Almost 1.9 million Americans have used cocaine in the last month. Cocaine is one of the most popular drugs available on the street and is associated with the party culture and the ‘high-life.’

But while users get caught up in the short-term buzz around cocaine, they neglect both the long and short-term effects of cocaine on the body and the brain. Let’s take a closer look at how cocaine gets on to the streets and some of the more sinister effects of cocaine use.   

What Is Cocaine?

Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug that is extracted from the leaves of a species of coca plant found in South America. People have chewed on the leaves of the plant for thousands of years due to the stimulating effects. It also suppresses your appetite.

Once the leaves of the coca plant have been harvested, they are soaked in gasoline, along with a cocktail of other chemicals including:

• Caustic soda
• Cement
• Sulphuric acid

A residue forms, which is then dried until it becomes what we know as pure cocaine. By the time cocaine reaches the consumer, it has usually been cut with other powders to boost profits for the cocaine dealers.  

Most of these other powders are relatively harmless, such as caffeine and aspirin. However, potentially harmful substances such as Levamisole and laundry detergent are becoming more commonly used in cutting cocaine.  

Cocaine is most commonly snorted, but can also be rubbed into the gums, smoked or dissolved, and injected. 

The Short-Term Effects of Cocaine

Cocaine is popular due to its short-term effects. It works by sending huge amounts of dopamine to areas of the brain that control reward and motivation. This results in most users experiencing sensations of:

• Increased alertness
• Confidence
• Happiness
• Excitement
• Hyper-stimulation
• Power
• Euphoria
• Numbing of mental and physical pain

This ‘high’ lasts for around 15-30 minutes. As a result, cocaine often accompanies binge drinking and other substances. Cocaine is often used as a ‘pick me up’ while using other drugs.

Aside from the psychological effects that cocaine has on its users, there are also several physical effects of cocaine, including:

• Constricted blood vessels
• Dilated pupils
• Increased heart rate
• Higher blood pressure

Once the drug wears off, many users report experiencing a crash. As with anything in life, when we experience highs, we increase the contrast between them and our resting state. Higher highs mean lower lows. 

Users experiencing a cocaine crash may experience:

• Increase in anxiety and tension
• Mood swings
• Exhaustion
• Depression

Short-Term Dangers of Cocaine

One of the biggest risks when using cocaine is not the cocaine itself, but the large number of substances that are often used to cut cocaine. Levamisole, which we mentioned earlier, is used to treat worm infections in livestock. 

Some of the effects of taking Levamisole laced cocaine include:

• Agranulocytosis: a condition where the body doesn’t produce enough of a certain type of white blood cell
• Retiform purpura: dark red or purple patches that can lead to necrosis of skin tissue
• Arthralgias: stiffness and pain in the joints

This is not to say that using pure cocaine is free of risks. Using cocaine will constrict the blood vessels, increase heart rate, and heighten blood pressure. This may lead to nausea and stomach aches but can also increase the chance of suffering from a heart attack.

While we most commonly associate an increase in dopamine with feeling good, the sudden change brought on by cocaine use can cause individuals to become erratic and violent. The increased confidence is also more likely to see individuals partake in reckless behaviors.

Other short-term negative effects of cocaine use include:

• Dry mouth
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Tremors
• Muscle twitches

Prolonged use of cocaine will cause the brain to adapt to it, meaning that larger amounts will be needed to get the same high from the drug. Larger amounts of cocaine will increase the chance of potential short-term dangers.  

The Long-Term Effects of Cocaine

As the brain becomes more adapted to the presence of cocaine, the neural circuits involved in stress also become more sensitive. This increases the number of negative side effects when not using cocaine. These most often present themselves as psychological and physiological changes, such as:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Impaired thinking
• Exhaustion
• Restlessness
• Reduced sexual arousal
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Suicidal tendencies
• Vivid nightmares
• Increased appetite

These withdrawal effects, along with the increased craving for the drug, are what lead to addiction. If you find yourself using cocaine more regularly and the withdrawal effects become increasingly worse, then it might be time to consider treatment for your potential cocaine addiction. 

As the dose of cocaine increases, so does the chance of suffering from the toxic effects of cocaine. Ultimately, this can lead to an overdose, as well as put users at a much higher risk of suffering from strokes and seizures. In 2017, almost 14,000 Americans lost their lives to an overdose involving cocaine.

Long-Term Physical Effects of Cocaine

Regularly snorting cocaine will damage the mucous membranes inside the nose. Eventually, this can lead to damage to the septum. It is not just a question of the abrasiveness of the drug when it is snorted, but it also reduces blood flow. 

The most common side effects indicating that this is happening are:

• Frequent nose bleeds
• Frequent sinus infections
• Runny nose
• Scabbing inside the nose
• Headaches
• Whistling sounds when breathing through the nose

As damage to the nasal structure continues, the areas that run alongside the nose also begin to take a hit. Long-term cocaine use can eventually lead to damage to the hard palate. Eventually, visible holes can begin to form in the top of the mouth.

Regular use of cocaine will also cause damage to the airways as the mucous membranes become damaged. This can lead to lung damage and other respiratory conditions. 

Cocaine also damages several other organs in the body. It has a toxic effect on the cardiovascular system and reduces blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract. This can lead to ulcerations and malnourishment. 

The Overall Impact of Cocaine

Cocaine is a highly addictive and expensive drug. As well as the physical and physiological side effects of using cocaine, it is also likely to have a detrimental effect on all areas of a user’s life.

When a drug becomes a primary focus for an individual, it is natural for their well-being and social life to suffer as a result. Addiction therapy helps individuals reconnect with what is important to them as they learn to understand and conquer their drug addiction.

Finding Help

The most effective way to reduce the short-term effects of cocaine and beat a cocaine addiction is by entering a drug rehab facility. Healthy Life Recovery treatment center offers a holistic approach to drug recovery. By mixing different proven therapies along with exercise, nutrition, and a sense of community, we can help you beat your cocaine addiction. Make the first step by contacting us today.

A cocaine comedown can be the roughest ride in your life. More like a crash. And a cocaine hangover can have you regretting your decisions.

Are you or a loved one suffering from a cocaine addiction? Getting help is a life-changing step in the right direction to taking back your life. Keep on reading to learn more.

The Cocaine Comedown

Benzoylmethylecgonine, otherwise known as cocaine, coke or blow comes from the coca plant but is often mixed with “cutting agents” which can be any white powdery substance to make it stretch farther. These cutting agents are often what makes cocaine so unpredictable and dangerous.

Cocaine has been a prescribed drug by doctors for treating depression, and other health issues, and was even used in Coca-Cola until the late 1950s. Mainly it is sold as an illegal street drug, now.

Cocaine is considered to be a controlled substance that is highly addictive and can lead to overdosing and can even be life-threatening. The comedown means the feeling as the effects of the drug is wearing off and can be anywhere between mild to severe. 

Typically one will try to avoid the comedown by doing more of the drug. Even if they have run out, they will do what they can to acquire more. It is very common for cocaine users to go out looking for more drugs, and this can quickly become a dangerous situation if they try to drive or go into an unsafe environment out of desperation. 

Cocaine Hangover

Getting over a cocaine comedown can still leave you with aftereffects of a cocaine hangover later on.

How long does a cocaine hangover last? Some people seem to bounce back from a cocaine comedown quicker, and more smoothly than others. However, when used with other substances such as alcohol or other drugs it can change the hangover severity.

When partying or otherwise not paying attention to what you are putting into your body, mixing substances such as cocaine and alcohol forms cocaethylene in the blood causing seizures, liver damage, and other serious health risks.

Cocaine Hangover Tips

A cocaine hangover can happen after heavy use, for someone that has never used it before, or from a batch that was mixed with a dangerous cutting agent.

• Drink plenty of water
• Eat a healthy meal
• Get extra rest
• Be gentle with yourself
• Take vitamins
• Avoid drugs and alcohol

The aftereffects of cocaine can make you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. The best thing you can do to recover is rest and treat yourself to something healthy and comforting. A cocaine hangover cure that never fails is staying away from the drug.

Physical After-Effects

Cocaine is a hard drug that is very hard on every part of your body. Even in its most pure form, cocaine is harmful to your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Here are some of the physical after-effects that you might experience from cocaine:

Sore face and jaw- Cocaine causes people to grind their teeth, clench their jaw tightly, and in general keep tension in their bodies. This can cause a wide array of issues, including TMJ problems, headaches, and even damage to your teeth.

Tightness in your chest and heart palpitations (irregular heartbeat) during cocaine high, and after coming down are common because cocaine is a serious stimulant.

Sweating- You may notice excessive sweating from cocaine because it increases your body temperature and causes your heart rate to rise.

Nasal dryness and pain- Cocaine is typically administered through snorting and can cause the nasal passages to become dry, cracked, and even bleed. Cocaine can make you develop sinus issues and often makes you sniff constantly due to the feeling of postnasal drip.

Mental and Emotional After-Effects

Coming down off of cocaine can often have detrimental mental and emotional aftereffects. 

Depression- Even though cocaine was once medically prescribed for depression, the after-effects can actually cause deep depression, especially compared to the high that you feel when you are on the drug.

Brain damage- Cocaine mixed with dangerous cutting agents, or excessive amounts of cocaine can cause brain damage and negative effects on the grey matter of the brain in some people. It can give them paranoia, schizophrenia, and hallucinogenic visions.

How Much Is Too Much?

There is no direct answer for how much cocaine is too much because every person processes it differently. One person could be addicted their whole life and never suffer any outward serious effects, while another person could have a serious effect from trying it once. 

Signs that you may be doing too much:

• Spending a lot of money
• Wasting time on drugs
• Neglecting responsibilities
• Disregarding your wellbeing and safety

Ask yourself if it feels like you are in control or if the situation with your drug habit has become out of control.

Substance Abuse or Addiction?

Cocaine is a highly addictive substance and can be very easy to fall victim to it. The difference between substance abuse and addiction is not always seen as a decipherable difference and may be used interchangeably. The main difference is that people who abuse substances still have control over it, whereas those who are addicted have no control.

Types of Treatment

Addiction can be hard to beat on your own, and impossible for some people. Professional help from a treatment center is often the only way out. Treatment for cocaine addiction comes in several ways.

Depending on the severity of the addiction, and the person who is addicted each method of treatment has its benefits. The two main options for treatment are inpatient and outpatient.

Inpatient treatment is when the person is admitted into a facility so that they can receive their treatment surrounded by medical professionals while they detox and go through rehabilitation.

Outpatient treatment is when the person goes through a medical detox process but then receives the rest of their treatment when they go to their appointments each week. They are not admitted into the treatment facility, but live at home and are surrounded by their family or support system.

The main difference is that with inpatient treatment, the person is completely cut off from outside influences and access to any substances. This is the more common type of treatment administered to cocaine addicts.

Getting Help

Recognizing that your cocaine or substance addiction has become a problem is the first step to recovery. Before your next binge, cocaine comedown, or cocaine hangover, reach out to someone that you can trust to talk about your addiction. Healthy Life Recovery offers outpatient drug rehab for cocaine addiction.