or visual hallucinations at high doses in some users \nParamnesia, repetitiveness and ambiguation \nIncreased appetite (often referred to as "the munchies"), an effect of stimulation of the endocannabinoid system, which affects body weight, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. \nInduced sense of novelty \nIncreased or decreased sexual pleasure \nIncreased awareness of sensation \nIncreased awareness of patterns and colors \nIncreased appreciation of music and other arts \nIncreased mental activity, like metacognition \nInitial wakefulness followed by drowsiness and lassitude ('burnt out') \nIntrospective or meditative states of mind \nGain or loss of some inhibitions \nMild euphoria, feelings of general well-being \nRelaxation or stress reduction \nMild tachycardia (Increased heart rate) \nMild, temporary dry mouth (sometimes referred to as cottonmouth, pasties, or the drys (NZ)) \nMild, temporary keratoconjunctivitis sicca (sometimes referred to as blood-shot eyes, dry eyes or red eye(UK)) \nVarying amounts of paranoia and anxiety in some users