Jordy Hurdes' message is a powerful one that has been viewed nearly a million times on Facebook.

The 20-year-old from the northern Victorian town of Wangaratta stares into the camera as he speaks about the reaction he claims to have had to ecstasy.

"Hi guys, my name is Jordy Hurdes. I just wanted to share my story of what happened," he says.

"The party scene's pretty big these days in Australia and so is ecstasy — also known as 'pingas' — as most of you would know it as."

Mr Hurdes says he does not want sympathy, only to raise awareness of the dangers of a "cheap thrill".

"Doctors can't believe I'm still alive. I'm so grateful I'm still here," he says.

"It's a waiting game at the moment to see whether I'll have permanent jerking like I do now, as you can see, and with my stutter I'm not sure whether it will go or get better any time soon.

"It's played a huge part in my life and affected my family and friends."

He does not reveal when he took the pill, or whether he took more than one. He says he believes he took ecstasy, although he does not say if it was confirmed by tests.

Fairfax Media is trying to confirm which hospital treated Mr Hurdes and establish what drug or substance might have caused his condition.

In the emotional message, he begs other young Australians to stay strong and say no to drugs.

"Just please guys, don't get sucked in. It all seems like fun and games and a cheap $25 pill, but it's not worth it. If I have to live like this it's going to be a struggle for the rest of my life.

"Be the stronger person, say no to drugs. If not, do it for me."

He invites people to share the video to ensure as many people as possible hear his message. The clip has been shared more than 37,000 times and liked more than 26,000 times. By midday on Monday, it had attracted more than 1700 comments from people applauding his bravery and wishing him a speedy recovery.

In an earlier Facebook post on Saturday, November 21, Mr Hurdes said he had been in hospital for the "past few days".

A photo Jordy Hurdes posted to Facebook on November 21

"Taking party drugs (pills, pingas, googs) seems like a fun option and you don't think anything life changing could happen to you," he wrote.

"Please please please don't take the 'cheaper fun' option, because you never know if it could happened [sic] to you."

Mr Hurdes refers to ecstasy as the "cheaper fun", because a $25 pill is considered by some young revellers to be more effective and less expensive than buying alcohol at clubs and pubs.

A friend of Mr Hurdes said it was not easy to watch her friend suffer.

"It's not easy watching your best friend go through something like this, and have his whole world turned around in such a short amount of time!" Joelle Burton wrote on Facebook.

"So proud of this boy for being so strong and positive through all of this! For letting people know what he is going through and what he could possibly go through forever.

"Please take the time to watch and share this video. Drugs are all fun and games till you go through this or watch someone so close to you have to go through this."

"You're going to get through this Jordy Hurdes with all of us right by your side."

Local Wangaratta publican Steve Wilson, who owns the Albion and Grand Central nightclubs, told media last year that patrons were sourcing ecstasy tablets, rather than paying for pre-mixed spirits over the bar to avoid hefty costs since the "alcopops" tax was introduced.

He said revellers would rather buy an ecstasy pill for $20 than spend the same amount on two Jim Beam stubbies.

"That's what the kids are doing, they're making a decision and asking themselves whether to spend $120 on alcohol or $20 on an ecstasy tablet which will last them the night," he told the Wangaratta Chronicle.

More than 10 per cent of Australians aged over 14 years have used ecstasy one or more times in their life, according to the Australian Drug Foundation.

In regional Victoria, the number of people who are treated by ambulance paramedics after taking what they believe to be ecstasy is increasing.

There was a 60 per cent increase in the 2012-13 financial year. Conversely, there was a 10 per cent decrease in metropolitan Melbourne.