Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 2/6/2007

Question
I'm 18 years old and for almost 2 years I was using ecstasy about 3-4 times a week. Obviously since i was using it so much my tolerance for it increased, so i was taking between 3 and 7 pills each time. I stopped about 8 or 9 months ago. But lately i've been feeling like something is really wrong, and im not sure what it is or where it came from. At random times of the day ill have HORRIBLE mood swings..one second ill be fine, and the next second im in a state of rage and fury for no reason. It affects my school work- i will get SO aggrivated that i will have no choice but to just walk out of class before i punch someone. I cant focus either, my mind seems to be a complete mess. My relationship is being hurt too...im VERY quick to lose my temper...and i scream at my boyfriend for every little thing that happens. I get suspicious feelings without any reasoning behind it, and literally start to believe stuff is constantly being done behind my back. Also i feel paranoid a lot, and im quick to get jealous about stuff. I never used to be like this, and im pretty sure nothing has happened to make me this way other than the drugs i used to do. I'm almost positive that i have some sort of personality disorder, so that is not my question...im just wondering if all this could be from my excessive ecstasy use..? I mean would it really take this long to occur? I stopped using all drugs, like i said, about 9 months ago. Is it possible for side effects to come up randomly like this? Thank you!

Answer
Dear rachel,

I quite understand what is going on. People who use drugs do so because it gives them a high. This does not happen to all people, only people with what is called a "Addictive Personality". This is due to a metabolic disorder.

Withdrawing from drugs will bring forward the metabolic disorder that existed prior to taking drugs. Drugs have just made you more vulnerable.

Most if not all drug addicts, whether on drugs or off drugs, have hypoglycemia. This is a sugar handling problem which you could have suffered from prior to you taking drugs. It interferes with the absorption of glucose.

Glucose is the source of biological energy that is absolutely necessary in the production of the feel good neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

When the brain is starved of energy it will trigger the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline increases blood sugar levels so as to feed the brain again. This internally driven production of adrenaline gives you the symptoms of aggression, unhappiness, paranoid feelings, low self-esteem etc etc..

You can test yourself for hypoglycemia by completing the NBI at:

The Nutrition-Behavior Inventory Questionnaire (NBI) at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/nutrition-behavior_inventory.html

If you score high you are likely to have a metabolic disorder.

This can be treated without recourse to drugs by going on a hypoglycemic diet.

See:

Hypoglycemic Diet at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/hypoglycemic_diet.html

Also read:

What is Hypoglycemia? at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/what_is_hypo.html

The Serotonin Connection at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/serotonin_connection.html

“Alcoholism (Addiction) is a Treatable Disease” at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/alcoholism_treatable.html

Discuss with a Nutritional Doctor or Clinical Nutritionist.

_________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman, BA(Psych), Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
Editor: HYPOGLYCEMIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA at
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author: “Getting off the Hook” at
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