Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Cocaine is a drug with a façade made out to be as grand and fun as the best parties during the disco era of the 1970s. We have a whole generation of ‘drugs and rock-n-roll’ to thank for its hyped-up popularity over the party years. But we cannot ignore the grave reality when the downer comes in the form of a debilitating capacity to handle things on one’s own and often life-threatening impacts on the human body. When the party is over, the cocaine toxicity manifests itself in the most devastating aftermath of a very tangible physical war being fought inside the body and mind.
History of Cocaine
Drug Classification
Despite the awareness of cocaine’s extreme abuse potential, it is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule 2 controlled substance. With limited
knowledge of its hazards at the time, the drug classification was scheduled as a medically
beneficial substance. Mind you, marijuana is a schedule 1 controlled substance, which makes one wonder how cocaine gets a better ‘official’ classification when there are an estimated 269 million people categorized as ‘cocaine abusers’ by United Nations World Drug Report 2020.
Effects of Cocaine
For most cocaine users, it translates into ‘euphoria’ and that is what one feels with the first hit, depending on the purity of the batch. Cocaine is claimed to inspire users to do unimaginably arduous mental and intellectual feats which otherwise would not be humanly possible. This is where they start experiencing blurred boundaries between reality and delusion, making them rash and almost like megalomaniacs.With a single dose, the user may feel:
- Sudden energy
- Peak mental alertness
- Intense mood elevation
- Increased social confidence
- Enhanced sensual experiences
Duration of the effects
Depending upon the method of consumption, typical cocaine high from a single hit snorted may last anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes; in the case of smoking, the high would be faster but short-lived, about 5 to 10 minutes only.
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Physiological Effects
Prolonged use of cocaine causes complications in case of a pre-existing condition and other drugs and medications. The contenders of the deadliest mix with cocaine are alcohol and heroin, both of which have extremely high chances to become fatal even on first use. There is a long list of dangerous physiological effects of cocaine consumption which intensify with higher and more frequent doses. The most immediate short-term effects of cocaine use on the body include:
- Tremors
- Paranoia
- Irritability
- Dilated pupils
- Muscle twitches
- Panic or anxiety attack
- Constricted blood vessels
- Erratic and violent behavior
- Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature
Psychosocial Impacts
Cocaine’s erratic effect on the natural dopamine neurotransmission in the brain causes some critical behavioral problems. It induces a prolonged compulsive state of mind due to the fluctuations in synaptic dopamine production and eventual dopamine depletion. This causes more frequent and increased doses once the user is addicted completely and gives rise to problems in other spheres of the user’s personal life. In addition to the cocaine-induced neurotic, deviant, and violent behavior, the user suffers from social, financial, and family problems creating a toxic cycle of addiction.
Multisystem Toxicity
The multisystem toxicity of cocaine impacts dermatological, gastrointestinal, neurological, obstetric, psychiatric, and pulmonary functions in the body. Cocaine use is related to many key physiological functions of the body, including but not limited to:
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Acute rupture of the aorta
- Cerebrovascular accidents
- Acute myocardial infarction
- Sudden death
Dangers of Cocaine Abuse
Cocaine is one of the most addictive and abused drugs, according to an article published online in the Harvard Medical School newsletter. According to a survey, women and African Americans are more vulnerable to the risk of early addiction and cocaine abuse. Although women are less likely than men to use cocaine, within the first two years of consumption, they are about four times more likely to develop an addiction than men. To understand the dangerous nature of cocaine abuse, let’s go through the very real impacts it has on our body, mind, and life in general.
Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction
The cycle of cocaine addiction checks all these symptoms and hence this lethal dependency starts eroding the very self-esteem and health of the user who started using this just to get a ‘grander’ view of himself and the world around him. According to the American Psychiatric Association, addiction is defined when at least three of the following symptoms could be observed in the patient:
- Increased tolerance to the substance
- Increasing dosage frequently
- A withdrawal reaction when trying to quit
- Being in a constant high induced state because of the drug
- Ignoring other aspects of life for the sake of the drug
- Repeated usage despite knowing the hazards on one’s body and mind
Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
The road to recovery from cocaine addiction means putting a definitive end to cocaine consumption, which will create serious withdrawal symptoms in the patient. These may include:
- Lack of energy or pleasure in doing things
- Agitation and restlessness
- Depressive or suicidal thinking pattern
- Increased food cravings
- Vulnerability to relapse
- Disturbed sleep cycle
Cocaine Detox and Addiction Treatment
Being aware of all the afore-mentioned hazards of cocaine abuse and addiction, it is vital to seek help when one realizes the fact that one has become a cocaine addict. There are multiple medical pathways to go about the detox and addiction treatment journey, depending upon the individual nature of each case. Some addicts may respond well to a simple cocaine detox within five days; others may take their time due to the genetic propensity to addictive patterns. With consistent medical supervision, support groups, therapy, and counseling, the toxic cycle of cocaine addiction can be broken.
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