Cocaine Addiction And Abuse

Understanding Cocaine

Cocaine is a white powdery substance that reacts with the body’s central nervous system, producing energy and euphoria. It is most commonly snorted, but can also be smoked (also known as “freebasing”) or dissolved in water and injected. Cocaine is also referred to as coke, snow, blow, or powder.

Although most people today recognize that cocaine is addictive, thousands are still drawn to it. As many as 1,800 Americans experiment with cocaine for the first time each day.

Cocaine Effects And Abuse

Any use of cocaine is considered abuse because it is an illegal substance. Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that affects the brain by stimulating high levels of dopamine, a brain chemical associated with pleasure and reward. Users report that small amounts can cause euphoria, increased energy, and hypersensitive awareness of light and sound. The effects are nearly instantaneous (dependent on the route used) and can last minutes to an hour.

Over time, cocaine negatively effects every part of the body with potential for severe long-term effects. Chronic cocaine use can lead to long-term changes in the brain, an increase in stress hormones, as well as decreased functioning in other parts of the brain.

Animal research suggests the orbitofrontal cortex sustains some level of damage over long periods of cocaine use. This can contribute to poor decision-making and decreased self-awareness in people who are addicted to the drug.

Other effects of using cocaine include:

• Talkativeness
• Excitement
• Alertness
• Anxiety
• Overconfidence

Cocaine also reduces blood flow to the gastrointestinal system, which can induce tears and ulcerations in the stomach and GI tract.

Cocaine abuse is particularly dangerous because continued use can cause strain on the heart. Cardiac issues, such as heart rhythm disturbances, heart attacks, seizures, and strokes, have all been reported. If you or someone you know is abusing cocaine, get help now.

How Does Cocaine Affect Your Body?

How people use cocaine also alters the potency and duration of the effects. The effects of snorting it are short-lived, lasting approximately 15-30 minutes. Smoking or injecting cocaine is more intense but lasts for an even shorter period, about 5 to 10 minutes. Most cocaine users will dose frequently in order to maintain the desired effects. Injecting the drug poses a higher risk of overdose than snorting.

The routes of use can also lead to specific adverse effects.

Snorting:

• Nosebleeds
• Loss of smell
• Hoarseness
• Chronically inflamed runny nose, erosion of upper nasal cavity (coke nose)

Smoking:

• Asthma
• Respiratory infections

Injections:

• Track marks on the arm, leading to infections
• Transmission of diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis
• Allergic reactions to inactive substances mixed in with cocaine

Addiction To Cocaine

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug, but it may be hard to recognize an addiction to it. Craving cocaine and ignoring the consequences that come with it are signs of an addiction.

The psychological addiction is often the hardest part to overcome, although there are undeniable physical symptoms of addiction as well. Someone who uses cocaine frequently will develop a dependence on it, meaning they need to have it in order to feel normal. Once a dependence has developed, a tolerance will develop and withdrawal symptoms will occur when stopping use.

Once someone becomes addicted to cocaine, it can be very hard to stop. This is because cocaine abnormally increases the level of dopamine in the brain, eventually reprogramming the brain reward system.

How Does Cocaine Work?

Cocaine works by blocking the decrease of dopamine in the body, leading to increased amounts. Increased dopamine levels activate the part of the brain that is referred to as the reward center, the ventral tegmental area (VTA).

The VTA is part of a neural network deep in the brain. When stimulated, it produces feelings of deep pleasure and happiness. Nerve cells in the VTA extend into the nucleus accumbens, a key pleasure center. This center artificially “rewards” the person after cocaine use with pleasure and euphoria.

Mixing Cocaine With Alcohol And Other Drugs

Many people who experiment with cocaine usually do so in environments where other substances are being used. For this reason, many people with a cocaine addiction may also have a dependence on other substances, such as alcohol or marijuana. This is known as polydrug use and is especially dangerous, as it increases the risk of fatal overdose.

Cocaine and alcohol are frequently used together, to the point where alcohol can be a trigger for recovering cocaine users. For this reason, it is important to abstain from all drugs during recovery. When alcohol is combined with cocaine, the two substances can lead to the production of cocaethylene, which can be damaging to the heart. Cocaethylene has a longer duration of action than either agent alone. This combination is a two-drug combination that often results in drug-related death.

Using heroin and cocaine together (known as a “speedball”) is arguably the most dangerous of all drug combinations that include cocaine. Fentanyl is also a known contaminant of cocaine, with people purchasing what they think is cocaine only to overdose and experience respiratory depression when it is found that it was laced with fentanyl.

Cocaine Statistics

More people are admitted to emergency rooms for cocaine-related issues than any other illicit substance. Of those individuals, 68% had more than one drug in their system.

Featured Centers Offering Treatment for Cocaine Addiction

Treating A Cocaine Addiction

An addiction to cocaine can be hard to beat. However, help and resources are available for people who are ready to take their life back. Learn more about treatment and recovery for cocaine addiction or contact a treatment provider to discuss rehab options for you or your loved one.