Author: Gary Jackson

Cocaine Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Treatment

When a large amount of cocaine is taken at once or in conjunction with other drugs or alcohol, the risk for an overdose or other negative health consequences increases also. An overdose occurs when too much of the drug is ingested at one time for the body to handle, and drug amounts reach toxic levels in the bloodstream. The signs of an overdose from cocaine include nausea, vomiting, tremors, seizures, elevated heart rate, chest pain, and a rise in blood pressure and body temperature. A cocaine overdose can result in a stroke or heart attack, and it is a medical emergency. If an overdose is suspected, call for professional help immediately. Addiction is a disease affecting the motivation and reward circuitry in the brain.

• People who use cocaine can quickly become dependent on it for strong rushes of brain chemicals that control how they think and feel.
• BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor.
• Since it’s an illegal drug, you can never be sure about the quality of cocaine.
• Crack is typically smoked in a pipe or sprinkled on marijuana or tobacco and smoked like a cigarette.

If you do start using the drug, it’s likely you’ll lose control over its use again — even if you’ve had treatment and you haven’t used the drug for some time. Despite the name, these are not bath products such as Epsom salts. Substituted cathinones can be eaten, snorted, inhaled or injected and are highly addictive. These drugs can cause severe intoxication, which results in dangerous health effects or even death.

What are the most common cocaine withdrawal symptoms?

Other examples include ketamine and flunitrazepam or Rohypnol — a brand used outside the U.S. — also called roofie. These drugs are not all in the same category, but they share some similar effects and dangers, including long-term harmful effects. Synthetic cannabinoids, also called K2 or Spice, are sprayed on dried herbs and then smoked, but can be prepared as an herbal tea.

• Its properties make it classified as a Schedule II drug with a high potential for abuse.
• Regular use of cocaine can cause someone to become tolerant to the drug, and higher doses must be taken in order to continue to feel the effects that are desired.
• Examples include methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also called MDMA, ecstasy or molly, and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, known as GHB.
• In our American Addiction Facilities—with locations in Texas, Las Vegas, Florida, and more—we treat cocaine addiction with high-quality evidence-based behavioral therapies.

By recognizing the signs of Cocaine abuse, you can get your loved one the help they need before an addiction takes hold. Many people start to build a tolerance after their first use of cocaine. Your chances of getting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are higher if you use cocaine. Some research has suggested that cocaine damages the way immune cells work in your body, which could make HIV worse. You may develop depression, unpredictable mood changes, paranoia, or even violent behaviors toward yourself and others. You could have hallucinations, meaning you see or hear things that aren’t there.