Drug addiction is a continuing problem in this country; it is clear by the rising anti-social behaviour at events such as football that persist every week.
Cocaine use is a significant factor in these ongoing problems. Once a party drug for the rich in places such as LA and Miami, cocaine has become more prevalent because it has become cheaper and more accessible.
Casual use of it on the weekend by people of all ages has meant a greater chance of people developing a cocaine addiction.
People have made it part of their Saturday night out routine, as normal as having a couple of pints, not grasping the short and long-term effects that cocaine abuse can have.
Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Misuse
Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that can become highly addictive. It increases your brain’s production of dopamine, a chemical inside that makes you feel pleasure and gives you a high.
As you engage in more cocaine abuse, your dopamine levels deplete, and you need to take more of the drug to get that high feeling.
This will lead you to need cocaine to attain normal levels of dopamine. As you take more, your tolerance increases and you need to take a larger amount to achieve the same feelings as you once did in the beginning.
This kind of behaviour is what leads to a cocaine addiction.
Cocaine will make you feel excited and more confident. If you are under the influence of cocaine, you may talk more and feel unstoppable, leading you to more risk-taking behaviour.
It will affect your body as well, making you avoid eating and even inducing a faster heart rate. You might also need to go to the toilet more and raise your body temperature.
As well as these effects, there are physical and psychological signs and symptoms of substance abuse.
Physical Signs:
- Runny nose
- Insomnia
- Breathing problems
- High blood pressure
- Sweating
Psychological Signs:
- Agitation
- Depression
- Cocaine cravings
- Mood swings
- Unable to concentrate on other aspects of life
Short-Term Effects of Cocaine Abuse
As stated above, there can be immediate effects when taking cocaine. Alongside the feelings of euphoria and feeling energised, cocaine can quickly impact you negatively.
On the physical side, cocaine can constrict your blood vessels. This disrupts the blood flow in your body and can lead to stomach pain and vomiting. With an increased heartbeat and high blood pressure, you leave yourself at risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
Whilst cocaine gives you a feeling of confidence, it can also cause you to become more erratic. People that regularly combine alcohol and cocaine can be more violent and take more risks, leading to situations where they get injured or even die.
Something even more dangerous is mixing cocaine with other drugs. For instance, a substance like heroin can also have immediate debilitating effects; the two offer opposing outcomes, bringing you down and the other up.
Cocaine can offset the effects of heroin, making you take more. However, cocaine wears off quicker, and the higher heroin dose may result in an overdose.
You do not need to suffer from drug abuse to be at risk. Even a single use of cocaine can lead to life-changing medical issues – causing a seizure, leaving you in a coma or making you suffer from a fatal heart attack or stroke.
Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Abuse
Continued substance abuse will lead to long-term health issues that may not go away.
The damage cocaine does to your body can depend on how you take the drug. Snorting cocaine regularly leads to nosebleeds and even losing your sense of smell. It can also destroy the cartilage in your nose, permanently damaging your nasal septum.
On the other hand, smoking cocaine can lead to breathing difficulties and a chronic cough, whilst injecting it can cause scarring and collapsed veins.
You may have initially engaged in cocaine abuse to escape the stress and bad feelings, but it can worsen your mental health. Soon, you’ll find that you need to take more to feel better and become trapped in a cycle. The lows become far worse than when you weren’t taking cocaine.
Any addiction, but particularly cocaine, can lead to family problems, and financial difficulties and may cost you your job. These situations can feed into any depression you may be suffering from and it might make you think about suicide. Some people suffering from addiction end up killing themselves to escape what they believe is a hopeless situation.
Health Risks Associated with Cocaine Addiction
There are many health risks linked to cocaine addiction, on top of what has already been explained above.
Lung Problems
Smoking cocaine can lead to infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis and may progress towards permanent damage to your lungs.
Infections
By injecting drugs, you leave yourself at risk of infections such as HIV and hepatitis.
Brain Issues
As you take more and more cocaine your brain will suffer. Less blood goes to your brain and this can cause strokes, seizures and brain shrinking. Your attention span, motor skills and long-term memory may also degrade due to cocaine addiction.
Heart
Cocaine abuse can increase the risk of blood clots, leading to nasty cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks and pulmonary embolisms.
To avoid these long-term chronic issues, seek help before it is too late. Cocaine addiction treatment at a private rehab is a step you should take if you suffer from drug abuse.
Treatment for Cocaine Addiction
Undergoing addiction treatment in a professional setting is the best way to beat your addiction. Through a comprehensive programme, you can end your reliance on cocaine and live a more fulfilling life.
The first step of rehab is going through a drug detox. This can be unpleasant since you’ll feel the behavioural urge to take cocaine, but cocaine detox is essential to ending your physical dependence on the drug.
Going forward, you will participate in behavioural therapy in individual and group sessions to help you deal with the psychological side of addiction. As part of an effective addiction treatment plan, you need to be open about why you are taking cocaine. Therapy treatment can help you learn coping skills to better deal with triggers and mental health issues.
Get Help Today
If you want to know more about cocaine addiction and drug rehab then contact us today. At Action Rehab we can give you the information you need and advise you on the next steps today.
Call us now at 0151 268 6992.
Posted on Friday, March 17th, 2023 at 2:54 pm in Addiction.
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