Author: Gary Jackson

The Effects of Cocaine on the Brain: Mental Effects of Cocaine

This means they may find it difficult to manage their use of cocaine and may experience addiction in the most severe cases of SUD. Inpatient treatment centers are a desirable choice for many crack abusers because these centers keep the user away from the drug and anyone using it. Inpatient programs can also provide the intensive counseling and therapy many people require to recover from crack cocaine addiction. Additional aftercare or sober living programs can help ex-abusers maintain their sobriety and rebuild their lives once they leave the safety of inpatient treatment. The short-term physical and mental effects of using crack are generally more intense than the effects of snorting powdered cocaine and similar to those of injecting cocaine. These effects are also similar to those of other commonly abused stimulants, such as methamphetamine.

• Cocaine is abused in different ways including taking orally, sorting, smoking and injecting, all of which cause the drug to enter the bloodstream and take effect within seconds.
• Let us remove the confusion and difficulty of verifying your insurance coverage for treatment.
• Other infections that can become serious include cellulitis and skin abscesses.
• Approximately 1.3 million people in the United States over the age of 12 have a cocaine use disorder, which means they use cocaine or crack.
• John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.
• The short-term physical and mental effects of using crack are generally more intense than the effects of snorting powdered cocaine and similar to those of injecting cocaine.
• Crack dependency occurs after users develop a tolerance to the drug and begin using more often and in larger amounts to achieve the desired effects.

Crack cocaine has serious health risks, which is why treatment is so important. Detoxing the body of the substance and attending psychotherapy can help people with their long-term recovery from crack addiction. Users typically insufflate (snort) or first dissolve in solution, then inject powdered cocaine. While uncommon, crack can be dissolved in aqueous solution and injected, similarly to its powdered counterpart. Smoking the drug produces a faster, more intense high than snorting does because it reaches the bloodstream and brain more quickly.

The Long-Term Effects of Crack Cocaine Abuse

Over time, as a person’s use becomes more frequent or as they abuse more of the drug, psychological problems can arise. And a 2014 review suggests many of the long-term cognitive effects of cocaine use are actually connected to withdrawal from cocaine. This seemed to imply that 5 months without cocaine would restore much of what was lost in terms of brain function. It can also starve your brain of the blood it needs, which kills brain cells. Over time, flooding your brain with dopamine can damage the structure of the brain.

There is no obligation to enter treatment and you can opt out at any time. Snorting (also referred to as insufflation) crack can cause great trauma to the nose. Repeated use can cause chronic bad breath, nosebleeds, inflammation, sinusitis, and runny nose.

Changes to the reward system

Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness. Approximately 1.3 million people in the United States over the age of 12 have a cocaine use disorder, which means they use cocaine or crack. Because crack use itself is known to cause depression and anxiety, using it to alleviate the onset of these feelings becomes a vicious cycle—one that can quickly result in addiction. People experiencing crack-induced paranoia might find themselves thinking that someone is trying to get into their house, that someone is following them, or that others are trying to attack them. This can lead to aggressive behavior or unprovoked attacks on others and dangerous situations for both the user and innocent bystanders.

However, the effects of smoking cocaine are shorter in duration, lasting only 5 to 10 minutes verses 15 to 30 minutes for insufflated powder. If the brain does not reach its original equilibrium then a person who has struggled with cocaine abuse for a long time may develop permanent depression and require ongoing mental health treatment. This article discusses the short- and long-term effects that cocaine can have on the brain, other health considerations, substance use disorder, and when to consider speaking with a doctor. Using cocaine can cause changes to the brain, such as in the reward system, resulting in a buildup of dopamine and making it difficult for someone to stop using the substance.

What are some ways that cocaine changes the brain?

Though it is rare, sudden death can occur either when cocaine is used or shortly afterward. Take the first step toward addiction treatment by contacting us today. It’s also possible to recover some of the impaired cognitive function from cocaine use. That can cause the neurons in your brain to work more slowly or begin to die off.

• Cocaine can also cause autophagy, where brain cells die in response to the neurological stress and neurotoxicity that occur from cocaine use.
• There are different treatment options available for people who need help stopping cocaine use.
• When the exposure is repeated, the brain will start to adapt, leading to an inability to feel pleasure from normal levels of dopamine.
• The cells threw out useful resources during metabolism, leading to a stress reaction of cannibalizing other internal cell structures.
• There’s currently no medication that treats cocaine addiction, but sometimes doctors prescribe drugs off-label to treat it.

Smoking crack exposes the lungs not only to crack but to any other toxins or chemicals the drug may be laced or cut with. Combined with the drug’s toxins, this could cause lung damage or aggravate a person’s asthma. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, get in contact with us by filling in our online insurance verification form below. Let us remove the confusion and difficulty of verifying your insurance coverage for treatment. We have years of experience in the addiction space and contracts with many of the big name insurance providers.