With respect to what Dresden said about MDMA use not causing LTCs (or similar issues) back in the 90s, I'll say this:
- Back in the 90s, the internet was in its infancy with respect to usage by ordinary civilians for recreational purposes.
- Back in the 90s, there was a much lower incidence of ecstasy pills, 'molly' capsules, and MDMA powder/shards turning out to be something entirely different, such as Methylone, and whatever RCs are being sold as the real deal to unsuspecting customers.
- Back in the 90s, precursor chemicals and other ingredients which are used to synthesize MDMA were not nearly as tightly controlled as they are now. And this has forced chemists who clandestinely manufacture MDMA to resort to alternative methods and ingredients which may carry a higher risk of toxicity if not properly 'separated' from the finished product.
- Back in the 90s, the rave scene was different in the sense that it wasn't known to the public as well as it is now. And to the people that were ravers back then - it was a closer community with respect to friendship, looking out for one another, and helping to minimize the risks associated with MDMA use in the ravers which did use MDMA. And as its popularity has grown, so too has the number of ravers, and with it the percentage which use MDMA. In other words, there's a lot more people using MDMA nowadays, or at least that's what they think they're getting.
The unfortunate truth is that ecstasy pills, capsules, powder, and shards/crystals around the world have gone down significantly in terms of purity, and way up in relation to dangerous adulterants intended to mimic the effects of MDMA, or to rip us off entirely such as (but not limited to):
- Commonly consumed stimulants such as Caffeine, Ephedrine, and Pseudoephedrine
- Amphetamines such as PMA, PMMA, and Methamphetamine
- Piperazines such as mCPP, BZP, TFMPP
- Substituted Cathinones including (but not limited to) Methylone, Mephedrone, and Methedrone.
- The derivative of 2C-I: 25I-NBOMe (dubbed "synthetic LSD" by the media)
- Various other Research Chemicals, the short and long term adverse effects of which we know little about
I currently reside in Ontario, Canada, and therefore do not know how bad the situation is outside of Canada and the U.S. (dual citizenship, have residence in both countries).
In North America however, the situation is very bad in my opinion, especially when compared to as little as 10 years ago.
My point in telling you all this is (assuming you've read my post) to warn you of the possible risks with respect to buying ecstasy pills from a dealer, and then to simply consume them without any testing whatsoever.
I swear, I am not affiliated with any companies, but I encourage all of you who still consume ecstasy (or wish to in the near future) to buy a full reagent testing kit, and to make sure that you test your product before you use it - please. It may save your life, you never know nowadays.
I'm sorry if this is disturbing or scary news, but it's the unfortunate reality we find ourselves in. And your health comes first (or at least it should).
For everyone who is suffering from a so-called LTC, there is a way out of this, I promise you. However, as everyone is different, your path to recovery may or may not depend on the use of prescription medication. Whatever the case may be, know this: There are people here who have recovered fully with and without the use of prescription meds.
It took me a little over 19 months to recover with the use of a few Rx meds, a healthy diet, an active lifestyle, and a stress free environment. This was after I swallowed/snorted/stuck up my ass well over 1000 ecstasy pills (rarely tested) over the course of about 5 years. And during that time, I also used just about everything else as well (meaning that I fried a lot of brain cells).
So trust me when I say that it's possible for you to recover as well.
I hope you all have a wonderful day, and please stay safe
Edit:
Again, I cannot stress this enough, recovery from a LTC is possible. I am proof of this, and so are others on here.
Don't give up - we're here to help you in any way we can. And I for one will never judge you, think less of you, nor will I ever not accept you as you are.
And I don't consider myself as better than any of you in any way - I'm not. I'm just some random Bluelighter who wants to reassure you that you are not alone, that we know how you feel, and that we're here for you.
Doctors may think you're malingering, family members may tell you to "walk it off," and your work/college/university/etc. may expect unrealistic goals from you at a time when you are suffering from chronic and debilitating symptoms.
For what it's worth, I think I speak for everyone here when I say that I know you are not malingering; I know you can't just "walk it off;" and I know you're suffering and in distress. And if it'll help you in some way, know you are not alone in this, and that many of us have been where you are now.
With time, with avoidance of more recreational drugs, with a healthy/active/stress-free lifestyle, and with the proper medical treatment for you (may involve Rx drugs or may not), it will get better, I promise.