Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that many people claim provides a significant increase in happiness and energy. However, there is a flip side to it.
It can be incredibly addicting, and for some, the desire to experience that powerful high is difficult to resist. Addiction can develop swiftly and impair practically every aspect of a person’s life, including their health, family, and career. If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine issues, remember that you are not alone. Novara Recovery Center is here to help you.
Cocaine comes from the leaves of the coca plant. This plant mainly grows in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. People also call it Coca, Crack, Snow, Soda Cot, Flake, and Coke.
Cocaine usually looks like a white powder, but it can also be a solid brick. Dealers often mix it with other things like sugars and local anesthetics to make more money, which makes it more risky.
A more potent form is crack cocaine, which is like regular cocaine but much more powerful. It comes in small rock-like pieces that people can quickly inhale.
Making cocaine is a complicated process that happens in secret jungle labs. The raw material goes through many chemical changes.
Many countries produce cocaine. However, Colombia produces about 90 percent of the cocaine that reaches the United States. After manufacturers make cocaine, they usually smuggle it into the U.S. from Mexico.
People use cocaine in different ways. They can sniff it, rub it on their gums, inject it, or heat it and inhale the smoke. Each way has its risks, and the strong effects of the drug make it very dangerous.
Cocaine addiction involves being dependent on cocaine, a potent and illegal stimulant that gives intense feelings of happiness. When someone is addicted to cocaine, they feel an overwhelming need to keep using the drug even when it causes problems. Over time, the body and mind become dependent on the drug, needing more of it to feel the same effects. Cocaine addiction can seriously harm your health, relationships, and overall life, often leading to risky behaviors and emotional difficulties.
DSM-5-TR Cocaine Addiction Criteria
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), comes from over ten years of work. Many mental health experts from around the world contributed to it. Their teamwork has produced a clear and trustworthy guide. This guide helps us better identify, manage, and study mental health issues.
The DSM-5 is an essential resource for professionals in the field, offering clear descriptions and categories of mental disorders. The following are the DSM-5 criteria that can help diagnose a substance use disorder:
You can group these criteria for cocaine use disorder (addiction) into these main areas:
When you take cocaine, it increases the level of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a natural chemical that helps you feel happy and satisfied.
Usually, a little bit is enough to make you feel good. But with cocaine, the dopamine doesn’t work the way it should. Instead of helping your brain cells communicate and giving you a sense of reward, it just stays there. It blocks the way your brain cells talk to one another.
As you keep using cocaine, your brain adapts to the increased dopamine and becomes less sensitive to it. This means you need more cocaine to experience the same good feeling because your brain requires more enormous amounts to get the same effect. Over time, this can cause some huge problems.
High levels of dopamine can damage your brain. This is why using a lot of cocaine can cause seizures and other brain issues.
Cocaine affects how your brain uses glucose, slowing down its metabolism. It makes brain cells work slower or even start to die. A 2016 study on mice found that cocaine speeds up or disrupts the brain’s natural cleanup processes. This leads to the removal of brain cells that should remain.
But the harm doesn’t end there. Cocaine also narrows your blood vessels, making it harder for your heart to pump blood to your brain. It puts stress on your cardiovascular system and can affect your heart rhythm.
It can also cut the blood supply to your brain. If the blood doesn’t reach your brain, it won’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to stay healthy, which can cause brain cells to die off.
This damage gets worse as you age. Usually, as we get older, our brains lose about 1.69 milliliters of gray matter each year. However, a 2012 study showed that regular cocaine users lose more than twice that amount. If you use cocaine when you’re young, it can even change the shape of neurons.
Addiction to this stimulant drug can manifest itself through many symptoms that include physical, behavioral, and mental changes. Pay attention to these symptoms, be it for yourself or someone else’s sake, so that you know when to seek help.
Cocaine use disorder can have a range of physical effects, some of which are more subtle, while others can be life-threatening. The impact on the body increases over time, and it’s vital to recognize the warning signs early on. Some quick physical effects you might notice are:
Even though these signs might not seem too serious at first, they actually mean your body is feeling stressed. If these symptoms persist, they could lead to more severe health problems in the future. As dependence grows, cocaine can inflict other considerable physical harms on the body, including:
Apart from physical changes, behavioral changes are usually some of the most noticeable signs of cocaine addiction. These can include:
Cocaine addiction isn’t just about physical and behavioral changes—it can also seriously affect your mind. People dealing with addiction might face various mental health issues. Some common psychological effects include:
Emotional problems, like anxiety and depression, are usually the most challenging mental health issues linked to cocaine addiction. For many people, even small daily tasks can seem impossible to do. These cognitive effects can harm social relationships, job performance, and overall happiness. They can make people feel frustrated and powerless.
We know that cost is a major factor for most people when seeking treatment for drug & alcohol abuse in Virginia. Novara Recovery Center works with most major insurance plans to help cover up to 100% of the costs associated with treatment at our program. To find out your personal options for treatment, get a free verification of insurance benefits right now by clicking the button below.
No one is entirely safe from the destructive effects of cocaine, and anyone can become addicted to it. However, some factors can make you more likely to develop a problem with cocaine use. These factors include your genes and family background, the environment you live in, and any mental health issues you might have. Let’s take a closer look at these:
According to some scientists, addiction runs in families. If you have a family history of addiction, you might be at higher risk. This is especially true if a close family member, like a parent or sibling, has struggled with cocaine use disorder. Genetic characteristics can influence how your brain responds to the drug, making it easier for you to develop addiction.
Your environment, like your home life, friends, and money situation, can affect the chance of using cocaine. If you live in a place where drug use is common, you might be more likely to use cocaine. This is especially true if you face a lot of stress and tough situations.
People with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD may use drugs like cocaine to feel better. However, cocaine can exacerbate these mental health issues, making the situation much more challenging to manage.
The dangers of misusing cocaine are very severe and can impact nearly every part of your body. Long-term use can cause lasting damage to your health, and in some cases, it can even result in death.
This potent stimulant can put so much pressure on your heart that it can be hazardous. Cocaine puts a lot of stress on your heart and blood vessels.
This can lead to serious heart problems. You may face increased risks of heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, and strokes. It can also raise your chances of getting high blood pressure.
Breathing problems are common and can be very serious for people who smoke or snort cocaine. Cocaine can cause long-lasting coughing, trouble breathing, and permanent damage to the lungs. In horrible cases, it can lead to a collapsed lung or other life-threatening breathing issues.
The impact of cocaine on the brain can have severe consequences. Over time, it can disrupt the brain’s chemical balance, especially dopamine, resulting in memory loss, depression, and cognitive problems. These alterations may sometimes result in long-term neurological harm, impacting cognitive function and emotional health.
If you take a huge amount of cocaine that your body can’t handle, you might experience what people call a cocaine overdose. The symptoms can be different, and some can be very dangerous.
People often mix cocaine with other harmful substances. This means you might be taking more than you realize.
This can increase the risk of an overdose. Symptoms of a cocaine overdose include:
In severe instances, taking too much can result in fatalities.
The very fortunate thing is that there is effective treatment available for cocaine addiction. It’s challenging, but it’s achievable. Addiction treatment usually includes detox, therapy, and sometimes medication. These help manage cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms. Recovery may be challenging, but proper support and dedication can truly transform one’s life.
Detox is usually the first part of getting better. It means dealing with the physical side of addiction and expelling cocaine from your system.
During this process, your body goes through the withdrawal process, which can be uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous. The urge to use the drug might become very strong, and your mind and body might feel like they need the drug to feel better.
That’s why you should always undergo detox with medical supervision. Having experts around ensures your safety and gives you the help you need to get through the most challenging parts.
After dealing with the physical part of addiction, the focus moves to healing the mind. Behavioral therapy is vital for understanding why addiction happens and learning better ways to handle it. Here are some of the therapy options used to treat cocaine addiction:
At the moment, the FDA has not given permission for any drugs specifically for treating cocaine addiction. There is a drug called modafinil.
Doctors often give it to people with narcolepsy. This drug seems to be helpful. Even though officials have not officially approved it for this use, early studies suggest it may reduce cravings. It might also help some people recover.
Some other medications can still be helpful in the recovery process. They don’t fully solve addiction, but they can ease withdrawal symptoms. They also help with mental health issues that often occur with addiction. Here are a few:
Disulfiram:
Disulfiram is a medicine approved by the FDA for alcohol dependence. Studies show it may help people with both cocaine and alcohol addiction.
Antidepressants (SSRIs):
SSRIs (for example, fluoxetine and sertraline) are often used to treat depression and anxiety. Many people with cocaine addiction also have other mental health issues. These can include panic disorder, PTSD, depression, or anxiety. Antidepressants can help treat these hidden problems.
Topiramate:
Some studies suggest it may lower how often people use cocaine and their cravings. This is especially true for those who have used multiple drugs before. Researchers still study its effectiveness for treating cocaine addiction, like they do for other off-label uses. The FDA does not approve it for this purpose.
You need time to overcome cocaine addiction, and you cannot hurry the process. It is a long, winding road requiring self-examination, commitment, and a robust support network. There are crucial steps that can offer guidance.
Realizing that you have a problem and you need a helping hand is the first and most challenging step. It is not about feeling bad or ashamed but rather admitting the effect cocaine has had on your life. Facing the truth may be uncomfortable, yet it is essential. As soon as you acknowledge needing help, you are already moving towards change.
You don’t need to deal with this alone. Experts in addiction provide support to help you during the process of getting better. They will give you therapy, recommend support groups, and sometimes provide medical care to help you get back on track. Trusting their knowledge is vital because they know what’s coming and can help you get through it.
Getting sober can be challenging, but having people who care can make it easier. It’s crucial to have people who understand what you’re going through, like your family, friends, or people in your shoes.
Joining a group like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) helps members feel connected. This connection can greatly reduce feelings of isolation. A strong support system helps us keep hope for better days, even when times are tough.
Getting better is not just about finishing the treatment. It’s about finding balance and health in your life. This means looking after both your physical health and your mental well-being.
Prioritize exercise, eat healthy foods, ensure you get enough sleep, and find good ways to manage stress. Self-care means taking care of your body and feelings. This helps you recover and stay away from old habits.
Cocaine use disorder can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to control your life. At Novara Recovery Center, we believe that recovery is possible.
With the right support, you can take back control of your life. Our trusted programs have helped many people and families in our community overcome addiction. They can now live happy, drug-free lives. If you need help for yourself or someone you care about, we have the support, tools, and advice to help you get better for good.
If you’re ready to take the first step, we’re here to help. Reach out today to learn more about our programs. Call us at 703-705-7870 or toll-free at (866) 607-4959.
Novara Recovery Center is at 2815 Old Lee Highway, Floor 2 Fairfax, VA 22031. Email us at info@novararecovery.com. Hope and healing start with a single step—let us walk with you toward a brighter tomorrow.
Written By:
Mental Health Writer
Geoffrey Andaria is a seasoned writer and editor specializing in mental health content. With a B.A. in English and Journalism, he possesses a solid foundation in crafting freelance articles and conducting research. Geoffrey has also completed courses in social work. He dedicates himself to providing valuable and informative content for individuals impacted by mental health challenges and addiction.
Medically Reviewed By:
Expert Contributor
Dr. Williams is currently a board member for two non-profit service organizations. He holds a Master’s degree in Human Services from Lincoln University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He possesses a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Union Institute and University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a license to offer addiction counseling in both New Jersey and Connecticut. Additionally, he has submitted an application to become a licensed psychologist in New Jersey.
