What is the meaning of the Tuesday dip?

You've probably heard of the term "Tuesday dip" before. But what exactly does the Tuesday dip mean? After you've been to a festival, party, or rave and used the drug XTC there, it's very common and recognizable to feel nauseous, depressed, irritated, unfocused, and empty inside in the days afterward. For example, if you have to go to school or work, you really dread it. But why do most people experience the dip on Tuesday?

Why do I feel so rough after a festival, party, or rave?

When you’ve used the substance MDMA, which is found in an XTC pill, you get a huge serotonin boost at that moment. You feel happy, cheerful, energetic, and you want to move or dance. Your serotonin system is also called your happiness hormone. It’s not surprising that your serotonin system needs to recover after an amazing weekend, because you’ve literally depleted your happiness hormone. This can lead to a depressed feeling that can sometimes last for weeks, depending on the person. After the MDMA has worn off in your body, symptoms like irritability, trouble concentrating, nausea, lack of energy, and other negative side effects can arise. Your body is giving you signals that you’re low on serotonin. It takes time and rest to fully recover.

Are you now curious why the dip got the name "Tuesday dip" and what makes a Tuesday dip worse? Then read our blog where we explain everything—yes, absolutely everything—you need to know about the Tuesday dip: 'what is a Tuesday dip or XTC-dip?'

Why does the dip usually hit on a Tuesday?

There is still no clear explanation for the Tuesday dip, but there are suspicions about why it hits so hard for most people on a Tuesday, says the Trimbos Institute. Your brain wants to replenish your serotonin system as quickly as possible, but the brain first has to realize there is actually a shortage. The nerve cells that are supposed to send these signals are likely exhausted from the use of MDMA. This means your serotonin deficiency is only noticed by the brain a few days later. Your body is always seeking balance, and so is your brain. When you have an overload of serotonin, your brain tries to balance this by shutting down some nerve cells. As a result, the remaining nerve cells (that are supposed to signal a serotonin shortage) become overworked.

Another explanation for the Tuesday dip is the lack of dopamine in the brain after using, for example, XTC. It could be that your body only realizes you’re low on serotonin after the dopamine level is restored. Replenishing dopamine can take a few days—on average, two. This could be a reason why you feel the real dip on Tuesday if you had a festival, rave, or party on Saturday. Of course, it varies per person. One person in my friend group really suffers the day after a party, while another feels it on Monday or Tuesday. I'm curious about your experience! You can let us know by posting a comment under the blog.

There is still no real evidence for these two theories. The Trimbos Institute bases the explanations mainly on the many studies done on drugs, combined with logical reasoning.