"Addicted to Euphoria": The History, Clinical Presentation, and Management of Party Drug Misuse.
International review of neurobiology January 1, 2015 Jenny Bearn, Matthew O'Brien
People use party drugs like ecstasy (MDMA), GHB, and ketamine as a shortcut to euphoria, an amplified form of pleasure that normally reinforces survival behaviors such as eating, drinking, sex, and parenting. This chapter surveys the history and epidemiology of party drug use, then discusses the distinct neuropharmacological and physiological actions of each drug. It provides a platform for understanding the difficulties users face with intoxication, harmful use, dependence, and withdrawal, and how these should be clinically managed.