How does cocaine affect the brain?

Cocaine is a very powerful stimulant that has significant effects on the brain and has a very high addictive potential.

Cocaine, a highly addictive substance is a powerful stimulant extracted from the leaves of the coca plant, which is a native plant in South America. It is usually in the form of a powder, such as a hydrochloride salt, which is usually snorted, although it is also dissolved and injected.

Crack is another form of cocaine: it is a crystalline form of cocaine that has not been treated with acids to produce the familiar powder form. Crack cocaine is heated and the vapors produced are inhaled to produce an intense high, similar to the practice of “freebasing” that preceded the large-scale production of crack cocaine.

Cocaine is a stimulant and like other stimulants, cocaine acts on the central nervous system to stimulate the production of dopamine in the brain. It is dopamine that produces the drug’s “high.” This chemical is naturally produced by the brain in response to certain stimuli; however, cocaine works by preventing the reuptake of dopamine, which increases the pleasure signals produced by the substance.

This disrupts the normal functioning of the brain and creates a feeling of euphoria. However, habitual cocaine use reconfigures the brain and leads to physical dependence. In fact, it can alter the physical structure of the brain. Habitual cocaine users not only experience addictive behaviors, but also an increased tolerance to the drug, so that more and more amounts are needed to produce the same kind of euphoric state. This carries a much higher risk of serious physical and psychological effects.

How does cocaine negatively affect health?

Cocaine use has a number of negative effects on physical health. Cocaine causes dilation of the pupils, constriction of blood vessels, and an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. The drug can also cause digestive problems such as nausea and abdominal pain, as well as headaches. Cocaine addicts are also prone to malnutrition because the drug is a powerful appetite suppressant.

The negative health effects of cocaine can vary depending on the method of ingestion. Snorting cocaine can cause nosebleeds, hoarseness, a runny nose, and loss of smell. Injecting cocaine puts you at risk for HIV and other diseases if the needles split, and allergic reactions are not uncommon among cocaine users. Cocaine users may also be at risk for gangrene in the intestines due to impaired blood flow. Regular cocaine use can cause anxiety, irritability, and paranoia. Some cocaine users even experience psychotic episodes, sometimes leading to total paranoid psychosis.

Cocaine or other illegal drug users are always at higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack, regardless of how often they use cocaine or how they take it. Some people have died suddenly from cardiac arrest while taking the drug for the first time. Most cocaine-related deaths are due to sudden cardiac arrest after drug use.

The short-term effects of cocaine, or “the high,” are why cocaine is commonly used. Users often snort, inject or smoke the drug to get high. When the drug enters the bloodstream, it stimulates the central nervous system and produces a feeling of euphoria that can last up to 30 minutes. During this time, blood vessels constrict, heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature increase, and pupils dilate. As a result, most users feel mentally alert, euphoric, and energetic, although some users experience irritability, anxiety, and restlessness. Repeat cocaine users often feel more restless, irritable, and anxious than euphoric. Some may also experience paranoia and hallucinations.

The long-term effects of cocaine are by no means glamorous or euphoric. Those who snort risk recurrent nosebleeds, septal damage, loss of smell, difficulty swallowing, and intestinal gangrene. Those who smoke this medication risk lung damage and lung diseases such as breathing difficulties, chest pain, and similar damage to tobacco smokers. Injecting medications increases the risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases that occur in the bloodstream or through needle sharing. Regardless of how the drug is consumed, chronic cocaine use can lead to seizures, abdominal pain, headaches, nausea, heart attack, stroke, respiratory failure, and eventually death.

Currently, there are advanced cocaine addiction treatment centers that have the most advanced technology to combat cocaine addiction and its effects on the body in general. Advanced brain analysis technology and comprehensive care programs can address the emotional, physical, psychological, and neurological causes of cocaine addiction. These treatment centers can lead to successful and long-lasting recovery from cocaine addiction. If you or someone you know is suffering from cocaine addiction, seek help today.