It all starts before going out; your mindset and how you feel physically plays a big role in how you are going to feel, both during the night and throughout the following week. To be honest, if you have been feeling crap the previous week, taking drugs is the last thing you should do. Though you might feel better for a few hours the backlash is going to be worse.

On the big night itself, eating a light dinner a few hours before you go out, drinking a pint of water and taking your vitamins should all be part of getting ready. This might sound silly, but if you don’t take care for yourself who will?

What are you wearing? More than likely something very nice, but what will it be like when you come out of the club, soaking wet after being on the dance floor for three hours? Or when you leave the party 4 o’clock in the morning? Take an extra top or jacket with you; hypothermia is a real risk otherwise, this is Scotland, not Spain!

So you are in the club you’re feeling great, chatting and dancing and decide to have another drink of alcohol. Do you know that alcohol takes away the buzz from MDMA and puts you at risk of dehydration? Water and fresh juices are not only good for you; they actually work well with the drugs you’re taking.

Drinking water is a necessity if you are out clubbing and dancing; ½ a pint every ½ hour is a good amount. Drinking too much is as dangerous as too little; so do not drink a lot of water if you are sitting still in a cool environment e.g. a house party. You might have to increase or decrease the amount of water you’re drinking depending on if you’re drinking a lot of alcohol, are hot and sweaty etc. Be sensible and try to sip the water, don’t gulp it down, take time out and don’t forget to chill out.

As a friend to some one who’s having a hard time, try to make them sit down and chill out for a while. Look back to chilling out for cooling down tips when someone is feeling hot. Don’t leave them alone, talk to them in a calm way, listen to them and try to get them to sip water and chill out. Drinking a sugary non-alcoholic drink (fizzy drinks or fruit juice) or eating some salty snacks like peanuts or fruit (orange or banana) can help. This is to do with the blood sugar levels needing a boost (sugar) and that the body craves energy (snacks).
If your friend are starting to pass out or convulse contact staff immediately or phone an ambulance as they might be over dosing or having an adverse reaction to the drugs.

Try not to leave your drink unattended. Drinks getting spiked are a real problem, so keep an eye out and tell a bouncer if you see anything suspicious. Signs that a spiked person shows are: disorientation, having problems with walking and keeping balance, acting erratic and out of character e.g. manically running around, being overtly sexual or aggressive and falling asleep suddenly and being difficult or impossible to wake up. If you or a friend starts to display one or more of these symptoms, tell a friend or a member of staff immediately. You need to get an ambulance if the person starts to pass out or convulse. Do not leave the person unattended and do not let strangers take the person for a walk. Going out for a walk with a person who might have been spiked is never a good idea, as they are likely to pass out. It will then be more or less impossible to move them and they will be at risk of being robbed or sexually assaulted.

On your way home, try to hang on to at least one of your friends. Going home by yourself is not always safe and the people that you just met and who are your best mates at the moment, might not be your choice of people in three hours to come or people that you would or should trust.

Here comes the third part the comedown. It is the next again day and you are actually still under the influence of the drugs you’ve taken. The immediate effect has passed, but feeling fluffy and fried is as much part of the effects as feeling loved up, high or wired. This should really be recovery day, so try to eat and drink as healthy as you can, meaning; water, fruit juices, fruit, soups, noodles, ice-cream (great for a swollen mouth) peanuts (lots of carbohydrates and salt, which is what you need) or a whole meal if you can manage. Take you vitamins (see below for specifics) as you body needs to be recharged. Think of it as an energy loan, which now has to be repaid; the more you borrowed, the more you have to pay back. Don’t forget to brush your teeth, it is neither healthy (tooth decay!) nor nice not having brushed the pegs for a whole weekend…

Fourth part of the comedown. We are talking about the midweek blues or those bitchy comments that slip out one time too many. This part can last up to 2-4 days after taking the drugs, it all depends how much you’ve taken, how well you have looked after yourself (sleeping, eating etc) and how you are feeling in general. You might feel short tempered and annoyed (don’t forget that there are people on the receiving end of it!) or low and sometimes depressed. Try not to smoke a lot of weed in an attempt to deal with it, just because you went out on Saturday does not mean that the whole week should disappear in a haze. You might have got used to these feelings, but is sometimes good to remind yourself that this is not your normal self and that you are probably going out too much if you are feeling like this every week. If you are starting to feel overly anxious and/or you are feeling so down that it is compromising your day-to-day life, taking a break from partying is advisable. If you are finding it difficult to stop using, get in contact with professionals; there are people out there that want to help! (See Links for organisations and telephone-numbers or contact us)

Research into how ecstasy effects your serotonin long term (your brains natural happy booster) is still in its infancy stage. So to play with our brain's capacity to produce happiness is something that should be done with caution. If you have decided that it is worth the risk, do it as safely as possible and on occasion.
Compare your real self to the one you are on a comedown and be honest about the changes. Monitor how much you’re taking so that you are aware off, if or when you start to increase the use, this goes for all drugs, cannabis and alcohol included. The more you know about yourself and the drug you are taking, the safer you are!

Vitamins and Food

Vitamin C
All drugs including alcohol and nicotine drain our system of this important vitamin. Eating a lot of fresh fruit and drinking fresh fruit juice is always the best way of getting it back. Topping up with vitamin C supplements (try to avoid the high sugar ones) is advisable when using, as the body loses more vitamin C than under normal circumstances.

Vitamin B complex
Helps to combat depression and mood swings (comedowns…)

Milk Thistle
Cleanses the liver. This is helpful as the liver together with the kidneys are working double shifts to try to get rid off the toxic spillage that drugs and drink are leaving behind.

Cod liver oil
Comes in capsules (not the scary bottle from the olden days…) helps to boost the immune system and is good for sore joints. Clubbing, dancing, drinking and using can wear heavy on joints; this is related to dehydration and the synovial fluids (the fluid that keeps our joints moving smoothly).

Echinacea
This is an immune system booster which is beneficial, as using weakens the immune system i.e., the body sees all drugs as a poison which it is trying to defend itself from, which then tires the immune system out and makes the body more prone to infections.

Water
Exists in your tap and is one of the best way of cleansing both your liver and kidneys. A couple of pints a day will do wonders.

Food
Eating regularly and healthily (three times a day) is necessary, particular when using. Stretching the body to its limits and then eating snacks instead of meals or only when the munchies kicks in, will not give the body what it needs and will have a negative effect on both mental and physical health. Put time aside for breakfast, lunch and dinner and positive effects such as more energy, better sleeping patterns and less mood swings will show after as little as a week.

Warning
The supplements mentioned above should be taken as advised by the manufacturer (always read the label). They can be bee bought in most health stores and major supermarkets.

Physical and mental health warning signs

Physical and mental warning signs should be taken serious as they are the bodies and mind’s way of telling us that something isn’t right. Taking a break from using drugs and clubbing, starting to eat regularly, moderate exercise and using relaxation techniques are all ways that will better mental and physical health. Don’t isolate yourself and keep a lid on what you are feeling. Speak about what is going on for you with some one you can trust, friend or professional. It can at times be difficult to break patterns alone but there are people and organisations out there that are willing to help. Telephone numbers and organisation are listed below.

Warning signs to acknowledge are:

Mental health:
Feeling low and without energy for a prolonged period of time
Having negatives thoughts for a prolonged period of time
Feeling anxious or panicky
Experiencing panic attacks
Having problems with sleep, having problems falling asleep, reacquiring nightmares, broken sleep
Acting out off character e.g., being short tempered and angry (mood swings) or bitchy and annoyed.

Physical warning signs:
Weight loss
Acne, bad skin, can be located on the face, neck, shoulders or back.
Dark circles around eyes.
Bleeding gums
Tooth decay
Bad breath
Stomach problems e.g., constipation, diary, cramps, reoccurring heartburn or indigestion
Woman’s menstrual cycle getting irregular

Try to be honest with yourself and remember what you are like when you are not on a comedown. You can experience some of the mental warning signs on a come down, but you are probably using to much if you are displaying a few of the mental and physical warning signs on a regular basis. Pay a visit to our G.P or get in contact with a local health agency and ask about advice on a healthier lifestyle. We at Crew 2000 are happy to help you in the right direction, see above for contact details.

Ways to get to Sleep

Stimulants often have the unwanted effect of disturbing sleep patterns days after you’ve taken them and there is nothing worse than not being able to fall asleep, tossing and turning, thoughts wandering in all kind of directions and checking the time every half hour. It might seem easier to take some valium or smoke a couple of joints, so that you don’t have to lie there stare. Please try not to, there are other ways of doing it.
First make the bedroom inviting, this might seem silly or like a hassle, but it will be easier to relax if it’s kind of tidy. Make it cosy and try to see this is a place for rest, not a place where it is a lot of activity is going on. Chill out for at least ½ an hour before going to bed, this gives your body and mind time to settle down. Try not to look at a thriller and this is not the time to listen to your favourite hard house tune. Have a warm bath or a shower instead and listen to some calm music, make a cup of herbal sleepy tea (listed below) they don’t contain any caffeine and does also contain calming components. They won’t knock you out, but they’ll make you relaxed, particular if you try to use them for a prolonged period of time. Things won’t change over night, but they will improve and it’s definitely worth trying.

Sleepy teas
Night time tea
Sleepy time tea
Vespers (Dr John Stuart)

The main ingredients in these teas are: Valerian root, Lime flower, Hoppes, Scoll Cap, Camomile and Ariva Sativa. Always read the label and follow the guidelines. If you are on anti-depressants make sure that you know if the tea contains St. Johns wort as it can interfere with your medication. Consult your G.P if you are adding herbs to existing mediaction.