Managing Stress with MDMA  

Commonly known as ‘MDMA’ or ‘Ecstasy’, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine is taken widely around the world. Mainly used for recreational purposes, takers seek the psychoactive drug effects. The desired ‘high’ achieved after consumption is an increased amount of energy, empathy and altered sensations. 

There is an expected spike in consumption due as the UK population begins to go back to pubs, bars and nightclubs as they reopen again but another reason for taking the drug is on the rise…  

…Since the pandemic, the use of MDMA to manage workplace stress and anxiety has increased. With working-from-home now very commonplace, it has become easier than ever to use drugs whilst on the job with its effects in small doses, enhancing the user’s working-day experience.  

There has been controversial discussion around the use of MDMA to combat the forecasted growth in mental well-being cases across the UK: Looking at just the NHS alone, the estimated risk on NHS staff developing psychological problems is around 10% of the workforce. With 500,000 nurses and 300,000 doctors, there will be tens of thousands who potentially need help with managing their mental health. 

There have been studies that look at the benefits of taking MDMA if you are suffering from PTSD or other disorders, almost enabling the brain to re-evaluate memories and lessen fearful experiences. 

Looking across all industries, mental health treatment and management is definitely going to be more prevalent and not all individuals will look for help in conventional places, hence the rise in the use of MDMA for this reason. 

With the increased availability of the drug, workplace usage is already a problem.  

Secretive drug-taking whilst on the job is certainly happening and can no longer be ignored by businesses, especially in safety-critical environments.  

There are serious risks of taking the drug: It causes serious impairment and there are several reported health implications including deaths associated with its use.  

OdiliaClark is trained to deal with all types of substance misuse in the workplace and it certainly isn’t always detectable just by looking at employee’s behaviour patterns. If you would like to learn more about drug and alcohol testing or get in touch with one of our team, click here to start learning more today.    

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This article was written by one of the Odilia Clark team. Odilia Clark is a specialist HR services company with over 30 years of combined experience in the space. OdiliaClark offers an independent drug and alcohol testing service using state-of-the-art Dräger equipment as used by the British Police and Fire Services.   

OdiliaClark’s consultants are fully trained and certified in carrying out impartial, digital drug testing for companies’ employees. They also offer a range of other services including policy writing, implementation and staff training services.      

For more information on how Odilia Clark can help your business deal with these changes with a bespoke package designed for your business contact info@odiliaclark.com.