Cocaine National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA

You may develop depression, unpredictable mood changes, paranoia, or even violent behaviors toward yourself and others. what is smack in the dirt You could have hallucinations, meaning you see or hear things that aren’t there. These behaviors can be scary for you and your loved ones.

Health Challenges

Large amounts may make us feel powerful, euphoric and filled with energy. When people use cocaine, their brains release lots of dopamine. But that cocaine-driven dopamine release or rush fades quickly, leaving them wanting more of those feelings — and the drug. As people keep on using cocaine, their brains get used to the huge overstimulation and they need stronger, more frequent doses. But the most significant effect is how cocaine use changes people’s brains, setting the stage for cocaine addiction (cocaine use disorder). Smoking cocaine also increases the risk of developing respiratory problems, such as shortness of breath, coughing, and lung trauma, including bleeding.

Why Do People Use Cocaine? At First It Is a Choice

Cocaine is a white powdery substance that reacts with the body’s central nervous system, producing energy and euphoria. It is most commonly snorted, but can also be smoked (also known as “freebasing”) or dissolved in water and symptoms of roofied injected. Cocaine is also referred to as coke, snow, blow, or powder. Treatment programs use behavior change techniques through counseling (talk therapy). The aim is to help you understand your behaviors and why you use cocaine.

Cocaine use carries a high risk of contracting bloodborne infections, including HIV and hepatitis C. When snorted or gummed, coke needs to get through mucus, skin, and other tissues. It bypasses all that when you inject or smoke it, allowing it to enter the bloodstream almost immediately.

Cocaine Effects

It’s also important to remember cocaine use often has a ripple effect, putting stress and strain on relationships. If that’s your situation, consider participating in a support group. Medications can treat the symptoms related to cocaine withdrawal, but there is no substitute drug that can effectively help a patient recover from a cocaine dependency. Some studies have shown that those who inject or smoke cocaine have a greater risk of complications than individuals who snort it. Smokers tend to develop an addiction more rapidly than those who snort. Long-term use can gradually change the brain’s reward system, increasing the risk of addiction.

Scientists don’t know exactly how it works to reduce cocaine use. 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. Since it’s an illegal drug, you can never be sure about the quality of cocaine.

1. Injecting it carries the highest risk of bloodborne infections, but you can also contract infections by smoking and snorting coke.
2. But it can also produce some not-so-pleasant psychological and physical effects.
3. Even if you stop using it for a long time, you could still have cravings for the drug.
4. In comparison, the same survey results show 52.8 million people age 12 and older used marijuana and 1.1 million people used heroin.
5. Individuals who stop using the drug will have powerful cravings that can last for years.
6. Chronic cocaine use can lead to long-term changes in the brain, an increase in stress hormones, as well as decreased functioning in other parts of the brain.

When you heat the rock crystal and breathe the smoke into your lungs, you get a high that’s almost as fast and strong as when you inject it. That’s one reason crack cocaine became popular in the 1980s. The impairment of these cognitive centers can lead to the compulsive use of cocaine—with little to no regard for the consequences. There are a number of complications of cocaine addiction, and they can differ depending on your method of using the drug. If you’re worried about your cocaine use and want help, you have options. Consider talking to your primary healthcare provider if you’re comfortable doing so.

Some of the side effects of cocaine depend on how what is a drinker’s nose you take the drug. If you snort it, you might have nosebleeds, loss of smell, hoarseness, nasal irritation, runny nose, or trouble swallowing. Smoking crack can damage your lungs and worsen asthma symptoms.

That means it takes less of it to cause negative effects like anxiety and convulsions. There are about 750,000 cocaine-exposed pregnancies each year. Using cocaine during pregnancy can cause problems for both the parent and the developing baby.