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Cocaine addiction: symptoms and treatment methods. Cocaine without snot. An unbiased study of white powder

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Depression

Indifference

Fatigue

Heartbeat

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Depression

Tired of life

Hatred

Anxiety
Sleep disturbance

Probability of heart attack

cocaine addiction

Nervous breakdowns

Accompanying illnesses

drug addiction treatment or prevention.

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We offer comprehensive treatment “a complete product for getting rid of cocaine addiction” - going to a drug treatment clinic with a guarantee of anonymity and choice of any treatment program!!!

An integrated approach to the treatment of cocaine addiction

Every cocaine lover sooner or later experiences cocaine withdrawals - cocaine withdrawal. When raising the mood artificially, where the effect is primarily noticeable in the form of a strong emotional uplift, the opposite state also occurs, which is characterized as a cocaine withdrawal or a deep emotional hangover: cocaine withdrawal.

In the first couple of days, withdrawal from cocaine is nothing more than a slight apathy, fatigue and lack of interest in what is happening in life, but as soon as a psychological dependence on cocaine is formed, then all is lost!!!

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Cocaine withdrawal: stages of manifestation and symptoms

If the first use of cocaine does not cause serious changes in the psyche and has practically no effect on the physical level, then this does not at all mean that it is safe to take cocaine from time to time. Such thoughts ruined a huge number of people who took drugs lightly and did not see anything bad in cocaine, naively believing that cocaine was for a select few, and a pure drug had no side effects at all. Single use of cocaine causes:

Depression

Indifference

Fatigue

Heartbeat

Naturally, who can be scared by such a condition? A normal hangover, no one even thinks that this is the initial stage of cocaine withdrawal. Everyone chalks it up to a sleepless night at the club or to an additional source of pleasure - alcohol. If it’s bad, then you don’t want to think about the cocaine comedown at all, but it’s better to attribute this condition to the comedown from alcohol, which was plenty mixed with cocaine.

Having tried to get rid of cocaine withdrawal with cocaine or a new dose of alcohol, you will experience a new uplift in mood, and your physical condition will improve, but you must remember that this is a temporary phenomenon, and each time this happens, the withdrawal of cocaine withdrawal will get worse and worse. The body will no longer cope on its own, and the doping agent will turn into medicine and become a way of life.

Remember how alcoholics drink themselves to death, because they did not intend to become one, but... At first glance, a harmless prank, well, who hasn’t fooled around in their youth, and you want to try the forbidden fruit at least once. By the way, not everyone will agree with such thoughts. It may also be a matter of a genetic predisposition to addiction, and if you are prone to addiction, you yourself will not notice how heavily you become hooked on cocaine, but regular dropper during cocaine withdrawal, it will no longer be an assistant for you.

Depression

Tired of life

Hatred

Anxiety
Psychological attraction to new doses

Destruction of the nasal septum

Sleep disturbance

Probability of heart attack

This is not even a basic or complete list of signs of cocaine withdrawal; with each new day of cocaine addiction it will get worse. The withdrawal from cocaine will push you to new doses and soon you will not be able to cope with the withdrawal from coke on your own.

If you have made it a practice to quit coke using the “wedge by wedge” principle, then be prepared for the fact that serious changes in the psyche will soon occur, since the central nervous system suffers and the following will begin:

Nervous breakdowns

Accompanying illnesses

Slowly but surely you become extremely dependent psychologically and physically, and the initial withdrawal from cocaine will be nothing compared to what you get in the end. In addition to this, a concomitant dependence on alcohol may develop, and for a particularly susceptible category, heroin addiction, since “the soul demands a continuation of the banquet”

If you are not ready for the fact that cocaine withdrawal will become a “faithful life partner” for you, and a new dose will become an antidepressant and a means to improve your psychophysical state, then you will have to undergo a course of drug addiction treatment or prevention.

How to quit cocaine - cocaine withdrawal

Today there are many safe ways to restore your condition and get rid of cocaine withdrawal symptoms.

Cocaine withdrawal is a poisoning of the body in which the normal functioning of the body is disrupted. An anonymous drug treatment clinic will solve this issue in the shortest possible time, and the help of a psychologist will help restore your emotional state. You should not withdraw from cocaine by consuming new doses or alcohol, since in this way you will aggravate the situation and further treatment will become problematic.

You can come away from cocaine with a 100% guarantee of anonymity and you don’t have to go to a clinic to relieve cocaine withdrawal, because this can be done on an outpatient basis and clean your blood without an inpatient stay in a narcology clinic.

We will professionally remove all the symptoms of cocaine withdrawal, get rid of cocaine withdrawals and return you to normal well-being, but then everything will depend on you, it is you who will have to make a choice in favor of changing your life and habits or return to drugs and again experience the painful state of cocaine withdrawals.

Cocaine withdrawal?

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Cocaine withdrawal: symptoms and signs

Withdrawal from cocaine can last up to three weeks and manifest itself not only in physical pain, but also in psychological oppression, suicidal thoughts and a terrible depressive state may occur. You shouldn’t fight cocaine withdrawal on your own - use anonymous and professional help.

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Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug that gives a person a temporary feeling of euphoria and mental clarity. Cocaine is highly addictive, and its use can lead to serious health problems, including overdose and death. It is not easy to determine whether a person is using cocaine or not, since these symptoms are very similar to those of other diseases. This article lists some signs to look out for if you're worried that a relative, friend, or coworker is using cocaine.

Steps

Part 1

Visual physical signs

Look for white powder on the person's nose. Cocaine is a white powder that is usually taken intranasally (snorted through the nose). Look at the person's face and nose. Even if a person has wiped away traces of cocaine, you may still find traces of the powder on the person's clothing or on things they have used.

Check for items under the bed or under a chair that may have been used as a surface for snorting cocaine.
A person can justify himself by saying that it is powdered sugar, flour or another harmless substance. If this is not the first time you have noticed this, especially in places where the use of flour or powder is impossible (for example, on a magazine under the bed), then most likely it is cocaine.

Cocaine is one of the most common and dangerous drugs in the world. It causes rapid addiction, personality degradation and has a devastating effect on human health. Death from a heart attack or stroke as a result of a cocaine overdose, suicide - this is the end of drug paradise.

What is cocaine? How to recognize a person under cocaine intoxication and is it possible to help him get rid of his addiction? How does cocaine act on the body, what harm does it cause to health? What to do if you overdose on cocaine? - you will learn about this from our article.

What is cocaine

What is this drug and where does it come from? Cocaine is a plant-based drug. It is found in the leaves of coccus bushes, the Latin name for plants of this genus is Erythroxylum, which grow in the tropical regions of South America. By chemical nature, cocaine is an alkaloid. Once in the human body, it has a strong psychotropic effect.

South American Indians knew about the stimulating properties of coccus leaves as early as the third century AD. They were chewed by warriors on long campaigns, messengers traveling long distances, priests and tribal leaders for religious purposes. The leaves were used to increase stamina, to suppress hunger, and to lift mood. However, the use of cocci was not widespread. The Spaniards, who conquered the territory of Peru, played a significant role in the spread of the drug. They encouraged the consumption of coccus leaves by plantation Indians and also took full control of the cultivation of coccus bushes and the leaf trade. Already at the end of the 16th century, big money was being made from cocaine. About 80% of Europeans in Peru were, one way or another, involved in the cocaine business.

Coccus leaves were first brought to Europe by Amerigo Vespucci. In the 17th century, they were used as a drug, and in the 19th century, cocaine was isolated as a pure substance and became widespread as a medicine. The first synthetic cocaine was produced in 1897. Externally, the powder was used as an anesthetic, but at the end of the century it was replaced by other drugs of this series that did not have dangerous side effects. Cocaine was taken internally as a stimulant. Silent films and the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, largely contributed to the popularization of the drug. He himself was addicted to cocaine and prescribed it to his patients, recommended it to friends, and treated them for depression, neuroses and impotence.

So already at the end of the 19th century, cocaine was widely used by all segments of the population. By the way, the well-known American drink “Coca-Cola” until 1906 contained cocaine obtained from coccus leaves, which explains its name. After cocaine was banned, it was replaced by caffeine.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many facts accumulated about deaths from cocaine overdose, the development of addiction and the destructive effect of this substance on a person’s personality and health. In 1922, cocaine was officially recognized as a drug and banned from circulation.

A new rise in the popularity of cocaine began in 1970. It has become fashionable to use it. Show business figures literally advertised the drug with their behavior, creating a myth about a beautiful and active life. Currently, about 70% of cocaine consumption occurs in the countries of South and North America, which is explained by the territorial proximity of plantations for growing coccus bushes. Approximately 20% falls to Western Europe. Experts estimate global cocaine consumption at 750 tons annually. According to UN statistics, the situation in the most problematic countries is as follows: in Spain, 2.6% of the population uses cocaine, in the USA - 2.5%, in Ireland - 2.4%, in England - 2.1%.

Cocaine is gaining popularity in Russia. Over the past five years, the turnover of this drug has increased tenfold. Cocaine smuggling occurs across the borders with the Baltic states, Ukraine and the Transcaucasian countries.

In terms of the scale of its destructive effect on an individual and society as a whole, cocaine is in second place after opiates.

Cocaine is considered a drug for the rich, but this is not entirely true. Test doses are sold at low prices, and when a person becomes addicted, the cost of the drug increases. Among cocaine addicts there are people of all ages, professions and social status. A significant amount of the drug is distributed through nightclubs and expensive entertainment venues.

Varieties of cocaine

What is cocaine made from? - it is obtained from coccus leaves, the bushes of which are grown on plantations in South America. The leaders in the production of this drug are the drug cartels of Colombia, Bolivia and Peru.

Depending on the degree of purification and the addition of other substances, there are several varieties of cocaine. How cocaine is taken depends on the form of the drug. It is inhaled through the nose, injected intravenously or smoked, and less often taken orally.

Purified cocaine is considered an elite drug because its price is quite high. It is a fine powder with a chalk-like structure. Its color can be white, cream or yellowish. The taste is bitter and the powder causes a numb feeling on the tongue. This is an almost pure narcotic substance - 90% of the powder is cocaine hydrochloride.

Cocaine exerts its effect upon contact with mucous membranes, so the powder is inhaled or rubbed into the gums. To inhale it, pour it onto paper and form strips that are sucked into the nose through a rolled-up piece of paper. In their jargon, drug addicts call cocaine powder “snow”, “frost”, “refined sugar”, “dust”, “white”.

Various impurities are often added to the powder to reduce the cost of the final product. Lidocaine, which also causes numbness of the mucous membranes, or other anesthetics are more often used. Baking soda, starch, and boric acid are used as ballast - powdery substances similar in appearance to pure cocaine. A street dose may also contain various stimulants - from legal caffeine to amphetamine-type drugs.

Cocaine paste is cheaper, contains impurities, and is more viscous and moist in consistency. It is a product of the first stage of processing of coccus leaves. It contains from 40 to 80% cocaine. The paste is smoked by adding tobacco or marijuana.

Solutions for intravenous administration are less common. Experienced drug addicts inject intravenously and are no longer able to achieve the desired effect when inhaling the powder. Often, for a better “high,” heroin and other opiates are mixed into the cocaine powder. This mixture for intravenous administration is called “speedball” (English: “fast ball”). This is the most dangerous type of drug; when used, overdose and death often occur. When using speedballs, cross-dependence to both drugs develops, and it is extremely difficult for a person to get rid of it. The combined destructive effect on the body of heroin and cocaine increases many times over, and the addict degrades extremely quickly.

The drug for smoking is cocaine in crystalline form, it is called “crack”. When heated, the crystals break down with a characteristic sound, hence the name of the drug (“crack” is translated from English as “crack”). Externally, crack is small pieces of light color, hard, uneven in shape. It was invented to reduce the cost of the drug and reach poorer segments of the population, since it costs less than powder.

There are also so-called cocaine analogues. For the most part, these are synthetic forms with a modified formula (mephedrone, 4-methylmethcathinone and others) to avoid being classified as drugs. Synthetic cocaine is cheaper, but has a less pronounced effect. Such “inventions” of chemists are monitored and suppressed by drug control.

Not long ago people started talking about legal cocaine - these are snorting mixtures with a similar effect. They claim to be natural, safe and non-addictive. But the effect of their use - euphoria, a surge of strength - indicates that these mixtures are just as dangerous as regular cocaine.

How does cocaine work?

The effect of cocaine on the body is determined by its inclusion in the mechanism of transmission of nerve impulses in the brain. It interferes with three systems at once: dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. These substances are responsible for the feeling of joy, happiness, self-esteem, and provide stress resistance. As a result of stimulation of such receptors, euphoria occurs - a feeling of lightness, happiness, an extraordinary increase in mental strength and performance. Subsequently, disruption of the brain receptors causes severe mental disorders and personality disintegration, similar to the signs of schizophrenia.

This is the effect of cocaine that attracts future drug addicts.

Feeling of happiness. Improves mood, talkativeness, and sociability. Under the influence of a drug, a person often reveals secrets.
Increased mental activity. It seems to the addict that he is able to solve difficult problems, he can handle everything, his memory and mental abilities improve. But all knowledge and abilities disappear along with the effect of the drug.
A burst of energy. Cocaine relieves drowsiness, increases performance and physical endurance. It seems to the addict that his physical capabilities have increased incredibly. In reality, he faces loss of coordination, balance, and disorientation in space. Cocaine users often fall and suffer various injuries.
Feeling of superiority. A person under the influence of cocaine is confident that he is right. Fortunately, drug addicts are not able to finish what they start.

When inhaling the powder, the narcotic effect appears within five minutes and lasts about half an hour, up to a maximum of two hours. The duration of the “high” depends on the quality of the drug and the experience of the addict. Over time, tolerance (addiction) develops, larger doses become necessary, and the duration of euphoria decreases. The addict chases the elusive sensations, increasing the dose and frequency of use. Against this background, overdoses often occur.

Crack smokers are the most vulnerable. With this route of drug administration, addiction develops very quickly. Euphoria sets in within 10–15 seconds, but does not last long - about 20 minutes.

Signs of cocaine intoxication

It is sometimes difficult to recognize a cocaine addict, so the addiction worsens and it is too late to save loved ones. Cocaine addiction in Russia is not as widespread as in countries of the Western Hemisphere, so people often do not pay attention to strange behavior. In addition, a drug addict with little experience can easily be confused with a simply excited person. Cocaine intoxication can be similar to the first stages of alcohol intoxication or the effects of energy drinks. The person is excited, talks a lot, laughs, and is overly self-confident.

What are the signs of cocaine use? - Narcologists divide them into physiological and psychological.

Physiological signs of cocaine use are a consequence of the drug's effect on the nervous system as a whole and on the nasal mucosa when the powder is inhaled. These include:

dilated pupils;
constant runny nose;
pale skin;
frequent respiratory diseases of an infectious nature;
rapid breathing;
cardiopalmus;
increased body temperature, chills;
sweating;
decreased gag reflexes;
intestinal disorder;
An experienced drug addict loses a lot of weight.

Psychological signs of cocaine intoxication are as follows:

euphoria - causeless happiness;
mood swings - laughter, aggressiveness;
haste, talkativeness, excessive self-confidence;
overexcitement, insomnia, loss of appetite;
hallucinations and obsessive states are possible;
impulsiveness, lack of logic in actions;
financial difficulties;
frequent trips to the bath or toilet to take the next dose.

Experienced drug addicts have a neglected appearance - they stop taking care of themselves.

The effects of taking cocaine last for an average of half an hour. After the drug wears off, the person feels lethargic, weak, irritable, or depressed. Drug addicts suppress depression with alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers.

As addiction develops, secrecy and unreliability appear. The drug addict lies to his loved ones, morality means nothing to him, and family values are lost. Cocaine marathons also happen - several days of continuous drug use. During this time the person does not eat or sleep. Afterwards exhaustion of the nervous system sets in, the addict falls into a deep sleep that does not give rest. Upon awakening, he is plagued by depression and a strong craving for drugs.

Cocaine intoxication can be determined using tests in different ways. The so-called metabolites (benzoylecgonine and ecgonine) are tested for cocaine or its breakdown products. There are rapid tests for urine; more complex methods are carried out in the laboratory. How long does cocaine stay in the blood? Cocaine itself can be detected in the blood only within a few hours after taking the drug, but the metabolites are excreted in the urine within 2–3 days. They appear in the urine about an hour after taking the dose and persist for up to 10 days. Other biomaterials are also used to determine drugs: metabolites remain in saliva for 5 days, in hair for 3 months, in nails for 6 months.

Harm from cocaine

How dangerous is cocaine from a physical health point of view? Under the influence of the drug, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, and stress hormones are released into the blood. All this increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, causes arrhythmias, aortic dissection, hypertensive crises - these are the most common causes of sudden death among cocaine addicts.

The consequences of cocaine use affect the entire body.

The combination of cocaine and alcohol is extremely dangerous for life. When the drug and ethyl alcohol are consumed simultaneously, ethylcocaine is formed in the body. It negatively affects the heart muscle, causing arrhythmia and cardiac arrest. Alcohol also slows down the elimination of cocaine from the body.

How does cocaine addiction develop?

From the first doses of cocaine, addiction rarely develops. Therefore, a person gets carried away, it seems to him that he can quit at any moment.

Many people try drugs out of curiosity, in pursuit of interesting sensations. Entertainment show stars use cocaine for courage and to improve performance.

Dependence on cocaine is more psychological - the addict wants to experience a state of euphoria more and more. No cocaine - severe depression occurs. An addict will do anything to get a dose and return to a “normal” state. The inability to get a dose can drive an addict to suicide.

Physical dependence is weakly expressed, but it exists. It manifests itself as withdrawal syndrome, which we’ll talk about a little later.

Cocaine overdose

Overdose often occurs due to the addict losing control of the amount of drug taken in pursuit of elusive sensations. The lethal dose of cocaine for the average person who does not use regularly is 1.2 grams, but depending on the individual characteristics of the body, it can be reduced to 20 mg. For comparison: a single street dose is 15–60 mg; and the dose to obtain the effect of the drug cocaine is defined as 1.5 mg of pure substance per kg of human weight.

Symptoms

The symptoms of an overdose are quite characteristic, in contrast to the signs of cocaine intoxication. When the body is poisoned by cocaine, the following symptoms first appear:

Then they develop:

drowsiness, the drug addict wants to sleep, but cannot fall asleep;
muscle cramps in the arms and legs;
increased body temperature;
dehydration, dry mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, eyes;
heart failure, chest pain.

Cocaine causes severe vasoconstriction, which leads to heart attacks, strokes, acute renal failure, coma, and death from cardiac or respiratory arrest.

Sometimes excessive stimulation of the nervous system and seizures and convulsions develop. In severe overdoses, convulsive seizures lead to cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest and death.

First aid

If there is the slightest suspicion that the victim has overdosed on cocaine, call 911 immediately. While waiting for the medical team to arrive, you should try to take the following actions.

Overdose is treated in a hospital.

Addiction treatment

Cocaine addiction is called cocaineism. There are no drugs with proven effectiveness for its treatment. The therapy is non-specific; the same techniques are used to get rid of addiction to other stimulants (amphetamine).

Healing begins with a person’s awareness of the fact of his addiction and the desire to get rid of it. It is impossible to cure a drug addict who does not want to stop taking cocaine.

The sooner the awareness of the problem and the desire to be treated comes, the higher the likelihood of returning to normal life. Therapy consists of several stages.

The first stage is cessation of use and further abstinence from the drug. Stopping the intake of cocaine in the body causes withdrawal syndrome, or cocaine withdrawal. This causes muscle pain, joint aches, loss of appetite, and insomnia. Psychological disorders have the greatest impact on a person: depression, loss of self-control, increased craving for drugs. Doctors help to cope with these symptoms - with the help of medications you can improve sleep, relieve depression, improve the functioning of the digestive system and other body systems.
The second step is getting rid of psychological dependence on cocaine, stopping the craving for use. It lasts 3–6 months, which the patient spends in the clinic. During this time, it is important to develop motivation for a healthy lifestyle, identify the factors that pushed a person to take drugs and eliminate them.
The third stage is returning to society. Social service employees help you find work, communicate, and identify your range of interests.

Throughout the entire period of recovery, the addict needs the help of a psychologist and the moral support of loved ones. With consistent and professional treatment, the chances of success are very good, even in cases of severe and long-term addiction.

In conclusion, let's say that cocaine is a dangerous and difficult drug that quickly becomes addictive. A person cannot independently limit its use, as it becomes inadequate. Cocaine destroys the health, personality of the addict, his social connections and ultimately kills. But if the problem is recognized in a timely manner, the chances of getting rid of addiction are quite high. Be attentive to your loved ones and never believe that one dose is harmless.

Cocaine is a powerful psychogenic stimulant, producing a temporary euphoric sensation and a feeling of amazing mental clarity. This herbal narcotic substance can form a strong psychological dependence in a person. And its use causes serious health problems.

The effects of cocaine use

Cocaine has a high level of tolerance, in other words, the initial sensations of pleasure can only be repeated by increasing the dose. After use, the cocaine addict feels a euphoric rush, he is overwhelmed with energy, he feels new abilities and inexhaustible possibilities. This condition can be compared to a mild form of stress – a person’s blood pressure rises, hormones go through the roof, etc.

Positive

Among the positive effects of taking cocaine, narcologists identify several characteristic effects:

Euphoria. Without a specific reason, a person suddenly becomes moody. His behavior becomes excessively talkative and talkative, and his sociability increases. A cocaine addict, under cocaine intoxication, can tell others details of his life that in a sober mind he would keep secret.
Mental activity. While under the influence of cocaine, a person feels that his mental abilities have increased significantly, his memory has improved, he is capable of quickly resolving difficult situations, and all his abilities have developed many times over. However, after the cocaine effect stops, all newly acquired abilities and knowledge disappear somewhere.
Energy surge. Under cocaine, the addict experiences feelings of incredible performance, lack of drowsiness, while energy is literally in full swing, and physical abilities seem unlimited. But in reality, the movements lose coordination; when moving, the cocaine addict constantly stumbles, often falls, losing his balance, which often leads to serious injuries.
Self-confidence. A person feels right in everything, everything he does is the only correct action. It’s good that in such a state, cocaine addicts are not able to bring what they started to its logical conclusion, otherwise unreasonable ideas and actions, supported by delusions of greatness and mission, could lead to very disastrous consequences.

Negative

There are much more negative effects after cocaine and they pose a serious threat to the body:

Cocaine has vasoconstrictor properties, in other words, it contracts blood vessels.
The drug increases temperature and respiratory rate, suppresses gag reflexes.
If the dose is excessively high, seizures or tremors may occur. Such processes cause nervous system damage, which results in depression of respiratory function and even myocardial arrest, which leads to death.
After repeated administration of the drug and its intense effect on the brain structures that control motivation and emotions, the cocaine user’s body becomes more susceptible to epileptic-like seizures.
The drug deprives cocaine addicts of appetite, which leads to exhaustion of the body, an imbalance of metabolic processes and essential nutrients.
Against the background of chronic use, cocaine psychosis develops, including manic ideas of persecution, paranoid states, various hallucinoses, lack of motivation and depressive disorders.
Inhalation of the drug causes mucous lesions and inflammatory lesions in the nose.
Intravenous injection increases the risk of developing inflammation of the cardiac structures, blood poisoning, hepatitis and AIDS.
When smoking a drug, a cocaine addict often experiences pulmonary circulation disorders, visual disturbances, causeless coughing, chronic bronchitis, etc.
When cocaine is combined with alcohol, the body produces ethylcocaine, a substance that causes myocardial arrhythmia and its complete stop.

Any method of use threatens the cocaine addict with serious problems, even death. But what sensations force a person to take more and more doses?

Feel

Considering the effect of cocaine, it is worth saying that the feeling of euphoria lasts only about half an hour, while maximum levels of pleasure appear within 5 minutes after smoking or inhaling.

Under cocaine, the body begins to produce dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter, and the patient experiences feelings of euphoria and joy. While cocaine is working, dopamine concentrations are high, but once the cocaine effect wears off, they drop sharply.

Therefore, addicts become overwhelmed, dejected, sad and depressed. As a result, a craving for cocaine is formed, since the only way to get rid of depression is by administering another dose of cocaine.

Signs and symptoms

Cocaineism can be suspected by external manifestations of a mental and physical nature. People who take drugs change their behavior, they stop taking care of themselves, often show excessive self-confidence in their actions, have sharply changing moods, etc.

Physiological

The following symptoms may indicate a person is on cocaine:

In case of an overdose, a cocaine user may experience severe convulsions. A cocaine addict begins to rapidly lose weight, his appearance becomes unkempt. The eyes of cocaine addicts often appear bloodshot, which is associated with prolonged and debilitating insomnia. Due to perceived insect bites, the addict scratches his skin. This phenomenon has even been called “cocaine bugs.”

Psychological

Cocaine use has a noticeable effect on the behavior of the addict:

Since the drug causes euphoric states, the person becomes unreasonably happy.
His behavior shows excessive swagger and self-confidence, excessive talkativeness, and haste in his movements.
The person laughs more than usual or may suddenly become impulsive and aggressive.
Hallucinosis can also be a sign of cocaine addiction.
Similar behavioral changes can be observed in a person for about half an hour.
Cocaine addicts must regularly retire to take their next dose, so frequent absences from the bath or toilet against the background of the above symptoms should sow the seed of suspicion.
Constant overstimulation due to cocaine use provokes insomnia and lack of appetite.
There are consequences to using cocaine. So, after a fun evening spent on cocaine, the next morning a person experiences noticeable irritation, depression and lethargy. Some people treat the effects of cocaine with alcohol, tranquilizers or sedatives.
A person who uses cocaine often has financial difficulties, because this drug is very expensive. Therefore, such people often ask for a loan without explaining the purpose of the loan. Valuable and expensive items begin to disappear from the house, and the addict has to steal them to pay for doses of cocaine.
Over time, cocaine addiction develops. The cocaine addict becomes dishonest, unreliable and secretive; his behavior often exhibits sudden and causeless mood swings, and signs of mental imbalance and depression appear. The drug addict neglects past moral values, family, children, etc.

If such changes occur, it is recommended to talk with your loved one about his problems. Moreover, this must be done as early as possible in order to prevent the development of severe chronic addiction, which is often impossible to eliminate.

Cocaine addicts need professional drug psychological help. Only long-term and well-thought-out rehabilitation will help him give up cocaine.

Cocaine is considered one of the most expensive drugs. Cocaine intoxication is accompanied by feelings of lightness and happiness, increased endurance and ability to work. The duration of this state depends on the method and duration of drug use; the effect can last 15-20 minutes, or it can last for an hour and a half. Due to the short duration of drug intoxication, it is difficult to control the dosage of the drug, which is why cocaine addicts often overdose.

Cocaine is used in several ways: injected, consumed in paste form, inhaled or rubbed into the gums, etc. With any method of use, the effect is approximately the same. Cocaine is an effective stimulant, so even one-time use can provoke serious intraorganic disorders. But how does it work?

When taking cocaine, the pleasure center located in the brain is stimulated. As a result, a person falls into a state of euphoria, which is quickly replaced by opposite sensations, which are manifested by depression, lack of appetite, loss of strength and sleep disturbances. As a result, addicts experience tachycardia, paranoia, convulsions, and may develop a stroke or heart attack.

To eliminate depression, a cocaine addict requires a constant increase in dosage. He is not able to give up the drug on his own, because without cocaine he is overcome by severe depression, which can lead to suicide.

Physical health

Usually the effect of the drug does not last long; after 15-20 minutes the addict is released, and he needs a new dose. The negative effects of cocaine are reflected in many intraorganic structures.

Brain

After consuming a dose, the pleasure center in the brain structures is activated, which puts the cocaine addict into a euphoric state. The effect of cocaine on the brain causes disruptions in biochemical processes and the rapid development of cocaine addiction. When cocaine enters the body, like stress, it affects the nucleus accumbens of the brain. In addition, the drug also affects the genetic level, suppressing genes responsible for depression.

In return, cocaine causes the formation of neurons that protect the body from depressive effects, but only in a state of cocaine intoxication. Therefore, the rest of the time, depression dominates in the brain of a cocaine addict, which can only be restrained by another drug dose. Convulsions occur due to intense brain stimulation.

Effect of cocaine on brain neurons

Heart

Cocaine provokes spasms of the heart arteries and affects the electrical activity of the myocardium, which can lead to a heart attack even in relatively healthy patients. Medical practice describes a case where, after the death of a cocaine addict with 15 years of experience, an autopsy was performed and the heart was removed. Incredibly, it beat for another 25 minutes after the actual death of the drug addict. It’s just that myocardial cells have adapted to drugs. Due to constant narrowing of the cerebral vessels and overload of the heart, the patient’s heart rate was noticeably increased. This helped the heart adapt to ischemia and become resistant to oxygen deficiency. As a result, it was able to work without oxygen for such a long time.

Muscle tissue

A characteristic disease of cocaine addicts is rhabdomyolysis, which is the death of skeletal muscles. Cocaine affects muscle tissue, destroying them. As a result, myoglobin enters the blood, then clogs the kidney tubules, which provokes the occurrence of acute kidney failure.

Myoglobin is toxic to the body; it causes metabolic disorders and life-threatening conditions.

Respiratory system, lungs

Against the background of frequent cocaine use, a drug addict usually develops chronic forms of pulmonary pathologies, bronchitis or throat diseases. If a cocaine addict smokes the drug, he soon develops shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and may develop asthma, arterial thrombosis, or pulmonary infarction.

Other organs

Despite its reputation as an aphrodisiac, cocaine also has a destructive effect on a person’s sexual abilities, which is manifested by the inability to fully complete sexual intercourse. With chronic cocaine addiction, drug addicts experience disturbances and delays in ejaculation, decreased libido, etc.

With systematic use of cocaine, a narrowing of the gastrointestinal vessels occurs, which causes hypoxia, against the background of which ulcerative and perforating processes occur in the tissues of the intestines and stomach.

The effect of this powerful thing leads to the fact that absolutely healthy people soon become disabled, or even die. And given the above, the answer to the question of whether cocaine is harmful is completely obvious.

The effects of cocaine use

Psychological problems

Experts call cocaine intoxication manic-like. Various psychological changes occur under the influence of cocaine:

When the drug no longer works, anxiety, depression and fatigue arise, the person cannot experience pleasure, he gets chills and trembling, suffers from pain, and is unable to concentrate. In some patients, cocaine withdrawal may trigger suicidal thoughts and actions.
Video about the effects of cocaine:

How much does it leave the body?

The duration of action of cocaine is insignificant and the effect usually lasts no more than half an hour, although sometimes it lasts up to 1-1.5 hours. At the same time, it is worth considering how long the drug lasts in a person’s blood and urine.

The presence of cocaine in the body can be determined using rapid tests or traditional urine and blood tests. Cocaine metabolites remain in urine for 48-72 hours and only then the substance is excreted naturally.

Cocaine can only be detected in the blood within a few hours after consumption. Cocaine can also be detected in hair, which indicates regular cocaine use. If necessary, specialists can test saliva, nails, hand washes and other biomaterials for the presence of drugs.

Cocaine metabolites can be detected in hair within 3 months (if the hair is short), nails will reveal cocaine use within six months, and saliva within 5 days.

Cocaine addiction is a rather complex mental condition, because the cocaine addict is psychologically unable to give up the drug. Such an addiction is quite difficult to treat if it lasts for a long time, and the consequences of taking cocaine can be very disastrous. Therefore, it is better not to indulge in dubious pleasures and not start using cocaine.

Cocaine addiction: symptoms and treatment methods. Cocaine without snot. An unbiased study of white powder

Cocaine withdrawal: stages of manifestation and symptoms

How to quit cocaine - cocaine withdrawal

Cocaine withdrawal: symptoms and signs

Steps

Warnings

What is cocaine

Varieties of cocaine

How does cocaine work?

Signs of cocaine intoxication

Harm from cocaine

How does cocaine addiction develop?

Cocaine overdose

Symptoms

First aid

Addiction treatment

The effects of cocaine use

Positive

Negative

Feel

Signs and symptoms

Physiological

Psychological

Physical health

Brain

Heart

Muscle tissue

Respiratory system, lungs

Other organs

Psychological problems

How much does it leave the body?