Cocaine Addiction Signs, Effects, & Withdrawal Symptoms Options

The duration of the high achieved by using cocaine in either form is relatively short, so many people who abuse cocaine do so in a binge and crash pattern. This type of cocaine usage means that a user takes cocaine often in a relatively short period of time to sustain the high caused by the cocaine. When properly treated, many of the long-term symptoms of cocaine addiction can be avoided or lessened, which is why prompt treatment is vital for those who use cocaine. The effects of cocaine abuse will vary based upon individual genetic makeup, route of administration, length of abuse, and frequency of use. Cocaine use continues to be a growing problem and one of the most abused major stimulant drug in America.

Commonly seen as a white powdery substance or in the form of crystals , users can snort, inject, ingest, inhale , or rub the drug on his or her gums to get high. The varying routes of administration for cocaine also make it one of the most deadly and life-consuming addictions in existence. Cocaine, also known as blow or coke, is one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States, with nearly 17 percent of the population having tried it at some point in their lives. The drug is often found in powder or crystallized rock form, known as crack cocaine, and can be injected, snorted, or smoked. Often parents, spouses, employers—or other people who care about a man’s cocaine use—want to know what symptoms and signs they should look for.

Learn About Co-Occurring Disorders

Often called the “caviar of street drugs,” cocaine addiction is frequently portrayed by the media as being a glamorous type of drug to abuse. The reality of cocaine abuse, however, paints a much uglier picture. Cocaine abuse can lead to drug addiction which has many life-threatening effects on the heart and brain, as well as devastating consequences to emotional well-being. Blue Ridge is an alcohol and drug detox and substance abuse treatment center offering rehabilitation programs for alcohol, heroin, opiate, and prescription drug addiction.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health has estimated that in 2009, there were 1.9 million current cocaine users, of which about 359,000 were crack cocaine users. Adults between the ages of 18 and 29 have higher rates of cocaine usage, with 1.5% of those within that age range reporting past-month cocaine usage. Cocaine, a purified extract of theErythroxylum cocabush, is anything but glamorous. Cocaine use often leads to cocaine addiction and long-term use of cocaine can cause life-threatening heart conditions, effect the brain, and leave users emotionally and mentally exhausted and overwrought. There are two primary forms of cocaine – a white powdered substance that can be snorted intranasally or injected and a freebase form called “crack cocaine,” which is a smokable substance. Cocaine abuse can range from occasional usage to compulsive binge-crash abuse, in which an individual will continue abusing cocaine for as long as they are able until they pass out.

Cocaine Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders

Park Royal Hospital provides modern, compassionate treatment for adults and seniors suffering with mental health issues and co-occurring disorders. It is estimated that about 1.9 million people in the United States use cocaine each month. Adults between the ages of years report higher rates of cocaine usage with 1.5% reporting cocaine usage in the last month. Rebound Behavioral Health is an adult inpatient treatment center and substance abuse rehab program nestled in a peaceful, wooded estate. Conway Behavioral Health Hospital near Little Rock, Arkansas treats adults and adolescents with a variety of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and co-occurring addiction.

What starts off as seemingly harmless experimentation can quickly develop into a potentially life-threatening addiction with devastating personal, professional, financial, and familial consequences. Cocaine addiction can have a significant impact on a professional’s health and well-being. High blood pressure, poor lung function, and permanent damage to vital organs are some of the potential physical results. This type of sign of cocaine addiction can become apparent in mood changes.

Effects of cocaine withdrawal and overdose

Side cocaine addiction treatment of polysubstance abuse vary depending on the combination of drugs, the amounts used and the timing of use (e.g., simultaneous versus concurrent). Prolonged abuse of cocaine can cause tolerance to develop, which then requires a person to need larger amounts of this substance in order to experience the desired effects. As time presses on, the acquisition and abuse of cocaine becomes the focal point of an individual’s world, often leaving other things that were once priorities to fall to the wayside. Additionally, both short and long-term abuse of cocaine can wreak havoc on a person’s mental and physical health and significantly increases the chances for overdose. While under the influence of cocaine, individuals will likely be unable to experience pain and often engage in behaviors that are risky, due to the feelings of invincibility that occur.

Powdered cocaine is abused by snorting it or liquefying the powder and injecting it with needles into your veins. Crack cocaine is consumed by heating the rock in a pipe and inhaling the smoke. The high resulting from cocaine varies depending on the method in which it is consumed, but injection produces the fastest and most intense high.