Cocaine Addiction Facts

Why would someone become addicted to cocaine?

The effects are instant, very pleasurable, and short-lived. Cocaine and crack both create intense but brief euphoria and make users feel highly energetic. It makes people feel more awake and reduces appetite. Psychologically, it induces sensations of well-being, confidence and power mixed with restlessness and anxiety. As it wears off, these feelings of mastery turn into a deep depression, and the user will 'crash', losing all energy and sometimes sleeping for long periods.

How serious is cocaine addiction ?

Addiction can develop quickly and can be very difficult to overcome. Research has shown that animals will work incredibly hard (press a button over 10,000 times) for one dose, choose cocaine over water or food, and take it even if the behaviour is punished. Animals will take toxic or lethal doses if their access to it is not limited. Addicts can behave similarly. They will do many things which they might not normally do to get it and continue to take it even when it hurts their relationships with loved ones, and their job or school performance.

What other problems can occur from cocaine or crack addiction?

Cocaine and crack can cause depression and anxiety, which may last for a long time. Quitting their use can be very difficult because the subsequent depression can be debilitating, causing the addict to relapse in an attempt to deal with the depression. Prolonged use can result in numerous mental health problems - paranoia and delusions, even psychotic episodes including hallucinations. Some people may require hospitalization in psychiatric units to get them over such events.

What are the medical side-effects?

The most common complications are disturbances in heart rhythm and heart attacks, chest pain and respiratory failure, neurological effects, seizures, strokes, headaches, and gastrointestinal problems, like abdominal pain or nausea.

Cocaine can cause irregular heart rhythms, increased blood pressure or body temperature and rapid heartbeat or breathing. Other symptoms can include convulsions, fever, chest pain, blurred vision, muscle spasms, coma, and eventually death.

Frequently snorting it can lead to loss of sense of smell, dissolving of nasal tissue, nosebleeds, problems with swallowing, hoarseness, or a permanently inflamed, runny nose.

Swallowing it can lead to bowel gangrene, due to lack of blood flow. Injecting users may also experience an allergic reaction, usually to some additive in a street supply, which can result in septicemia. It has a tendency to reduce appetite, so many long-term users can experience marked weight loss or malnourishment.

There is a possibly dangerous interaction between alcohol and cocaine. Taken together, they are converted by the body to cocaethylene. Cocaethylene has a longer activity in the brain and is more toxic than either drug on its own. While requiring more research, it is interesting that the mixture of alcohol and cocaine is the most common two-drug combination resulting in death.

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