Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine is a very addictive stimulant that has a direct effect on the user’s brain (Ersche et al., 2012). Pure cocaine is an extract of Erythroxylon cocoa growing mainly in Bolivia and Peru. In the modern times, cocaine is regarded as a schedule II drug because the doctor can administer it for medicinal purposes, for instance, it can be used as an aesthetic drug.  Cocaine can be administered through oral and intranasal means. Other users can snort or inject the drug into their bloodstream to attain an immediate ‘high’ sensation. However, it is notable that any form of cocaine administration results in absorption of toxic amounts of the drug, resulting in adverse health issues and addiction if used for a prolonged period of time.

The effect of cocaine is instantaneous. Within a few hours of inhalation, the excitement from cocaine use disappears, though this is dependent on the administration route. Some of the most common short-term effects to the user include dilated pupils, constriction of blood vessels, blood pressure, high heart rate and extreme body temperature. It is hard for cocaine abusers to control or predict the dosage because of tolerance build-up for cocaine’s high. In fact, the study indicates that some long-time users raise the dose level to prolong and intensify the effect. Still, unprecedented deaths that result from low doses imply that some users are more sensitive to the drug. Research associate cocaine abuse to multiple medical complications that include strokes, respiratory failure, seizures, nausea, abdominal pain, and headaches. Besides, the majority of the users experience malnourishment and weight loss because of decreased appetite.

Why People use Cocaine

Despite warnings from the institutes on drug abuse, many people are convinced that cocaine is safe recreational non-addictive substance.  However, the truth is that cocaine is no longer reserved for the wealthy. Moreover, hundreds of addiction cases are reported daily in the United States alone. Others die or develop complex health issues due to the addiction, proving that cocaine is indeed a lethal substance.

Furthermore, people use cocaine because of movies and music that promote the drug. Teenagers that watch Hollywood movies themed on cocaine use or use of other addictive drugs are lured into the trap, given that most music and movie producers portray the act as a natural and normal way of socializing with peers.  Like other drugs, individuals chose to use cocaine voluntarily but frequent compulsive abuse follows. Permanent discontinuation to overcome the drug effects is attainable by seeking professional treatment and rehabilitation.

Teenagers choose to abuse cocaine because of innate desire to fit in the niche of peers. Confessions from users confirm that close friends introduce the youthful population to drug abuse. Individuals with low self-esteem are vulnerable to cocaine use on expectation the drug will restore their confidence level. Others become regular users to relieve boredom or to seem grown up members of the society. Dangerous decisions such as these are often ill-informed and can lead to absolute deterioration of health conditions. While the first-time users think of cocaine as a solution for their issues, they are hit by a harsh reality when the drug becomes a problem. Even worse, many are disillusioned on learning about the effort and dedication involved to quit and rehabilitate.   

How the Cocaine High Impacts the User

Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system, hence interfering with dopamine reabsorption. Dopamine is a chemical component that acts as a messenger and s associated with movement and pleasure. The build-up of the chemical as a part of brain’s reward system results in cocaine high characterized by immediate euphoric effects. Users experience hyper-stimulation, mental clarity and minimized fatigue as positive effects. When cocaine is absorbed faster, the high will be more intense but accelerated absorption shortens the duration.

Further, cocaine users become mentally alert and energetic. They are more sensitive to touch, sound, sight. The drug eliminates the need for sleep, thus assisting users to concentrate on the task at hand (Jorge Dinis-Oliveira et al., 2013). Some drug users can perform simple intellectual and physical tasks more quickly and easily when they use cocaine though a few experience an opposite effect.

Negative effects

Use of Cocaine in large amounts intensifies the ‘high’ feeling. However, as side effects, regular users demonstrate erratic, violent, and bizarre behavior accompanied by muscle twitches, tremors, vertigo, and muscle twitches. Repeated dosage leads to a toxic poisoning similar to amphetamine reaction. Death is imminent for regular users unless they are rehabilitated. Reported fatal cases are due to seizures or cardiac arrest followed by a collapse of the respiratory system. Long-term effects of the drug because of prolonged use include auditory hallucinations, restlessness, mood disturbances, and acute addiction. It is easy for users to lose touch with the reality because of full-blown paranoid psychosis (Cunningham & Anastasio, 2014).

Impact of Addiction on Everyday Life

Cocaine use can lead to severe medical complications like cardiovascular effects. On a daily basis, the drug users become susceptible to heart attacks due to disturbed heart rhythms. Besides, they experience respiratory failure, chest pain, and other respiratory effects. Moreover, cocaine addicts can be affected neurologically through seizures and strokes. Gastrointestinal complications are also common.

Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug to all users, hence, it is less likely that a person can control or predict reliably the extent that they want to apply the drug. When addiction takes hold, the probability of relapse become higher even when the user abstains for a long period of time. During abstinence, a slight thought of cocaine has a tendency to trigger extreme craving or relapse. The human brain adapts to drug use if exposure to cocaine is prolonged (Ostlund et al., 2014). Resultantly, the reward pathway is rendered insensitive by the drug and other natural enforcers. As tolerance sets in, the addict needs to take higher doses more frequently to register the level of pleasure as experienced initially. At the same time, sensitization is heightened especially towards toxic effects such as anxiety-producing convulsant (Riezzo et al., 2012).

Cocaine users (especially teenagers) apply sophisticated means and tactics to hide their substance use. Advanced technology implies that teenagers and young drug users can access eBooks on how to hide or disguise drug use. Documents like these are authored by experts and contain detailed step-by-step instructions on how to act normal or to be secretive about drug abuse and addiction. Parents and friends of cocaine abusers cannot detect the transformation of a drug user because online resources provide useful ideas on where to hide the drugs. However, as the individual’s habit worsens, it becomes harder to hide the drug abuse as cravings become more common.

Often, cocaine users become liars and deny any accusations directed to them by family members on suspicion.  It is not easy for people to prove drug use due to lacking evidence, given that the drug abuser is well aware of the adverse consequences of if detected. The intention of a cocaine addict is to sustain their behavior while limiting the chances of drawing attention to themselves. Therefore, they exercise caution, even when purchasing the drugs from suppliers. Besides, the supply network for these drugs in the United States is a closely guarded secret. Only a handful of users is knowledgeable on the identity of individual drug barons because the business is conducted in secretive locations and under cover of darkness, or at least away from the public view.  

Quitting Cocaine Abuse

Quitting cocaine use depends on personal determination and the need for transformation. However, the most appropriate means to refrain from cravings is to visit a detox center. Drug experts argue that quitting of a highly addictive substance like cocaine renders the life of the user at risk because of withdrawal symptoms.  Therefore, it is important for the abuser to adhere to instructions provided at a detox center. The medical professionals at the facility can monitor and stabilize the health conditions of the individual throughout the strenuous process which can take days or weeks.

Thereafter, the person should enroll to a rehabilitation center to ensure full transformation and to inhibit chances of resumption to cocaine use. Rehabilitation facilities play a critical role because it limits personal contact between the drug user with friends and peers that can influence the individual into using the drug. Additionally, the authorities at a rehab facility have laid down strict rules and regulations to assist the user in the path towards full recovery.  Subsequently, attendance counseling sessions is recommendable for an addict to understand the driving factors for substance abuse. In this way, the abuser can break down the mentality surrounding the use of cocaine (Resnick & Resnick, 2013). In fact, drug users should consider family counseling to help mend the damaged relationship.

In summary, cocaine use is on a steady rise, especially among the youth. While the users are lured into using the drug for pleasure, permanent addiction is inevitable if the drug is used for a prolonged period of time. As a result, negative side effects such as cardiac arrests and collapse of the respiratory system can lead to death. Therefore, it is imperative for the users to consider visiting rehab facilities to assist them in the detoxification process.

References

Cunningham, K. A., & Anastasio, N. C. (2014). Serotonin at the Nexus of Impulsivity and Cue Reactivity in Cocaine Addiction. Neuropharmacology, 76, 460-478.

Ersche, K. D., Jones, P. S., Williams, G. B., Turton, A. J., Robbins, T. W., & Bullmore, E. T. (2012). Abnormal Brain Structure Implicated in Stimulant Drug Addiction. Science, 335(6068), 601-604.

Jorge Dinis-Oliveira, R., Carvalho, F., Alberto Duarte, J., Brandao Proenca, J., Santos, A., & Magalhães, T. (2013). Clinical And Forensic Signs Related To Cocaine Abuse. Current Drug Abuse Reviews, 5(1), 64-83.

Ostlund, S. B., LeBlanc, K. H., Kosheleff, A. R., Wassum, K. M., & Maidment, N. T. (2014). Phasic Mesolimbic Dopamine Signalling Encodes the Facilitation of Incentive Motivation Produced by Repeated Cocaine Exposure.Neuropsychopharmacology, 39(10), 2441-2449.

Resnick, R. B., & Resnick, E. B. (2013). Cocaine Abuse and its Treatment.Psychiatric Clinics of North America.

Riezzo, I., Fiore, C., De Carlo, D., Pascale, N., Neri, M., Turillazzi, E., & Fineschi, V. (2012). Side Effects of Cocaine Abuse: Multiorgan Toxicity and Pathological Consequences. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 19(33), 5624-5646.