Injected, snorted, or smoked, cocaine quickly reaches the bloodstream and penetrates the brain. The substance brings off its primary instantaneous psychological effect – the high – by triggering a spike in dopamine levels.
Even though people are aware of its highly addictive properties, countless are constantly drawn to it. They are eager to experiment. Based on a 2020 national survey of individuals over 12 years old, roughly 5.2 million people started using cocaine in the last 12 months. This is a quick overview of how cocaine affects the body.
What Is Cocaine Addiction?
Cocaine is a potent addictive white powder stimulant substance. It’s primarily used for recreational purposes because of its positive impact on energy, motivation, and mood. Those who take the drug can temporarily get rid of their shyness, become more social, and have heightened concentration.
What cocaine does to the brain is cause probable brain cell damage. Consistent or repeated use of this psychostimulant substance can trigger neuroadaptations in both function and structure throughout the brain. It can lead to a range of cognitive impairments and affective dysfunction.
Even when used a couple of times, the damage to specific structures can stimulate an addiction. Whereas, drug abuse for an extended period of time can lead to various problems with long-term damage.
Both powdered and crack (freebase) cocaine could initiate long-term mental health damage. This can be spotted in the form of emotional disturbances or mood fluctuations. Including paranoia, restlessness, psychosis, and auditory hallucinations.
Cocaine Names & Street Nicknames
There are several slang terms that cocaine is known for. There is a notable culture around it. Therefore, users have associated the substance itself with a number of drug names. Some of them can include:
- Crack
- C or Big C
- Line
- Blow
- Toot
- Snow
- White Rock
- Chemical
- Snow White
- Schneef
- Dust
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What Are The Odds Of Getting Addicted To Cocaine?
The odds of developing a cocaine addiction can be relatively high. But, addiction to this substance can take time and repeated use to form. People can’t develop a full-blown addiction just after using the substance once.
They can, however, trigger potent experiences and develop a health risk of mixing cocaine with other drugs or powerful substances. The cocaine use disorder will greatly vary from person to person. It could be mild, moderate, or severe.
How To Recognize A Cocaine Addiction?
To understand the cocaine addiction cycle, it’s important to know how it starts. There are repeated patterns that a cocaine user can show as the addiction takes hold. Take a look at the different stages of a cocaine addiction cycle.
- Stage I – Drug use – Users have high odds of being agitated. Because of the reinforced drug use, there is a chance for paranoia, chest pain, euphoria, or dysphoria. But, it isn’t uncommon to experience seizures.
- Stage II – Early crash – Users can have a lack of appetite and relatively high cocaine cravings. This makes them paranoid, agitated, and prone to early depression.
- Stage III – Late crash – Users are now at a stage where they can have lower cocaine cravings. Yet, they tend to feel remorseful and depressed. They also feel sleepy and hungry.
- Stage IV – Between binge – Users may feel more stable. Their sleeping patterns and mood fluctuations have normalized, and they tend to feel intermittent cocaine cravings. A feeling of restlessness can also develop at this stage.
- Stage V – Drug-seeking – Users can’t wait to get their hands on the next dose. There are increased cravings and anticipation, which is causing a heavy burden on their mental and physical state.
Once users go through the fifth stage, they go back to square one and start all over again. This cyclic pattern is a typical outcome for anyone addicted to the substance.
What Makes Cocaine So Addictive?
Individuals who struggle with the addiction start using the substance in a compulsive way. It is an intense drug. That brief high often leads to positive reinforcement in the form of alertness, euphoria, and excitement.
As a result, there is a big irresistible urge for taking the next dose. With time, the body develops a tolerance. To get the desired outcome, users take higher doses, which eventually could turn into a full-blown addiction. To top it all off, many users mix this powdered substance with other very addictive drugs. Mainly alcohol and heroin. This could be a recipe for polysubstance abuse.
Despite how overwhelming and dangerous addiction can be, there is still a way to overcome it. With adequate cocaine detox and treatment and persistence, users can put an end to their addictive patterns and turn over a new leaf.
We can help you turn over a new leaf with our cocaine addiction treatment in Indianapolis, IN. Contact us today.
