How To Tell If Your Teen Is Using Ecstasy

Ecstasy is a drug that has become quite common in use among teenagers. Ecstasy is a man-made drug, generally manufactured in illegal home laboratories, which can make it extremely dangerous because you never know what additional dangerous chemicals the drug maker may include in the mix. Generally taken in a pill form, this illegal substance gives users an increased sense of euphoria and is also known to heighten sexual arousal.

If a parent is attentive to their child's natural behavior, it should be quite easy for them to tell if their child is taking ecstasy. There are key signs that you can look for that are present with any drug use, and there are additional signs that are indicative of the use of ecstasy. A parent that is involved in their child's life should easily be able to spot whether or not their teen is abusing ecstasy, or any other drug.

• If your child suddenly starts to exhibit unusual bursts of euphoria or exhilaration, this can be a sign of ecstasy use.

• Users of ecstasy often show no worry or concern for anything in life, and are continually happy. While this of course is not always a signal of drug use, if your child normally does not act this way, and shows other specific signs of drug abuse, you should pay closer attention to what they are doing and how they are acting.

On the other hand, users of ecstasy can also suffer from extreme depression. This generally is brought on during the "coming down" phase of using ecstasy, as the drug starts to work its way out of the system. The depression will generally come after the intense bursts of euphoria. This depression can be mild or extremely severe depending on the level of and length of time the teen has been using ecstasy. Studies have shown that teens that are long-term users of ecstasy can suffer from severe, debilitating depression when going through the "coming down" phase.

Ecstasy abuse often leads to a case of memory loss. If your child suddenly starts having a hard time recalling events, or remembering things on a short term basis, this is another sign of ecstasy usage. If your child has never had memory issues before, this could be a sign of ecstasy or other drug use. Also, if your child suddenly develops sleeping issues, you should be on the lookout as well. Ecstasy causes an increase in both heart rate and blood pressure, which can cause insomnia and other sleep related issues.

Finally, keep a close eye on your child's physical appearance.

• Sweaty, a side affect of the high body temperature that is caused by the increased blood pressure and heart rate.
• Your teen may seem dizzy and off balance or look like they are getting ready to faint.
• Weight loss
• Skin breakouts
• Sore jaws from the teen constantly grinding their teeth together.