Author: John Carter
Cocaine Addiction: Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
According to statistics from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, roughly 4.8 million adults 18 and older in the United States reported using cocaine in 2021. The most important part of any treatment plan is to give up the drug right away. Many people who are addicted to cocaine go through a phase called withdrawal when they first do this. Withdrawal can be difficult, so it may be best to do it with the help of a medical professional. With cocaine use disorder, you may become both physically and mentally dependent on the drug.
The self-help support group message is that addiction is an ongoing disorder with a danger of relapse. Self-help support groups can decrease the sense of shame and isolation that can lead to relapse. To find a support group in your area, talk to a healthcare provider or go online. Cocaine is also known as coke, C, flake, snow, crack, and blow. It’s highly addictive, and in the United States, recreational use is illegal.
What is the outlook for cocaine addiction?
Cocaine addiction accounts for roughly 6% of all drug rehab admissions in the United States. This addiction can be difficult to treat, and the majority of those seeking treatment for cocaine addiction are polydrug users (use more than one drug recreationally). While some people are able to successfully detox from cocaine in an outpatient setting, others find that an inpatient program is helpful for managing acute withdrawal symptoms. When you use substances like alcohol or drugs over a long period of time, your body can develop a dependence on these substances. Cocaine, sometimes referred to as “crack cocaine,” is a stimulant substance with addictive properties.
- LGBTQ adults are also more than twice as likely to have a substance use disorder.
- Sometimes an intense effect is achieved by using more powerful forms of the drug, such as crack, or using other drugs in addition to cocaine.
- Detoxification, or detox, refers to these withdrawal symptoms, as well as the medical interventions that can help assist someone who’s in withdrawal.
- To make more money, dealers may “cut” the drug with other substances, like flour, baking soda, cornstarch, or talcum powder.
The FDA hasn’t approved any medicine to treat cocaine addiction. But there are a few medication options doctors are having some success with. Since it’s an illegal drug, you can never be sure about the quality of cocaine. To make more money, dealers may “cut” the drug with other substances, like flour, baking soda, cornstarch, or talcum powder. They can also add other drugs like amphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, or procaine.
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But we need much more research into whether the vaccine is safe and effective over the long term. Drug use disorder, or addiction, is a complicated disease that involves changes to your brain structure. Many issues play a role, including other mental health disorders, your background, and your environment.
Research suggests that certain communities may be more prone to using drugs, including cocaine. For example, those who identify as LGBTQ are more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs as heterosexual people. LGBTQ adults are also more than twice as likely to have a substance use disorder. It may help to get an independent perspective from someone you trust and who knows you well. You can start by discussing your substance use with your primary care provider.
You might need counseling, supervision, and medication if you develop depression and suicidal ideation. You may develop thinning or deterioration of the septum nasi (the septal cartilage in your nose) if you snort the drug. Injecting the drug can increase your risk of a serious skin infection, such as a bacterial staphylococcus infection. Cellulitis (a severe type of skin infection) and necrotizing fasciitis (destruction of the infected tissue), and a systemic infection can develop as well. Sharing needles can increase the risk of HIV and hepatitis B. Cocaine, also known as coke, is a powerful stimulant derived from the coca plant.
Cocaine Effects
It’s important to spot the symptoms of overdose and get help immediately. Symptoms include a high heart rate and blood pressure, seizures, hallucinations, and trouble breathing. In early tests, a vaccine helped reduce the risk of relapse in people who use cocaine. The vaccine activates your immune system to create antibodies that attach to cocaine and stop it from making its way into your brain.
In 2013, cocaine accounted for almost 6 percent of all admissions to drug abuse treatment programs. Pharmacological and behavioral treatments are the most effective options for cocaine addiction. Outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, medications, therapy, or a combination of different treatment programs can help you recover from addiction. But it carries many risks, including overdose and serious physical and mental side effects as well as addiction. If you or someone you know has problems with cocaine use, seek help from a doctor or mental health professional.
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Adverse Childhood Effects
With the right treatment ― whether inpatient, outpatient, or otherwise ― you or a loved one can get the help needed to overcome substance use disorder. Generally, withdrawal symptoms from cocaine during the detox period start within 24 hours after last using the drug. Cocaine withdrawal can sometimes have severe symptoms, but many detox programs exist to help you through it.
The main complication of cocaine addiction is overdose, which results in cocaine toxicity. While cocaine can adversely affect every organ in the body, its most dangerous and life-threatening effects are on thecardiovascular system. Most importantly, treatment offers you the chance to learn how to manage your thoughts, feelings, and emotions without feeling like you need to use substances. You can learn not only your triggers but also the coping skills necessary to navigate difficult life situations. It’s possible to die from an overdose of crack or any other type of cocaine.
Following initial treatment, some people are transferred to a drug-free therapeutic community (TC) for six to 18 months to reinforce coping skills in a community atmosphere. Thereafter, many rely on 12-step programs to maintain sobriety. Acute kidney failure (rather than slowly deteriorating kidney function) is a life-threatening emergency that’s also common with cocaine overdose.
All stimulants act to enhance the extracellular concentrations of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Stimulant drugs can block the transport of these neurotransmitters. Cocaine prevents the dopamine, and other neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin, from being taken up into the nerve cells.