Cocaine

5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine

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5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine

In 2014, there were an estimated 1.5 million people using cocaine in the United States, but finding out if your loved one is using cocaine can be tricky, especially if you don’t know what to look for.

Cocaine is a white powder that people can snort up their nose, or mix with liquid then inject into their bloodstream. Cocaine’s dangerous. It’s a central nervous system stimulant that overstimulates the brain’s reward circuit. Cocaine can increase a person’s heart rate to an alarming level.

There are several signs that may give you a better idea, if you believe that someone is using cocaine. It’s important to know what to look for, because your loved one might need help quitting cocaine. Many people find freedom from cocaine in the safety of a rehab center.

1. Lack Of Money From Cocaine Use

5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine_Cocaine Abuse in AmericaOne of the first signs of cocaine use will appear when an individual runs out of money. Cocaine is one of the more expensive drugs, and the high from it doesn’t last very long so one binge can be costly. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “snorting cocaine produces a relatively slow onset of the high, but it may last from 15 to 30 minutes.”

A cocaine binge can cost 150 dollars per gram, and can last for several days, weeks, or months. Some people spend so much on cocaine that they’re unable to support themselves, or their family on an otherwise substantial income. Cocaine use has been known to ruin lives, and may even cost a person their job. In this respect, a person abusing cocaine may constantly need to borrow money, whether they have a job or not.

2. Drug Paraphernalia Used For Cocaine

Another sign of cocaine abuse is the appearance of drug paraphernalia, which refers to objects, and miscellaneous articles needed to use the drug. Here’s a list of paraphernalia used for cocaine:

  • Tightly rolled dollar bills
  • Straws
  • Tubes
  • Pens with the ends cut off
  • Sandwich baggies
  • Flat surface with white residue:
    • Piece of glass
    • Mirror
    • Tray
    • Book
    • Countertop
    • Magazine
  • Burnt spoons
  • Unexplained needles or syringes
  • Glass pipe
  • Concealable containers with white residue

Some of these items won’t show up, because your loved one may keep it well hidden, or clean up after using the drug. It can also depend on when and where an individual uses cocaine. If you decide to confront someone about their cocaine use, they might not be honest with you—at least not at first. It may be helpful to have them take a random at home drug test, if you suspect your loved one is using cocaine.

3. Behavioral Changes From Cocaine Use

Changes in behavior may be the next sign to appear. When someone starts acting strangely, or constantly sneaks around, it may be due to cocaine use.

The teenage years may present a dilemma, because during this time, people are changing anyways. Teenagers might act out or show aggression towards authority. Similarly, someone using cocaine may do a lot things that seem out of character like become violent, or recluse.

5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine_Cocaine Side EffectsSomeone using cocaine might stay up later than usual, sleep at odd times during the day, spend a lot of time alone, and excessively use the bathroom without good reason. Suspicious activities may also include anonymous phone calls, and when you answer. when the person hangs up.

Using large amounts of cocaine may increase a person’s euphoria, but at the same time it can lead to erratic, bizarre, and sometimes violent behavior. Cocaine use can lead to paranoia, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and panic. Your loved one may seem energetic, talkative, euphoric, mentally alert, and be sensitive to sight, sound, and touch (NIDA).

Some may even develop an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as a result of their cocaine use—this occurrence of both mental and substance use disorder is referred to as a co-occurring disorder. With consistent results from epidemiological studies by the National Library of Medicine, subjects actively using cocaine (and also marijuana) were found to be at an increased risk for OCD.

4. Social Changes From Cocaine Use

Your loved one may stop spending time with lifelong friends as a result of their cocaine use. A teenager might even stop enrolling in extracurricular activities like sports, or academic clubs, and replace those social circles with other people who use drugs. An adult may avoid social situations with the exception of night clubs, bars, and other scenes where drug use is more widely accepted.

The people who aren’t using cocaine may not like their friend’s new found activity, and as a result stop hanging around them. The choice to cut ties with someone because of cocaine use can work from both sides. Sometimes it’s the person using cocaine who stop responding to their friends or family; maybe from fear of being rejected, or judged.

5. Physical Changes From Cocaine Use

5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine_Cocaine Drug MisuseSometimes the physical changes from cocaine use are the last thing people notice before they realize it’s a problem. Using cocaine temporarily decreases a person’s need for food and sleep. So as a result, they may lose a lot of weight, or even seem gaunt, or malnourished. Cocaine use may also come with the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.

Cocaine can also result in a lot of adverse health consequences. Some of these aren’t as easy to determine as others, but may include:

  • Constricted blood vessels
  • Dilated pupils
  • Cardiovascular complications
  • Increased body temperature
  • Heart rate
  • Blood pressure
  • Heart arrhythmia
  • Heart attack
  • Frequent headaches
  • Seizures
  • Gastrointestinal complications
  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain
  • Respiratory complications
  • Slowed breathing
  • Coma
  • Death

So repeated cocaine use not only puts a person at risk of becoming addicted or dependent upon the drug, it can also lead serious physical and mental health complications, and emergencies. In 2011, “cocaine was involved in 505,224 of the nearly 1.3 million visits to emergency departments for drug misuse or abuse,” (NIDA). If you believe someone you love is using cocaine, don’t give up on them, get help today.

Find Help For Cocaine Addiction And Dependence

It’s helps to remember that cocaine addiction is considered an disease, and even after a person changes from it, they’re still the same person. They just might need more help now. Contact DrugRehab.net today to speak to someone who understands addiction, and can tell you more about how to find cocaine addiction treatment for you or your loved one.

If you or a loved one is battling methamphetamine abuse or addiction, contact us now!

For More Information Related to “5 Signs Your Loved One Is Using Cocaine” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse – What Are The Short Term Effects of Cocaine Use?
National Institute on Drug Abuse – What is the Scope of Cocaine Use in the United States?
U.S. National Library of Medicine – Cocaine
U.S. National Library of Medicine – Cocaine Use and Other Suspected Risk Factors for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Signs of Speedball (Heroin with Cocaine) Use

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DrugRehab.org Signs of Speedball (Heroin with Cocaine) Use

When a person mixes heroin with cocaine, they may seem anxious, uncoordinated, stupored, and drowsy. This mixture of depressant and stimulant is referred to as a speedball. A lot of people concurrently use heroin and cocaine to counter any side-effects from either drug, but it can also result in consequences such as respiratory failure, overdose, and coma.

What Is A Speedball And Why Is It Dangerous?

DrugRehab.org Signs of Speedball (Heroin with Cocaine) Use Mixture Of Depressant And StimulantA speedball refers to a mixture of depressants and stimulants; it’s a form of polysubstance abuse. A few examples of a speedballing are alprazolam with methamphetamine, alcohol with amphetamines, or the most common speedball, heroin with cocaine.

People may use heroin with cocaine for the intense rush, or to minimize the negative side-effects or “come-down.” But the reality is the effect that mixing heroin with cocaine has on the body is unpredictable, and can be fatal.

How Cocaine Works

Cocaine works by stimulating a person’s central nervous system. It causes a flush of dopamine in a their brain, and increases their heart rate. The euphoric effect makes the user feel energetic, extremely happy, and often sleepless. Cocaine also acts on the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for regulating a person’s fight or flight response.

How Heroin Works

Heroin, on the other hand, works by depressing the central nervous system. Once it’s in the blood stream, heroin rushes to the brain and binds to opioid receptors—these are responsible for feelings of pain and pleasure, but also affect breathing, sleeping, and heart rate. Unlike cocaine, heroin affects the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s rest and digestion.

Mixing Heroin With Cocaine

When cocaine and heroin are mixed, their opposite effects can create a system debacle. This is because when both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems mentioned above, are attacked, the brain responds by sending a mixed signal of what to do. Another, perhaps more practical danger is that the effects of cocaine wear off much faster than heroin, which can easily result in respiratory failure.

DrugRehab.org Signs of Speedball (Heroin with Cocaine) Use Side-Effects Of MixingMost of the time heroin and cocaine are diluted with non mood altering substances such as starch, sugar, flour, powdered milk, talcum powder, or even rat poisoning. So there isn’t always a way to tell what either drug has been cut with, thus the purity of each drug isn’t always clear. An amount that proved to be “safe” last time someone mixed heroin and cocaine, could be a fatal dose this time.

In 2015, heroin alone killed 12,989 people. That same year, cocaine killed 6,784 people. From 2010-2015, heroin and cocaine related deaths more than doubled with a combined total that escalated from 8,408 deaths in 2010 up to 21,823 deaths in 2015.

Mixing cocaine and heroin isn’t only dangerous, it’s part of a growing epidemic in the United States. Without a serious change, and the right help, a lot more lives may be lost to addiction.

Signs Of Speedball Use

Some of the signs of speedballing will be harder to point out than others, but it may help to be able to recognize the signs of heroin and cocaine abuse.

That’s because many of the side-effects of heroin and cocaine are, “associated with the abuse of either one individually,” (NIDA for Teens).

The side-effects of speedballing heroin and cocaine may include:

  • anxiety
  • high blood pressure
  • strong or irregular heartbeat
  • drowsiness
  • suppression of breathing
  • general confusion
  • incoherence
  • blurred vision
  • stupor
  • drowsiness
  • paranoia
  • mental impairment
  • uncontrolled and uncoordinated motor skills
  • risk of death from:
    • stroke
    • heart attack
    • aneurysm
    • respiratory failure

Why Mix Heroin With Cocaine?

The reasons that someone mixes heroin with cocaine can vary, but there are a lot of people who inject a mixture of the two to chase the perfect euphoria. Others may combine the heroin with cocaine to counter the drug side-effects like anxiety, depression, or even a crash.

Heroin is a mentally and physically addictive drug that can be extremely difficult to quit cold turkey. A lot of people are met with the challenge of intense mental and physical withdrawals when they finally do stop using heroin.

DrugRehab.org Signs of Speedball (Heroin with Cocaine) Use Killed 12,989 People

Everybody’s different, and there so there’s no clear-cut reason that people will mix depressants and stimulants. There are also people who use cocaine as a sort self-medication for heroin withdrawal.

Heroin withdrawal can include the following symptoms:

  • restlessness
  • severe muscle and bone pain
  • sleep problems
  • diarrhea and vomiting
  • cold flashes with goose bumps
  • uncontrollable leg movements
  • severe heroin cravings

(NIDA)

Treatment For Addiction To Heroin And Cocaine

Finding an evidence-based inpatient rehab center is the usually the best first step to get help for someone struggling with an addiction to heroin and/or cocaine.

Some of the unique treatment programs offered at rehab centers include:

  • Evalulation
  • Detoxification
  • Medication-Assisted Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • Contingency Management
  • Individual and Group Therapy

Find An Addiction Treatment Program That Works

If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction to cocaine and heroin, contact DrugRehab.org to speak to an addiction treatment specialist about how to get help. Your recovery is important to us, and your call will be completely confidential.

For more information, call now!

For More Information Related to “Signs of Speedball (Heroin with Cocaine) Use” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse: National Center for Health Statistics – Overdose Death Rates
National Institute on Drug Abuse – Cocaine
National Institute on Drug Abuse – Heroin
National Institute on Drug Abuse – How Effective is Drug Addiction Treatment?
NIDA for Teens – Real Teens Ask About Speedballs

The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine

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The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine(1)

Alcohol decreases a person’s fundamental ability to make sound decisions. As judgment, reasoning, and inhibition drop, a person is far more apt to make poor choices like using crack for the first time, or using large amounts within shorter periods of time.

Crack cocaine is intensely addictive, so much so, that according to CESAR a “A person can become addicted after his or her first time trying crack cocaine.” With this toxic drug cocktail your risk of overdose will always be higher, as is the chance that your body will experience other harm.

What Does Alcohol Do To Your Body?

Even though alcohol may make people initially feel more energetic, it’s actually a sedative or “downer.”  When you consume alcohol it goes to work on your central nervous system (CNS) and begins to depress it or slow it down, hence why it’s also referred to as a CNS depressant.

The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine_crack cocaine addiction

As this occurs, your heart, breathing, and blood pressure rates all start to decline. The more alcohol you use in a shorter period of time, the more pronounced these effects. Alcohol greatly taxes a person’s liver and also affects their heart and brain.

How Does Crack Effect You?

Crack is a powerful stimulant. When a person uses crack their CNS speeds up (the opposite effect of alcohol) and their brain’s chemistry is immediately altered. Here, two things happen. First, as the CNS quickens, a person’s heart rate and other cardiac functions increase. Secondly, as their brain’s chemistry changes, and because crack is so powerful, they quickly begin to crave the drug.

Crack is far more potent than powdered cocaine, and thereby carries an even greater risk when abused. Despite this intense effect, the high or “rush” from crack is relatively short-lived (only about five to ten minutes).

The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine_crack potency

To counter this brief effect, crack, like powdered cocaine, is often used in binges. This means a person keeps using the drug in rapid succession after the first dose, a practice which increases the risk of addiction, heart damage, and overdose.

Why Do People Use Alcohol And Crack Together?

The reasons are similar to most which fuel polydrug abuse. Some users ingest both because alcohol intensifies the high associated with crack. On the other hand, alcohol is often used to moderate the come-down associated with a crack high, or certain unpleasant side effects of the high itself, like twitching, tremors, or anxiety. Regardless of why a person chooses to use these drugs together, they are placing their life and health in a precarious position.

What Happens When You Use An “Upper” And A “Downer” Together?

Due to the opposing nature of each drug’s basic characteristics (one being a stimulant and the other a depressant) the drugs seem, at certain points, to cancel out the effects of the other.

This may lead a person to drink more because they don’t feel the intoxicating effects of the alcohol as acutely. Or a person may use more crack because the alcohol seems to balance out the heightened states associated with it.

Many users take these to be positive effects, when in reality they are anything but. This does not at all mean that your body is immune from the effects of the additional alcohol or crack. While certain effects may wane, the impact on other parts of your body and brain remain.

When you use both your CNS is caught in the middle of a dangerous tug of war which overburdens this critical system, as well as your heart. As your body is pulled quite literally from one extreme to the next in this way, your life is in jeopardy.

Alcohol And Crack Increase Your Risk Of Death

Both alcohol and crack, can, alone, cause overdose. Using these two drugs together increases the risk. As a person uses crack more frequently to fulfill their cravings, their CNS system becomes even more taxed, increasing the risk of overdose. This hazard is high when a person is binging on the drug, behaviors which increases when alcohol is present.

The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine_cocaine concentrationFor individuals who aren’t accustomed to consuming alcohol with crack, the potential for a fatal overdose skyrockets. Alcohol can actually make it easier for your body to absorb cocaine, which increases the concentration of cocaine within your blood by 20 to 30 percent. From this effect, a person could overdose if they take an amount they are typically used to when using the drug alone.

In the instances where crack seems to “cancel” out alcohol’s effects, a person may continue to consume alcohol in pursuit of a buzz. The problem is that even though they don’t feel the alcohol, their body is still taking large amounts of it in.

Once the crack begins to wear off a person may become very intoxicated quickly, to the extent they get severe alcohol poisoning.

Also, research shows that cocaine as a whole has been linked to an increased risk of suicide when used with alcohol.

What Is Cocaethylene And Why Is It So Toxic?

When alcohol and crack cocaine enter your system within the same period of time their chemical components begin to react together, forming a new chemical called cocaethylene.

Cocaethylene itself has psychoactive properties that many users seek out even if they don’t realize it. This chemical has a longer half-life by three to five times compared to cocaine, which means it remains in your system longer, lengthening the euphoric state of the crack.

Cocaethylene has been associated with an increased risk of:

  • Cardiac complications: Various cardiac processes can malfunction from this chemical. The risk of heart attack climbs (especially in those under aged 40).
  • Liver damage: Since your liver metabolizes the two drugs to create cocaethylene, this organ can suffer substantial damage.
  • Seizures: Seizures can lead to bodily injury and head trauma, which could cause death.
  • Sudden death: Cocaethylene “carries an 18- to 25-fold increase over cocaine alone in risk for immediate death,” according to the Journal of Addictive Diseases.
  • Immune system: A compromised immune system makes it harder for your body to fight disease and infection and maintain an altogether healthful state.

Even though a user may feel the pleasurable effects for a more substantial period of time, the longer cocaethylene is in your system, the greater the opportunity it has to damage your body.

It is possible to treat two addictions at once. In these instances, inpatient drug rehab is typically the best choice for treatment.

Get Help For Alcohol and Crack Cocaine Abuse Today

If you or a loved one is addicted to both alcohol and crack, or experimenting with one while addicted to the other, don’t delay. Contact DrugRehab.org now to begin exploring your treatment options today.

If you or a loved one is battling methamphetamine abuse or addiction, contact us now!

For More Information Related to “The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol With Crack Cocaine” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

US National Library of Medicine — Effects Of Concurrent Use Of Alcohol And Cocaine
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics — Cocaine and Alcohol Interactions in Humans: Neuroendocrine Effects and Cocaethylene Metabolism

What Is A Brompton Cocktail Addiction?

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DrugRehab.org Bromptom Cocktail Addiction_

Addiction may not always come as a surprise—if you use substances recreationally, you may be aware of the risks that come with them. But what about those drugs that are prescribed for conditions like severe pain and relief from suffering? Some prescription drugs are highly addictive and pose a high risk of abuse, and this is especially true when people are taking them to relieve pain.

The Brompton Cocktail is a combination of several substances originally developed to help people manage severe pain. The idea of mixing substances to help people who are suffering in extreme pain isn’t new.

The medical field has been using powerful pain-relieving combinations for centuries. The combination that was the ancestor to the Brompton Cocktail, mixing morphine and cocaine, may have began as early as the nineteenth century.

What’s A Brompton Cocktail And How Is It Used?

DrugRehab.org Bromptom Cocktail_Traditional RecipeAs previously mentioned, the Brompton Cocktail consists of a few different substances, meant to give ultimate relief from pain. Traditionally, the Brompton Cocktail consisted of morphine or heroin, cocaine, and a highly pure form of ethyl alcohol (or gin). Sometimes, the mixture also contained an anti-nausea agent, such as Thorazine.

The Brompton Cocktail was originally used to treat patients with agonizing pain conditions, but also came to be used for relief of symptoms in patients with terminal diseases, like cancer. This elixir isn’t as commonly used in present day.

However, this mixture has become popular in recreational use. Now, the name Brompton Cocktail refers to any mixture that contains alcohol, an opioid (like heroin or morphine), cocaine, and/or phenothiazine (a tranquilizer).

Why Is The Brompton Cocktail Addicting?

Using the Brompton Cocktail as a form of relief for someone suffering with a terminal disease can be quite helpful. Using it recreationally, though, can be dangerous. Why?

Each of the substances within the cocktail have a different effect:

  • The opioid provides nearly instant pain relief and calm, relaxing feelings
  • Cocaine, a stimulant, produces feelings of euphoria and well-being
  • Alcohol, a depressant, also produces anti-anxiety types of feelings and slows brain and motor functions

These substances are each highly addictive on their own. When you combine them, you’re at heightened risk for the dangers associated with them. All of these substances come with their own side effects and consequences, and addiction falls in both categories.

Opioids, cocaine, and alcohol all have immediate effects on your body. You get instant relief, in different ways and from different symptoms, but relief nonetheless. The result is that your body likes this relief, and your brain changes communication pathways because of it. You then start to seek the substance more and more, forming a habit, and after time, addiction.

Dangers Of Addiction

Addiction is dangerous because it consumes you. When you become addicted to a Brompton Cocktail mixture, you’re not just addicted to one substance, but several. And addiction makes you not think the same way you used to. Instead, you begin seeking the substance at any cost.

As you might guess, compulsively seeking substances can have some dire effects on your health and on your life. Each substance affects your health in different ways, but addiction to any substance can change your life from very minor effects to changes that make it hard to live your daily life.

DrugRehab.org Bromptom Cocktail_Opioids

Some of the ways addiction can alter your life include:

  • Changes to personal relationships
  • A toll on finances
  • Decreased performance at school or work
  • Loss of job or career
  • Permanent changes to health, affecting daily life
  • Lack of interest in things you used to love
  • Compulsive substance-seeking that doesn’t allow for much else

Consequences Of Substance Abuse: Opioids, Cocaine, And Alcohol

Addiction can cause so many consequences in your life, and one of the biggest of these is the effects to your health. Each of the substances in the Brompton Cocktail is highly addictive, which means it changes your brain chemistry to make you addicted.

But abuse of opioids, cocaine, and alcohol also greatly affect your health. Just a few of the consequences of these substances includes the following:

  • Opioids: this group includes powerful pain relievers and the illicit drug, heroin. Consequences include collapse of veins, infection in your heart lining or valves, pus-filled, swollen tissues, chronic constipation and stomach cramps, development of liver or kidney disease, and lung troubles, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
  • Cocaine: Long-term effects of cocaine abuse depend on the method of administration. Taken by mouth, these include reduced blood flow and bowel decay. By snorting, these include nosebleeds, loss of sense of smell, chronic runny nose, and troubles swallowing. By injection, effects may include high risk of contraction of infections and infectious diseases, such as Hepatitis and HIV, and risky sexual behavior that could lead to contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
  • Alcohol: prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to liver problems, vision problems, and increase risk of development of cancer, among other issues.

What Treatment Is Available For Brompton Cocktail Addiction?

DrugRehab.org Bromptom Cocktail_DetoxTreatment for any type of addiction has to be comprehensive. Addiction doesn’t just affect your physical health, but actually changes the way you think and behave, so treatment for it must address these changes and work to better them. This is especially true when dealing with addiction to more than one substance.

Addiction to opioids is different from addiction to cocaine, which is different from addiction to alcohol. At our rehab centers, we offer unique healing that works to address the differing symptoms and conditions of any and all substance use disorders. How do we accomplish this? By utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.

In short, this means we use several methods of treatment for well-rounded results. Counseling helps you work through troubling thoughts and emotions (healing of the mind). Behavioral therapy like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) help you replace suppressive behaviors associated with addiction with new, positive behaviors.

Medication assisted therapy can help you safely detox from use of substances. Since opioids, cocaine, and alcohol all come with uncomfortable bouts of withdrawal, this is an important part of Brompton Cocktail addiction treatment.

Finally, the best treatment results you’ll get can be found at inpatient, private rehab centers like the ones you’ll find at DrugRehab.org. Our rehab centers offer a superb quality of care that can be the difference between simply recovering and actually getting well.

Find The Best Rehab Center Today

The Brompton Cocktail is a powerful concoction, and addiction to it can be dangerous since it contains multiple addictive substances. You may have become addicted to this mixture because, after years of abuse, you built up a tolerance and now are scared about what will happen if you stop taking it.

When you enter drug or alcohol rehab, you don’t have to live in fear any more. We can help you find the rehab center that will work with you to design a program that fits your needs. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org to learn more.

If you or a loved one suffer from a co-occuring disorder, contact us now!

For More Information Related to “What Is A Brompton Cocktail Addiction?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

Sources

Drug Free World—What Are Opioids?
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Cocaine
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Heroin
U.S. National Library Of Medicine—Alcoholism And Alcohol Abuse

What is the Difference Between Cocaine and Crack?

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DrugRehab.org What is the Difference Between Cocaine and Crack_

Where Do Cocaine And Crack Come From?

The coca-bush (erythroxylum coca) is natural stimulant that’s native to South America. Its leaves are believed to have been used in ceremonies by the Incas over 4,000 years ago to speed up their heart rates and better sustain survival in high elevations. Fast forward a few thousand years, and in the 1500s, Peruvians chewed on the leaves for the natural euphoric and numbing effect they produced—this was eventually put to a halt by Spanish conquerors.

DrugRehab.org What is the Difference Between Cocaine and Crack_ Coca-BushSince then the coca plant has grown in popularity among the rest of the world, especially since cocaine was first developed in 1859 by German chemist Albert Niemann. Years later, in the 1880s the coca-bush and cocaine made a name in medicine as an anesthetic, and ingredient in popular soft-drinks like Coca-Cola (Note: it’s no longer used in the beverage).

Nearly 100 years after the first appearance of cocaine, appeared crack. It was an experimental drug at first, that was born out of the 1970s and gained most of its popularity in the 1980s. Though both cocaine and crack are derivatives of the coca-bush, and widely popular in the world of drug abuse, they became popular in very different times of human existence.

What Is Cocaine And How Is It Produced?

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that can be snorted, injected into the bloodstream, or it can be freebased. Cocaine is usually a fine white substance and generally comes in powder form. The chemical, cocaine-chloride comes directly from the coca-bush, but when drug dealers get their hands on it they can cut or lace with other non-psychoactive substances such as “cornstarch, talcum powder, flour, or baking soda to increase their profits. They may also adulterate cocaine with other drugs like procaine (a chemically related local anesthetic) or amphetamine” (National Institute on Drug Abuse – NIDA).

What Is Crack And How Is It Produced?

Crack is a smokeable, less expensive, and more profitable version of cocaine. Crack comes further down the line from cocaine, and after it’s mixed with a legal non-euphoric substance like ammonia or baking soda it’s cooked down to remove the hydrochloride and produce a smokeable product—typically in the form of an off-white or yellow looking rock. A crack rock, unlike cocaine powder, is water insoluble. “The term crack… refers to the crackling sound heard when the mixture is smoked” (NIDA).

What Schedule Drugs Are Cocaine And Crack?

Cocaine and crack are labeled as Schedule II drugs by the DEA, because of their “high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous.”

Can You Smoke Cocaine Or Snort Crack?

Cocaine can be mixed with marijuana; a combination referred to in some circles as a one-fifty-oner but by itself, cocaine isn’t normally smoked. Similarly, since crack comes in the form of a rock, it would be unfit to snort up one’s nose. These drugs are dangerous enough on their own as it is, and the preferred methods of use seem to be working—and no matter how a person uses the drug (unless in medicine) it’s illegal.

DrugRehab.org What is the Difference Between Cocaine and Crack_ Difference Between Crack and Cocaine

How Many People Are In Prison For Cocaine Or Crack?

“Over three-quarters of DWI offenders in jail reported using drugs in the past. Among jail inmates held for DWI, marijuana (73%) and cocaine-based drugs including crack (41%) were the most commonly used drugs. Thirty percent of those in jail reported drug use in the month prior to arrest” (Bureau of Justice Statistics). This source will go on to say that in 2002, 11% of U.S. prison inmates were high on cocaine or crack at the time of their arrest—a number that was down from 16% in 1996.

Is Crack More Dangerous Than Cocaine?

Both cocaine and crack are considered dangerous and can be fatal. There were approximately 7,000 cocaine fatalities from 2002 to 20015, and about 60% of those involved an opioid such as heroin (NIDA). Because most of these results were found during an autopsy, it’s inconclusive as to whether the drug being used was crack or cocaine.

Cocaine And Crack Can Be Laced With Other Drugs

Cocaine and crack are regularly laced with other drugs such as meth, marijuana, and opioids. Some people will mix cocaine or crack with heroin which makes for a less intense come-down from the heroin. This mixture of stimulant and depressant is known as a speedball and it can be a fatal combination. What tends to happen when a user mixes an upper with a downer is the drugs cancel each other out—the cocaine reduces the effects of the heroin, so users will continue using heroin to get the high their brain and addiction is seeking.

The serious issue and danger occurs when the cocaine wears off well before the heroin. After that, a user is left with an intense, and often deadly heroin high. Because of the mind blowing euphoria that comes with speedballing; addiction and overdose are much more likely to happen.

Euphoria from Cocaine and Crack

In an interview with ATTN:, clinical pharmacist Jenni Stein described the euphoria produced by cocaine and crack. “A high from snorted cocaine will hit you in about 1-5 minutes, be at its peak within 20-30 minutes, and last 1-2 hours. A high from inhaled or injected cocaine will hit you in less than a minute, be at its peak within 3-5 minutes, and last 30 minutes to an hour.”

DrugRehab.org What is the Difference Between Cocaine and Crack_ Cocaine High

Stein went on to describe crack; “the onset and peak occur much faster with inhaled [if smoked] and injected cocaine, and the user experiences the effects of the drug ‘all at once’—so the user will get higher than if the same amount of cocaine were snorted.”

What Are The Short And Long-Term Effects Of Cocaine And Crack?

As defined by NIDA, “cocaine prevents dopamine from recycling, causing excessive amounts to build up between nerve cells. This flood of dopamine ultimately disrupts normal brain communication and causes cocaine’s high.”

Some of the short-term effects of cocaine are:

  • extreme happiness and energy
  • mental alertness
  • hypersensitivity to sight, sound, and touch
  • irritability
  • paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others

Some of the long-term effects of cocaine, as described by NIDA, are:

  • constricted blood vessels
  • dilated pupils
  • nausea
  • raised body temperature and blood pressure
  • faster heartbeat
  • tremors and muscle twitches

Cocaine Versus Crack Withdrawals

Both cocaine and crack can have similar withdrawals, however one difference is that because the high from crack is an intensified version to that of cocaine, it’s over faster and adverse symptoms occur sooner. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms of both crack and cocaine are increased appetite, anxiety, depression, nightmares, insomnia, general discomfort, and restlessness.

Do Crack And Cocaine Have Different Effects On The Health?

No matter how you use it, cocaine is a powerful drug and can lead to serious health risks whether it’s snorted, smoked, or injected. After prolonged use of cocaine or crack, it begin to take a serious toll on a person’s health. From NIDA, few of those risks include:

  • Snorting: loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, frequent runny nose, and problems with swallowing.
  • Consuming by Mouth: severe bowel decay from reduced blood flow.
  • Intravenous Injection: higher risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis C, and other blood-borne diseases. However, even people involved with non-needle cocaine use place themselves at a risk for HIV because cocaine impairs judgment, which can lead to risky sexual behavior with infected partners

How To Treat An Addiction With Rehab

Finding the right kind of treatment can be the best way to live a healthy, happy, drug free life, Contact us today at 1-833-473-4227 to speak to one of our addiction specialist if you or a loved one is struggling with cocaine today.

For more information on intervention and what it entails, call now!

For More Information Related to “What is the Difference Between Cocaine and Crack?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse – Cocaine
National Institute on Drug Abuse – What is Cocaine?

What Is “Freebase” Cocaine?

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Freebase Cocaine_

Freebase cocaine strips the substance from additives, leaving the (almost) pure form of cocaine. Cocaine in its purest form is potent and highly addictive. Risk of overdose is high for abuse of freebase cocaine, along with a myriad of health effects. Treatment for cocaine addiction is available, and can help those addicted rearrange their lives to leave addiction behind.

Freebase cocaine is a solid form of the drug— its base form. The process of making freebase cocaine involves removing hydrochloride, resulting in the solid form. Cocaine is smoked as a solid, called crack cocaine. Abusing freebase cocaine, “freebasing,” allows people to experience the drug in its purest form.

As you might guess, this produces immediate effects that are highly addictive.

Why “Freebase” Cocaine?

Once the base of cocaine has been freed, stripping away the additive, what’s left is a form of the drug that is pure. In this solid, crystal form, cocaine has a low melting point, which makes it optimal for smoking.

Freebase Cocaine_1.5 Million People

Any time you smoke a substance, the effects will be more immediate than consuming it orally. This is also true with smoking freebase cocaine. A person desiring an immediate high would use a small pipe to inhale the reduced vapors of the drug.

What Happens When You Take “Freebase” Cocaine?

Once you inhale the vapors, the effects are felt within seconds. The rush, or surge of euphoria, follows, lasting minutes. The rush is what gets people: it is intense, powerful, and short-lived.

After the quick rush comes the high, lasting about 30 minutes, and characterized by immense energy, sometimes clear focus, and a hypersensitivity to sight, sound, and touch. The come-down—the period following the high—lasts longer, is just as intense, and far less desirable.

When people “come down” off the high they may feel a number of extremes, such as the following:

These feelings are severe enough to make people not want to experience them again. Avoiding the awful comedown and/or withdrawal can cause people to keep abusing cocaine, especially once they develop addiction.

Long-Term Effects

Abuse of freebase cocaine can result in several long-term effects to health. Malnourishment can occur with lack of appetite, both from the effects of cocaine and from binges. During a binge, a person abusing cocaine may take several consecutive doses. This allows the person to maintain a continuous high.

But binges can be dangerous due to risk of overdose from increased amount of cocaine in the body during a short period of time. In addition, cocaine abuse can cause someone to be irritable and restless, or even extremely paranoid.

Paranoia may be one of the more severe results of cocaine abuse. It occurs especially after binges, and may be responsible for resulting hallucinations and delusions. Years of prolonged abuse can also damage nerves, affecting movement, and may even lead to Parkinson’s disease.

What Happens When You Become Addicted?

When you continually abuse an addictive substance, you increase the risk of developing addiction. Freebase cocaine is highly addictive, and abusing it is dangerous. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains, “repeated use of cocaine can cause long-term changes in the brain’s reward circuit and other brain systems, which may lead to addiction.”

Freebase Cocaine_NIDA

Addiction changes the way a person’s brain responds to feelings of pleasure (reward). Abusing freebase cocaine leads to an excess buildup in the brain of the chemical dopamine. The brain eventually adapts to this change, no longer responding to the drug’s effects.

Because the brain so enjoyed the first and any subsequent rush feelings associated with abuse, it craves that feeling. Cravings can become so intense that they disrupt your daily functioning. Life with addiction becomes all about seeking a way to fulfill and ease the cravings.

When people try to ignore these cravings or have no access to cocaine, they may experience withdrawal. This process can be physically challenging, as the body responds to the brain’s urges. Withdrawal may be characterized by:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Increase in appetite
  • Insomnia
  • Muscle pain
  • Thoughts of self-harm
  • Troubling dreams
  • Slowed thought process
  • Suicidal thoughts

To relieve the troubling process of withdrawal, those who are addicted may begin taking more frequent or higher doses. This can lead to overdose, which is an increased health risk, and can be fatal.

Risks Of Overdose

Part of the reason freebase cocaine is so dangerous is that it is nearly pure. Many types of the drug are mixed with something, making them less potent. Freebase cocaine is both pure and smoked to ensure a quick onset—both of these factors increase risk of overdose.

Freebase Cocaine_Overdose

This is especially true when a person is addicted and starts increasing doses or dosage frequency. It could be easy to take too much of the drug. Also, people who typically take crack cocaine or the powdered form may not realize the potency of freebase cocaine. When switching to smoking freebase, then, they may take too much even the first time.

Overdose is a medical emergency, and should be treated that way. Symptoms of cocaine overdose include convulsions, increased heart rate, hyperventilation, and coma.

Some of the health consequences of cocaine abuse can lead to overdose as well. These include irregular heart rhythm, heart attacks, seizures, and strokes, according to the NIDA.

Treatment For Cocaine Abuse

There are currently no medications available for the treatment of cocaine abuse. However, several forms of therapy have proven effective. The NIDA states that one of the best forms of treatment available is cognitive behavioral therapy.

This evidence-based method helps addicted individuals free themselves from the routine of addiction. Once a person’s life changes for drug abuse, it is often hard to break that cycle. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people build healthy lifestyle habits, free from drug abuse.

Other treatment approaches may include:

Aftercare is also important in treating cocaine abuse and addiction. Seeking out support groups, taking part in 12-Step programs, and living in drug-free, residential communities are all viable aftercare options for those recovering.

Treat Cocaine Abuse And Addiction

Millions in the United States struggle every year with cocaine abuse and addiction. In 2014, 1.5 million people were currently using cocaine, as reported by the NIDA.

If you have watched someone close to you fall deeper into the cycle of addiction, you know how hard it can be to break free. But treatment can help pull you or your loved one out of the habit of abuse and into a new lifestyle. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org to hear more about rehab centers, talk to someone about cocaine addiction, or learn about treatment options.

For more information on freebase cocaine, call now!

For More Information Related to “Freebase Cocaine” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

Center For Abuse Substance Research—Cocaine
Drug Free World—Effects Of Cocaine
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Cocaine

Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs

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DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs

Illegal drugs sold on the street are often marketed or discussed under different names. These code names were devised to dissuade authorities (such as parents, police officers, or others) from evidence of drug abuse. Knowing the common street names for illegal drugs can be useful to those who suspect someone they know is abusing drugs. Treatment for illegal drug abuse or addiction requires comprehensive healing plans and professional support.

Have you ever heard a drug called by a name that’s unrelated to the drug itself? Or, maybe you suspect someone you know is abusing drugs, but aren’t sure and would like to find out.

Knowing the common street names for illegal drugs can help you learn how drugs are regarded on the street—sometimes the street name hints at the drug’s intended effects. An overview of street names for drugs can also help you identify them in conversation if someone close to you is at risk of abusing them.

DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs_knowing Street Names

The best recourse for abuse of drugs, and addiction to them, is treatment. DrugRehab.org can connect you with the resources necessary to find treatment that works for you or your loved one.

Why Street Names?

In simple terms, street names were developed for common use in conversation about illegal drugs. What do you do if you don’t want authorities, parents, teachers or others to know about drug abuse? You speak in a sort of code.

DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs_Street Names Developed

Some street names may have entered mainstream vernacular (everyday language). Others are used mostly by those abusing or trafficking drugs. Either way, if you suspect someone you know is abusing illegal drugs, it can be useful to know the everyday names for them.

Common Street Names

Cocaine:

  • Aunt Nora
  • Bernice
  • Binge
  • Blow
  • Bump
  • C
  • Candy
  • Charlie
  • Coke
  • Dust
  • Flake
  • Mojo
  • Nose Candy
  • Paradise
  • Rock
  • Sneeze
  • Sniff
  • Snow
  • Toot
  • White

Crack cocaine:

  • 24-7
  • Apple jacks
  • Badrock
  • Ball
  • Base
  • Beat
  • Candy
  • Chemical
  • Cloud
  • Cookies
  • Crack
  • Crumbs
  • Crunch and munch
  • Devil drug
  • Dice
  • Electric kool-aid
  • Fat bags
  • French fries
  • Glo
  • Gravel
  • Grit
  • Hail
  • Hard ball
  • Hard rock
  • Hotcakes
  • Ice cube
  • Jelly beans
  • Kryptonite
  • Nuggets
  • Paste
  • Piece
  • Prime time
  • Product
  • Raw
  • Rock(s)
  • Rockstar
  • Roxanne
  • Scrabble
  • Sleet
  • Snow coke
  • Sugar block
  • Topo (Spanish word)
  • Tornado
  • Troop

Depressants (prescription sedatives)

Barbiturates:

  • Barbs
  • Phennies
  • Red birds
  • Reds
  • Tooies
  • Yellow jackets
  • Yellows

Benzodiazepines:

  • Rohypnol (AKA Flunitrazepam):
    • Circles
    • Date rape drug
    • Forget pill
    • Forget-me pill
    • La Rocha
    • Lunch money
    • Mexican Valium
    • Mind eraser
    • Pingus
    • R2
    • Reynolds
    • Rib
    • Roach
    • Roach 2
    • Roaches
    • Roachies
    • Roapies
    • Rochas Dos
    • Roofies
    • Rope
    • Rophies
    • Row-shay
    • Ruffies
    • Trip-and-fall
    • Wolfies

Sleep medications:

  • Forget-me pills
  • Mexican valium
  • R2
  • Roche
  • Roofies
  • Roofinol
  • Rope
  • Rophies

Hallucinogens

Ketamine:

  • Cat Valium
  • Green
  • K
  • Jet
  • Special K
  • Super acid
  • Super C
  • Vitamin K

LSD:

  • Acid
  • Battery acid
  • Blotter
  • Bloomers
  • Blue heaven
  • California Sunshine
  • Cid
  • Cubes
  • Doses
  • Dots
  • Golden dragon
  • Heavenly blue
  • Hippie
  • Loony toons
  • Lucy in the sky with diamonds
  • Microdot
  • Pane
  • Purple Heart
  • Superman
  • Tab
  • Window pane
  • Yellow sunshine
  • Zen

Mescaline (AKA Peyote):

  • Buttons
  • Cactus
  • Mesc

PCP:

  • Angel dust
  • Boat
  • Hog
  • Love boat
  • Peace pill

Psilocybin:

  • Little smoke
  • Magic mushrooms
  • Purple passion
  • Shrooms

Ecstasy (aka MDMA):

  • Adam
  • Beans
  • Cadillac
  • California sunrise
  • Clarity
  • E
  • Essence
  • Elephants
  • Eve
  • Hug
  • Hug drug
  • Love drug
  • Love pill
  • Lover’s speed
  • Molly
  • Peace
  • Roll
  • Scooby snacks
  • Snowball
  • Uppers
  • X
  • XE
  • XTC

Heroin

Inhalants

  • Air blast
  • Ames
  • Amys
  • Aroma of men
  • Bolt
  • Boppers
  • Bullet
  • Bullet bolt
  • Buzz bomb
  • Discorama
  • Hardware
  • Heart-on
  • Hiagra-in-a-bottle
  • Highball
  • Hippie crack
  • Huff
  • Laughing gas
  • Locker room
  • Medusa
  • Moon gas
  • Oz
  • Pearls
  • Poor man’s pot
  • Poppers
  • Quicksilver
  • Rush snappers
  • Satan’s secret
  • Shoot the breeze
  • Snappers
  • Snotballs
  • Spray
  • Texas shoe shine
  • Thrust
  • Toilet water
  • Toncho
  • Whippets
  • Whiteouts

Khat:

  • Abyssinian tea
  • African salad
  • Catha
  • Chat
  • Kat
  • Oat

Kratom:

  • Biak-biak
  • Herbal speedball
  • Ketum
  • Kahuam
  • Ithang
  • Thom

Marijuana:

  • Astro Yurf
  • Bhang
  • Blunt
  • Bud(s)
  • Blaze
  • Dagga
  • Dope
  • Dry high
  • Ganja
  • Grass
  • Green
  • Hemp
  • Herb
  • Home grown
  • J
  • Joint
  • Mary Jane
  • Pot
  • Puff
  • Reefer
  • Roach
  • Sinsemilla
  • Skunk
  • Smoke
  • Texas tea
  • Trees
  • Weed
  • White widow

Hashish:

  • Boom, Chocolate, Gangster, Hash, Hemp

Methamphetamine

  • Beanies
  • Brown
  • Crank
  • Chalk
  • Chicken feed
  • Cinnamon
  • Crink
  • Crypto
  • Crystal
  • Fire
  • Get go
  • Glass
  • Go fast
  • Ice
  • Meth
  • Methlies quick
  • Mexican crack
  • Redneck cocaine
  • Speed
  • Tick tick
  • Tweak
  • Wash
  • Yellow powder

Crystal meth:

  • Batu, blade, cristy, crystal, crystal glass, glass, hot ice, ice, quartz, shabu, shards, stove top, Tina, ventana

Over-the-counter drugs

  • CCC
  • DXM
  • Poor man’s PCP
  • Robo
  • Robotripping
  • Skittles
  • Triple C

Prescription opioids (AKA Painkillers)

Codeine:

  • Captain Cody
  • Cody
  • Doors and fours
  • Lean
  • Loads
  • Pancakes and syrup
  • Purple drank
  • Schoolboy
  • Sizzurp

Fentanyl:

  • Apache
  • China girl
  • China white
  • Dance fever
  • Friend
  • Goodfella
  • Jackpot
  • Murder 8
  • Tango and Cash
  • TNT
  • Hydrocodone or Dihydrocodeinone:
  • Vike
  • Watson 387

Hydromorphone:

  • D
  • Dillies
  • Footballs
  • Juice
  • Smack

Meperidine:

  • Demmies
  • Pain Killer

Methadone:

  • Amidone
  • Fizzies
  • (Mixed with MDMA) Chocolate chip cookies

Morphine:

  • M
  • Miss Emma
  • Monkey
  • White stuff

Oxycodone:

  • O.C.
  • Oxy 80
  • Oxycat
  • Oxycet
  • Oxycotton
  • Oxy
  • Hillbilly heroin
  • Percs
  • Perks

Oxymorphone:

  • Biscuits
  • Blue heaven
  • Blues
  • Heavenly blues
  • Mrs. O
  • O bombs
  • Octagons
  • Stop signs

Prescription Stimulants

Amphetamine (Adderall, Benzedrine):

  • Bennies
  • Black beauties
  • Crosses
  • Hearts
  • LA Turnaround
  • Speed
  • Truck drivers
  • Uppers

Methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin):

Synthetic Drugs

Synthetic Marijuana:

Synthetic stimulants (AKA Bath Salts):

  • Arctic blasts
  • Aura
  • Avalance or Avalanche
  • Bliss
  • Blizzard
  • Bloom
  • Blue silk
  • Bolivian bath
  • Cloud nine
  • Cotton cloud
  • Drone
  • Dynamite or Dynamite plus
  • Euphoria
  • Glow stick
  • Hurricane Charlie
  • Ivory snow
  • Ivory wave or Ivory wave ultra
  • Lunar wave
  • Mexxy
  • Mind change or Mino Charge
  • Monkey dust
  • Mystic
  • Natural energy powder
  • Ocean snow
  • Purple wave
  • Quicksilver
  • Recharge
  • Red dawn
  • Red dove
  • Rock on
  • Rocky Mountain High
  • Route 69
  • Sandman Party Powder
  • Scarface
  • Sextasy
  • Shock wave
  • Snow day
  • Snow leopard
  • Speed freak miracle
  • Stardust
  • Super coke
  • Tranquility
  • UP energizing or UP Supercharged
  • Vanilla Sky
  • White burn
  • White China
  • White dove
  • White lightning
  • White rush
  • White Sands
  • Wicked X or XX
  • Zoom

Treatment For Addiction To Drugs

Reading this list, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at the possibility of addiction in our nation and elsewhere. The important thing to remember is that treatment for illegal drug abuse and addiction is ever-growing.

In fact, treatment for addiction in recent decades has improved. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states, “most people who get into and remain in treatment stop using drugs, decrease their criminal activity, and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning.”

DrugRehab.org Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs_Treatment For Addiction

Treatment works, and getting to treatment could make a vast difference in your life. Methods of treatment are changing, focusing on healing a person as a whole—mind, body, and spirit—rather than just targeting symptoms of addiction.

How To Get Help With Addiction

If you or someone you know is addicted to illegal drugs, you may be uncertain about the next step. You can find help and the treatment you need with our help. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org, and we will help you find a rehab center that fits your needs with a treatment plan that suits your specific goals.

If you or a loved one is battling drug abuse or addiction, please contact us now!

For More Information Related to “Common Street Names For Illegal Drugs” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

Drug Free World—The Drug Facts
National Institute On Drug Abuse—Commonly Abused Drug Charts
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Heroin

Cocaine Use And Depression

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DrugRehab.org Cocaine And Depression_

Extended cocaine use affects neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. The longer the usage, the more these essential neurotransmitters are repressed and impacted. Cocaine alters the brain’s natural reward system, leading to feelings of paranoia, depression, or anxiety. Whether depression came before or after cocaine use, treatment is highly needed to deal with any form of mental illness. Many who face depression turn to drug abuse, and many who suffer from drug abuse form signs of depression afterward.

DrugRehab.org Cocaine And Depression_1 in 10 TeensDrug abuse has the potential to create numerous health effects, both physical and mental, within the lives of those who abuse. When a mental health disorder occurs with drug abuse, the two often worsen each other. Cocaine abuse, especially prolonged use, changes a person’s brain, affecting various chemical components, including certain important neurotransmitters which are critical within regulating a person’s mood. This effect may worsen existing depression or create new symptoms. Together, these disorders require effective substance abuse treatment.

Depression In America

Depression is a disease which is rampant across our country, and receiving the right information can help to greatly improve these conditions. This disorder can become debilitating, changing the way you think, feel, and carry out daily tasks.

In 2014:

  • 1 in 10 teens suffered a period of major depression.
  • 1 in 5 American adults experienced a mental health problem.
  • 1 in 25 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or major depression.

In addition, over 41,000 Americans are lost every year because of suicide.

Two or more illnesses can co-occur with each other in the same individual, such as a cocaine use disorder and depression. These are called co-occurring disorders or a dual diagnosis. Whether it’s happening at the same time or one after the other, this comorbidity (presence of two or more illnesses) can impact each illness and make them both go down hill faster. A person’s normal desires and needs can be greatly impacted by addiction. Compulsive behaviors from drug abuse are comparable to those of mental conditions.

Cocaine’s Effects On The Brain

DrugRehab.org Cocaine And Depression_1 in 25 AmericansWhen using cocaine, there are several things which transpire concerning different aspects of the brain. Various neurotransmitters are affected, including the release of dopamine. When it comes to a sense of well-being, dopamine is the chemical which is considered to bring forth all kinds of pleasure and happy feelings. Dopamine releases when related to pleasure or a feeling of reward when it comes to specific activities in life. If dopamine levels become too high in the brain, they are linked to hallucinations, aggressiveness, delusions, anger, as well as other psychotic symptoms.

Cocaine also increases norepinephrine and serotonin, which are other important neurotransmitters within the body. When it comes to norepinephrine, the body’s “fight-or-flight” mode gets activated, including an increase of heart rate and blood pressure and a person feeling alert. Keeping a balanced mood, sleep, appetite, as well as other behaviors, are all linked to serotonin.

Cocaine kicks these brain chemicals into an instant rush, and over a period of time, these essential neurotransmitters become low and depleted. This can lead to a host of different problems, including depression.

Cocaine And Depression

DrugRehab.org Cocaine And Depression_WithdrawalAfter extreme abuse over a period of time, stopping the use of cocaine can lead to cravings and depression for months. In some cases, suicidal thoughts may also occur. As someone faces withdrawal, the cravings grow more intense, even though the pleasurable effects of cocaine dip way down, instead becoming replaced by paranoia. When someone is facing withdrawal, here are some of the symptoms that may occur:

  • Increased appetite
  • Agitation and restless behavior
  • Slowed activity
  • Fatigue
  • General feeling of discomfort
  • Depressed mood
  • Vivid and unpleasant dreams

When cocaine is used chronically, it blocks normal neural functions. It starts to disrupt the brain’s chemical reward areas. The longer cocaine is used, the more neural depression starts to impact emotions, memories, and cognitive functions.

What Happens When You Use Cocaine For A Long Time?

Through tests, it has been found that cocaine, when abused over an extended period of time, creates a decline in neural activity within the motivational and pleasure areas of the brain. Quoted within a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) publication on the subject, Dr. Porrino says, “Within the structure called the striatum, the blunting of activity spreads from the nucleus accumbens, a reward area, to the caudate-putamen, which controls behavior based on repetitive action.”

DrugRehab.org Cocaine And Depression_MemoriesMemories and information-processes are highly restricted when someone uses cocaine over the long term. “The reduced activity of the temporal lobe indicates that this structure is somehow compromised,” says Dr. Nancy Pilotte of NIDA’s Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research. “Some of these regions mediate the ability to connect emotionally, and cocaine’s blunting of them may induce a flattened affect similar to depression symptoms that are common among chronic cocaine abusers.”

Does Cocaine Cause Depression?

When it comes to mental illnesses and drug abuse, the two are highly linked. Many people who abuse drugs are also diagnosed with a variety of mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety. When people who are facing troubles turn to cocaine, this drug abuse can also bring out the symptoms of a separate mental illness like depression. A mental disorder can create a need for an individual to self-medicate from the emotional or mental symptoms that they are coming up against. In this case, it could have been depression that caused the drug addiction, or in others, it could be that the drug addiction was the first to show up. It can be tricky to decipher which one occurred first. Regardless of whatever symptoms popped up first, it is important to bring about treatment to mental illnesses.

Reach Out For Treatment Today

If you or a loved one suffer from cocaine abuse and mental health issues, contact us now!

Whether the signs of depression have happened before or after cocaine use, reach out for the help you need today. If you are experiencing depression, suicidal thoughts, or other symptoms of mental illness, there is support for you. Getting the help you need will start your journey upward out of depression and cocaine abuse. Please contact us at DrugRehab.org.

 

For More Information Related to “Cocaine Use And Depression” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse — Long-Term Cocaine Self-Administration Depresses Brain Activity
National Institute on Drug Abuse — Comorbidity: Addiction and Other Mental Disorders

Consequences of Injecting Drugs

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DrugRehab.org Consequences of Injecting Drugs

Injecting drugs can lead to HIV, Hepatitis C, addiction, ligament amputation, substance abuse disorders, withdrawal, and death. These consequences are painful for loved ones, and the person using the drug. Though some drugs can be used by smoking and snorting, injection is the fastest way to get the effects of the drug is into the bloodstream. 12 million people inject drugs worldwide, some continue living with addiction and can die, but some choose the easier route, and seek treatment.

What Is Injecting Drugs?

DrugRehab.org Consequences of Injecting Drugs Twelve MillionInjecting drugs is the act of putting a drug, in liquid form, right into the bloodstream to achieve the effects of the drug–this is done using a hypodermic needle and syringe or another source of injection. The most common street drug used for injection, or “shooting up”, is heroin, which is an opioid drug derived from the Asian opium plant and converted to morphine once in the body. There are a variety of different drugs that can be injected to the bloodstream–some of these drugs used may not be commonly associated with addiction and injection.

What Drugs Can Be Injected?

A person using drugs can inject the following substances intravenously:

  • Heroin
  • Cocaine
  • Ketamine
  • PCP
  • Anabolic Steroids
  • Ecstasy
  • Suboxone
  • Amphetamines
  • Methamphetamines
  • MDMA
  • Cocaine and Heroin Mixture (Speedball)

Injecting drugs has a number of consequences and can cause death, HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), amputation, drug withdrawal, and high blood pressure. Without proper treatment, a person addicted to a drug can be in serious danger. Sometimes there is nothing but intervention and professional medical treatment to keep a drug user safe.

Consequences Of Injecting Heroin

Injecting heroin can lead to a number of unwanted effects which are usually unavoidable by a person who chronically uses the drug. A chronic heroin user will become dependent on the drug, and their body and mind grow accustomed to its presence and the high associated with it.. Without the drug, a person will experience a withdrawal. Drug withdrawal can sometimes be the biggest fear of a person suffering from heroin addiction. Injecting heroin can lead to itching, collapsed veins, pneumonia, nausea, constipation, and infection. The initial high from heroin is what brings people back, but if a person becomes addicted, they don’t know how to stop even when they want to. Injecting heroin often leads to overdose, coma, and death.

Consequences Of Injecting Cocaine

DrugRehab.org Consequences of Injecting Drugs Lead To DeathThe fastest way to get the effects of drug into the blood is to inject it into the bloodstream, and though cocaine is most commonly associated with snorting or smoking, there are some users who prefer to shoot it up. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a person who regularly uses cocaine can experience “infection and death of bowel tissue from decreased blood flow; poor nutrition and weight loss from decreased appetite.” Cocaine is more likely to lead to death from overdose when paired with alcohol. Some of the withdrawal symptoms may include, but are not limited to, depression, slowed thinking, faster heart rate, and insomnia.

Consequences Of Injecting Ketamine

Ketamine is a drug used for veterinarian practice, but for humans it can lead to hallucinations and a dreamlike state. Though it can be used to get high, Ketamine or “Special K” can also be used as a “date rape” drug. As described by the NIDA, Ketamine can lead to health problems like loss of memory, problems moving, unconsciousness, ulcers, kidney problems, stomach pain, and slow breathing which can lead to death.

Consequences Of Injecting Anabolic Steroids

Along with the various consequences of injecting drugs (see: Health Related Issues Of Injecting Drugs), Anabolic Steroids, which are typically used for medicine, come with a large list of health consequences. Steroids can be used in medicine to cure disease or inflammation, but a person can also abuse them for speeding up the process of building muscle tissue. When used improperly, anabolic steroids can lead to delusion, stunted growth, heart attack, muscle development problems, or liver cancer. Steroids can also make a person overly aggressive. Along with these various health consequences, injecting steroids can cause unwanted side effects in both men and women:

Anabolic Steroids And Men

  • Infertility
  • Breast Development
  • Shrinking of Testicals
  • Male Pattern Baldness

Anabolic Steroids And Women

  • Enlargement of Clitoris
  • Excessive Growth of Body Hair
  • Male Pattern Baldness

Other Health Related Issues Of Injecting Drugs

DrugRehab.org Consequences of Injecting Drugs SymptomsAccording to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, habitual users of injecting drugs may experience other consequences of using the drug:

  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome NAS – when a baby is born with a drug addiction, he or she is forced to be hospitalized. If a mother uses heroin or other drugs during pregnancy, there is nothing keeping the baby safe from addiction to the drug.
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV – an incurable disease which can inhibit a body’s ability to fight infections. One of the most common causes of HIV is unprotected sex, but because HIV is transmitted through contact of blood and bodily fluids, it is often associated with sharing needles.
  • Hepatitis C HVC – is a virus associated with liver disease, which can lead to cirrhosis. HVC can be contracted in the same way as HIV, and therefore shared needles are a common cause.

More About Withdrawals From Injected Drugs

Usually, a person who suffers from addiction to the drug will be so afraid of the withdrawal symptoms (shakes, pain, restlessness, cold sweats, night terrors, anger.. etc.) from lack of the drug, that they will not seek help–the withdrawals from heroin can happen after a mere few hours without the drug. The severity of drug withdrawal can be so bad that it will bring people back to using–even if they say they are “going to stop.”

Amputations And Blood Infection From Injecting Drugs

DrugRehab.org Consequences of Injecting Drugs Block Off The BloodA person who injects a drug is vulnerable to various other health consequences. Blood infections and bacterial infections can occur in the user from using dirty needles or from repeated injection of a drug. Sometimes when an inject-able drug is abused, it can block off the blood from the arm or leg and amputation is necessary.

In one study, by the National Institutes of Health, a drug user had been injecting a mixture of drugs into their artery near the foot, and within 24 hours, the blood had stopped flowing to the leg, and the only way to save the patient was to remove the leg. According to the same source, “the outcome after inadvertent injection depends on certain drug properties and the delay between injection and the beginning of therapy.”

How To Tell If A Person Is Injecting Drugs

A person who injects drugs is typically protective of their arms and legs. They almost always wear long sleeve shirts to cover up needle scars or “tracks”, but people can also shoot drugs into their feet, so this might not always be the case. A person who injects heroin might “nod out” frequently, or be in and out of consciousness. A person who abuses cocaine might seem completely delirious and overly hyper. A drug user might do things that seem strange, like always taking their jacket into the bathroom or not showering with the rest of the team.

A person suffering from drug addiction might be dangerously defensive when confronted about their problem, so it might be wise not to go it alone if you’re looking to confront them about their problem. If you’re thinking about doing an intervention for a loved one and have questions, contact us at Drugrehab.org .

Treatment For Drug Addiction

For more on the Consequences of Injecting Drugs, contact us today!

There are an estimated 12 million people worldwide who inject drugs and 1.6 million of those people are living with HIV. If you’re worried that you or a friend is untreatable and too far gone, you are mistaken. The kind professionals at Drugrehab.org can help you if you’re suffering from drug addiction, and though millions of people die or continue living with an addiction, there is treatment. To find out more about the Consequences From Injecting Drugs, contact us today!

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse – https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts
National Institute on Drug Abuse – https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin
National Institute on Drug Abuse – https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/anabolic-steroid-abuse/what-are-health-consequences-steroid-abuse
Gov.UK – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-who-inject-drugs-infection-risks-guidance-and-data
Averting HIV and Aids – https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-social-issues/key-affected-populations/people-inject-drugs

The Difference Between Amphetamines And Cocaine

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DrugRehab.org The Difference Between Amphetamine And Cocaine_Revised

One of the most seen and known childhood neurodevelopmental disorders is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. This disorder can continue all the way through teen years and into adulthood. What most reach for when dealing with this type of disorder is a stimulant medication. Surveys are finding that the abuse of prescription stimulants has been increasing. Stimulants, both illicit and prescribed, have several notable effects, including: creating a more alert state, increasing attention; and raising blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. There are different types of stimulants which are commonly abused, and two of them are amphetamines and cocaine.

Amphetamine Abuse

Much like cocaine, there are many ways to use and abuse amphetamines. They can be taken orally, snorted, smoked, or injected. When this drug is put into the body, the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine are activated from the nerve endings in the brain and their reuptake is constrained. Amphetamines cause a buildup of neurotransmitters at synapses within the brain. This creates a sharp mental focus, a state of wakefulness, and increased concentration—elements which normally aid those who have ADHD. Amphetamines are often mixed with other drugs or alcohol, making the effects even more intensified.

Commonly abused amphetamines include:

  • Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)
  • Vyvanse
  • Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine)
  • Desoxyn (prescription methamphetamine)
  • Crystal Methamphetamine

The Effects of Amphetamine Use

Amphetamines are used for a number of medical disorders, and when used illicitly, may cause a variety of uncomfortable, and even dangerous, side effects. As referenced from the Center for Substance Abuse Research, these include:

Medical applications of amphetamines:

Short-term effects of amphetamine use:

  • Increased body temperature and blood pressure
  • Exhibiting hostile or paranoid behaviors
  • Becoming increasingly active or talkative
  • Becoming less tired or lethargic
  • Dilated pupils
  • Cardiovascular system failure
  • Intense feelings of well-being or euphoria
  • Erratic or increased heart rate
  • Dry mouth
  • Becoming more alert or energetic
  • Increased respiratory rate
  • Nausea or suppressed appetite
  • Headache
  • Heart palpitations
  • Decreased inhibitions in social settings
  • Uncontrollable movement of muscles within your extremities
  • Changes to sexual conduct
  • Feeling overly powerful, clever, or competent without cause

Long-term effects of amphetamine use:

  • Toxic psychosis
  • Dizziness or trouble breathing
  • Excessive fatigue or weakness
  • Physiological, behavioral, or mental disorders
  • Malnourishment or becoming deficient in certain vitamins
  • Alterations to a person’s mood or mental state
  • Repetitive motor activity
  • Cardiac arrhythmias or pounding heartbeat
  • Ulcers
  • Skin becomes pale or flushed
  • Skin conditions
  • Impaired coordination and physical collapse
  • Abuse or addiction
  • Convulsions, coma, and death

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been seen and detected in two to four million children. With this disorder on the rise, and also affecting adults, amphetamines are being prescribed more and more. If the doctor’s instructions are followed the way they’re supposed to be, this drug can help improve the health of these individuals. The temptation for drug abuse and potential for addiction is far lower when these prescriptions are taken orally and in the way they are prescribed.

DrugRehab.org The Difference Between Amphetamine And Cocaine_Medication

When an individual uses amphetamines in a binge-like fashion, that is, in increasing amounts and frequencies, there is a much higher risk of abuse or addiction. An amphetamine binge can leave an individual with several negative effects such as: depression, anxiety, intense exhaustion, and an urge to use more of this drug. The person may also experience violent and erratic behavior, which may lead to other types of psychosis as well. Much like schizophrenia, paranoia or other forms of hallucinations may start to occur.

What is Cocaine?

CocaineDrugRehab.org The Difference Between Amphetamine And Cocaine_Coco Plant(1) comes from a South American plant called the Erythroxylon coca. Within this region, the natives of the Andes would take the leaves of this plant and chew them for an energized feeling. When this was discovered, cocaine was created, offering a much more potent impact than chewing the leaves offered. This was quickly discovered by the medical world. This drug soon became widespread, and companies started to use it at a rapid rate in their products. People soon got addicted to these products because of the cocaine in them.

In some cases, cocaine has been used for medical purposes, but for the most part it is an illegal substance in the United States. An upper-class form of cocaine is the pure white powder, and the freebase, crystal form known as “crack” is less expensive and is a variety of colors from light brown to white.

The Difference Between Amphetamines and Cocaine

Growing in the Andes mountains, cocaine is naturally derived from the coca plant. Amphetamines, on the other hand, are similar to ephedrine and are synthetically made. Both of these drugs are offered, and used, in numerous forms, and each form has its differences.

DrugRehab.org The Difference Between Amphetamine And Cocaine_Differences(1)Cocaine and amphetamines have very similar effects on the brain and normally attract similar people who abuse each. Cocaine and amphetamines both increase the circulating levels of certain neurotransmitters within the brain. Dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are stimulated and increased in activity when amphetamines are used. Cocaine blocks the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters, notably dopamine, causing the levels to rise. Even though the physiological results between cocaine and amphetamine are nearly mirrored, the impact of amphetamine may be felt for several hours, whereas cocaine’s effects are usually present for an hour or less.

Historically, both drugs had their applications. Cocaine was isolated from coca leaves and began to be used as an anesthetic. Sigmund Freud recommended cocaine’s power in aiding with depression and morphine dependence; however, once he understood the side effects, he no longer promoted the drug. Amphetamines were used to help soldiers in World War II overcome fatigue.

In conclusion, both of these drugs have similar effects on the brain and body, but unlike cocaine, amphetamines are frequently prescribed in medical applications to help aid ADHD and other disorders.

Find The Help You Need Today

For more on The Difference Between Amphetamines And Cocaine , contact us today!

If you or a loved one is suffering from drug abuse or addiction from either of these drugs, we are here to help you find a way out. Please contact us today at DrugRehab.org. A release of too much dopamine in the brain from either of these drugs may lead to other problems, including, at times, permanent brain damage. Please reach out today.

 

For More Information Related to “The Difference Between Amphetamines And Cocaine” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

Center for Substance Abuse Research — Amphetamines
Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science — Psychostimulants: Cocaine for Toothaches and Amphetamines for All-nighters

Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine: Acute and Chronic Heart Problems

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DrugRehab.org Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine - Acute and Chronic Heart Problems

Like most drugs—legal or illicit—cocaine can have detrimental physical effects on the human body, especially the cardiovascular system. A powerful stimulant, cocaine has long been used by healthcare professionals for legitimate medical purposes, but its popularity as a street drug has revealed the often devastating results of its abuse and even occasional use.

History Of Cocaine

Long before cocaine’s explosive popularity as a recreational drug in the 1970s and 1980s, South American indigenous people knew well the powerful stimulant properties of the drug derived from the native coca plant. As long ago as 5,000 years, the Incas in the region of the Andes Mountains chewed on raw coca leaves to derive short-term cardiovascular benefits such as increased heart rate and rapid breathing—distinct advantages in the high altitudes of the Andes. Spanish conquerors later forced native laborers to chew coca leaves to increase their productivity in silver mines.

German scientist Albert Niemann is credited with successfully extracting and isolating cocaine from the coca plant and spurring the medical use of the drug beginning in the late 1800s. Perhaps the most famous—some would argue “notorious”—promoter of cocaine (for both medical and recreational use) was Sigmund Freud. Freud promoted cocaine use for a myriad of maladies and downplayed its dangers, even stating, “For humans the toxic dose (of cocaine) is very high, and there seems to be no lethal dose,” according to The Foundation for a Drug-Free World.

The widening use of cocaine during the early 20th century, in everything from Coca Cola to snake-oil elixirs, gave rise to a reported death toll of more than 5,000 individuals in 1912. The drug legally was outlawed in 1922 for anything but medicinal purposes.

How Cocaine Affects The Heart

Modern cocaine use and abuse is an attempt to replicate the results that those South American ancients achieved, but via more intense and dangerous methods. Rather than chewing relatively low-dose raw leaves, cocaine today is ingested in much more pure, and dangerous, forms through snorting, smoking, and injecting, allowing it to impact your system in a wider range of ways.

DrugRehab.org Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine - Acute and Chronic Heart Problem_Norepinephrine

The greatest danger to the heart in someone who uses cocaine results when the heart is simultaneously forced to work harder while being denied the necessary blood flow to meet the increased output. The seeming irony of this medical condition is created because cocaine inhibits the absorption of norepinephrine within the body’s neurons. By blocking or inhibiting norepinephrine, the force of contractions in the heart increases, raising the pulse or heart rate and, thus, blood pressure levels. All of these factors result in an increased workload for the heart muscle and a corresponding need for more oxygen.

But, as mentioned, cocaine also causes a blood flow reduction by constricting capillaries and reducing blood flow to the heart. So cocaine is at the same time restricting blood flow (and needed oxygen) to the heart while forcing the heart to work much harder.

Problems Caused By Increased Heart Work And Blood Flow Restriction

Several serious heart conditions can result from a heart that’s working too hard and at the same time being denied required oxygen, including:

  • Myocardial infarction — Often simply called a heart attack, myocardial infarctions are common among cocaine users of all ages and no matter the history of abuse. First-time users may suffer a heart attack as easily as a seasoned user. Even ex-users are at risk due to past damage done to the heart. But young users are more likely to suffer an attack; in as many as 25 percent of heart attack victims under age 45, cocaine is a factor.
  • Coronary artery aneurysm — The enlarging of coronary arteries typically is due to balloon-shaped distensions and are often precursors to a heart attack.
  • Stroke — Usually caused by lack of blood flow, stroke for cocaine users may be up to seven times the rate than for nonusers.
  • Cardiac arrhythmia — These heart rhythm problems are common among active cocaine users and may cause cardiac arrest.
  • Aortic dissection or acute aortic dissection — Another condition that greatly affects younger victims, an aortic dissection is a tear or rupture of the aortic wall.
  • Myocarditis and cardiomyopathy — Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart and can lead to heart muscle damage and cardiomyopathy. With cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle can become thick or rigid, or, occasionally, damaged muscle tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This can lead to heart failure, usually in older users and even among former users.

Short-Term Vs. Long-Term Cardiovascular Problems

As already evidenced, many heart problems caused by cocaine use can be both acute and chronic. While some conditions favor younger users—heart attack, for instance—others can occur more often in older users or ex-users. These older users usually are, or were, chronic users and their heart problems reflect that long-term abuse—an enlarged heart or damaged heart muscle tissue. Of course, older and long-term users may also suffer acute or sudden conditions, such as a heart attack. But these episodes often are the result of an already damaged heart due to chronic use.

Most cocaine-related deaths occur in young people between the ages of 18 and 29. As many as 47 percent of all chronic cocaine users of all ages have enlarged hearts, many without being aware of it according to study findings presented by Medical News Today. The acute dangers of cocaine use became widely reported in 1986, when 22-year-old basketball star Len Bias died of cardiac arrest after a night of what many witnesses called “normal” cocaine use. Although Bias’ death was attributed to various cocaine-related factors, including cardiac arrest, cardiac arrhythmia, and cocaine intoxication, the consensus was that the superbly conditioned athlete suffered from electrical abnormalities of the heart induced by cocaine consumption.

DrugRehab.org Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine - Acute and Chronic Heart Problem_Chronic Cocaine Users

There is a relationship between acute and chronic heart problems and acute and chronic cocaine use. Sudden and acute heart problems, especially among younger users, often are the results of high, or acute, levels of cocaine ingestion. Among long-time users of cocaine, chronic heart problems are more common than among younger users.

Many of the acute problems in young cocaine users become chronic problems in older users or older ex-users. This is especially true of cardiovascular problems. While a young user is more likely to die from a cocaine-induced heart attack, an older user is more likely to develop long-term problems such as contracted blood vessels and capillaries, myocarditis and cardiac necrosis (damaged heart muscle).

One problem in determining conclusively the effects of cocaine on the heart, especially in older users, is demographic and lifestyle challenges for medical professionals. While many younger users may present with heart-related problems during an emergency room visit (making a diagnosis easier), older users frequently have led unhealthy lives apart from cocaine use. They often suffer from various maladies that can make direct correlation between cocaine and heart problems difficult.

Death Is A Real Danger

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug overdoses attributable to cocaine use showed a steady rise from 2012 through 2014, after a general downward trend over the previous seven years. Nearly 7,500 cocaine-related deaths were reported in the peak year of 2006. Males accounted for more than three times the death totals of women.

DrugRehab.org Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine - Acute and Chronic Heart Problem_Cocaine Death Totals

It’s Not Too Late To Get Help

For more on the dangerous cardiovascular effects of cocaine contact us today

If you or someone close to you is experiencing problems, we’re here to help. We can help you protect yourself and your heart, so that you may live a healthier, drug-free life. Drugrehab.org can offer assistance in directing you to resources and treatment options. We can also help you discuss various financial options. Contact us today.

 

For More Information Related to “Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine: Acute and Chronic Heart Problems” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse — What is cocaine?
National Institute on Drug Abuse — Cocaine: Research Report Series
Circulation — The effects of acute and chronic cocaine use on the heart
U.S. National Library of Medicine — Myocardial necrosis and cocaine. A quantitative morphologic study in 26 cocaine-associated deaths
Circulation — Cardiovascular Effects of Cocaine

How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System?

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DrugRehab.org How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System_

Cocaine is a drug that comes in two types of forms, in a powder (cocaine) and a crystal (crack). Formulated from the coca plant, cocaine creates a short-term “high,” that for some, may turn into the extreme opposite, such as depression, edginess, and an intense craving for a new fix. Snorted as powder, changed into a liquid for injection with needles, or turned into a crystal to be smoked, cocaine abuse takes on many forms, all of which are dangerous for people.

Cocaine starts to disrupt the way your brain processes the “feel good” chemicals in your body, so that you need more of the drug to feel relatively normal. Those who become addicted to cocaine oftentimes end up losing interest with other important aspects of their life, such as family, friends, or activities they used to enjoy.

How Fast Does Cocaine Work?

Cocaine takes hold right away, even with only a single dose. Its effects can range anywhere from a few minutes to up to an hour. When people use it in small amounts, the individual may feel more talkative or alert, feeling greater amounts of energy, a sense of euphoria, and increased sensitivities to sight, touch, and sound.

How a person feels when using cocaine is usually dependant on how they use it. The quicker the drug goes into someone’s system, the stronger the high becomes—but in turn, they also experience a shorter amount of time feeling the effects. Smoking coke yields quicker results, which only last five to ten minutes, whereas snorting it produces a slower effect, with the feelings present longer, at 15 to 30 minutes, as explained by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

How Long Does It Stay In The Body?

Mental Health Daily reports “Upon cessation of usage, cocaine is known to stay in your system between 3.3 and 5.5 hours. However, the primary active metabolite within cocaine known as “benzoylecgonine” takes considerably longer (between 1 and 2 days) to get fully eliminated from the body.”

DrugRehab.org How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System_ Cocaine Is Known To Stay In Your

Despite this, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Treatment Improvement Protocols tells us that cocaine stays in the urine one to three days for those who use on a daily basis; however, a single use will only be witnessed for a day or less. Cocaine may be detected in sweat longer. There has been manufacturers who developed a sweat patch approved by the FDA, that is worn for about a week. Hair also can detect illicit substance. Small amounts of metabolites in the bloodstream flow into the hair and then are trapped in the hair strands. When a substance is used for about a week, the hair follicles start to absorb it. Most hair grows at about ½ inch per month, so a strand can hold a record of someone’s substance use for longer periods of time.

Cocaine’s Dangers And Damage To The Body

DrugRehab.org How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System_ Here Are A Few Things

Cocaine is damaging while you use it, however, even after the drug leaves your body the hazards of abuse and addiction may continue to affect you. Individuals who use cocaine tend to not sleep consistently. Those who use cocaine chronically also tend to not want to eat, so they are often times malnourished, which can lead to other problems in the body. Here are just a few things that happen to most people when using cocaine: nausea, constricted blood vessels, increased heart rate, muscle spasms, convulsions, paranoia, anger, hostility, or anxiety.

Though some individuals may use cocaine sporadically, many times an individual who abuses cocaine will use it in a binge-like fashion, and each time they tend to up the dosage for greater results. Doing so can increase restlessness, panic attacks, irritability, paranoia, and sometimes full-force psychosis—which can cause the person to completely be consumed with non-reality experiences and hallucinations, to the extent their safety is jeopardized.

People who abuse cocaine will have different results and a variety of problems, depending on the way they choose to use it. When someone constantly snorts cocaine, for example, this can lead to nosebleeds, a person no longer being able to smell, swallowing problems, the voice becoming hoarse, a constant inflamed, runny nose, and permanently damaged nasal tissue. Those who smoke cocaine may harm their lungs and aggrevate existing asthma. Users who inject the drug develop track marks and increase their risk of contracting a disease such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C. Those who inject may also have allergic reactions, which can result in death in some cases.

The organs in the body can get damaged by repetitive cocaine usage, as explained by NIDA. Blood flow into the gastrointestinal tract can be impaired, creating a risk of tears and ulcerations or a person may also encounter severe bowel decay. The heart and cardiovascular system is also greatly affected, leading to chest pain, a greater risk of stroke, inflammation to the heart muscle, and even heart attacks.

DrugRehab.org How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System_ An Individual May Suffer Cognitive

Beyond stroke, neurological problems are also a significant risk when using cocaine for extended periods of time. The National Institute on Drug Abuse tells us an individual may suffer cognitive impairment, with reduced functioning in: memory, motor skills, prolonged attention, impulse control, or decision making concerning rewards or punishments. More severe risks occur as well, including seizures, and in some cases there has been intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), and disorders such as Parkinson’s disease can also be a concern with long-term use. In addition to all these risk, a person can overdose on cocaine, which can lead to death.

Reach Out And Get Help

Contact us today for more about the harmful effects of cocaine

The body is a beautiful thing, but when impacted with drug abuse it can become severely damaged. If you or a loved one is walking down the road of cocaine abuse or addiction, there is help for you today. No one deserves to face these challenges alone—that’s why we are here to support you.

Please reach out and contact us at Drugrehab.org. We are here to help uplift you, help you, and give you more information.

 

For More Information Related to “How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System?” Be Sure To Check Out These Additional Resources From DrugRehab.org:

 

Sources

National Institute on Drug Abuse — Cocaine: Research Report Series
The National Center for Biotechnology Information — Appendix B. Urine Collection and Testing Procedures and Alternative Methods for Monitoring Drug Use
Mental Health Daily — How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System?

Is Drug Abuse Increasing or Decreasing In The U.S.?

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Is Drug Abuse Increasing Or Decreasing In The U.S.?

If you live in the United States, you may have noticed the substance abuse problem which plagues so many people. Millions every year struggle in the face of substance abuse and addiction. But is this issue increasing in the United States? The answer is not a simple one.

To start, drug trends are measured individually and as a whole. In other words, trend reports are taken on individual abuse of specific drugs, such as heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. Then, overall drug abuse is measured in total. In addition, demographics are measured in regards to who is abusing drugs, from which race, to which age, to which sex, and more. Finally, overdose rates are also measured to see which substances are having the most dangerous impacts on society.

Understanding Drug Abuse Trends

To fully understand whether drug abuse is increasing or decreasing, it is necessary to understand some facts about drug abuse:

  • “More than half of illicit drug users begin with marijuana,” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
  • The second most commonly abused substance (for new, illicit drug abuse) is prescription medications.
  • Many people first try substances recreationally during teen years.
  • Drug abuse occurs most in people aged between teen years to the early twenties.
  • Alcohol disorders/ binge drinking are more common among men than women.
  • Alcohol is the most abused substance after marijuana.
  • There is a “treatment gap” according to NIDA. Only a small percentage of people who need treatment for substance abuse receive the care they need.

Is Drug Abuse Increasing Or Decreasing In The U.S.? Marijuana

As NIDA states, marijuana abuse is increasing. Reports in 2013 showed marijuana use for the U.S. equated to 7.5% of the population, or 19.8 million people. This number reflected an increase from the 2007 report, which showed 5.8%, or 14.5 million people. Perhaps some people consider marijuana a harmless, natural substance. Indeed, many Americans are pushing for the legalization of it.

Despite this, it is currently an illegal substance, with growing trends of abuse in recent years. Further, marijuana is considered a “gateway” drug; while it may not have all the staggering health effects of other drugs, and many believe it is not highly addictive, it may lead to abuse of other substances. It is in this way that the increase in marijuana abuse is troubling. It is important to note here, that marijuana has been shown to be addictive, and that it also carries significant health risks, including decreased amounts of dopamine, and a possible link to depression and schizophrenia.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, illicit drug use has increased. They report that in 2002, 8.3% of the population used these drugs, in comparison to the 9.4% in 2013. A welcome fact, however, is that NIDA shows that the numbers for most types of drug abuse are decreasing, or at least remaining stable, and they do note that this overall increase is due mainly to the surge in marijuana use. When looking at staggering numbers, such as the 6.5 million people in the U.S. who had abused prescription drugs over one month’s span in 2013, or the 1.3 million who abused hallucinogens, this may not seem like good news. What is important to remember is that these numbers are not on the rise.

Is Drug Abuse Increasing Or Decreasing In The U.S.? Cocaine

Further, abuse of cocaine has actually decreased. Reports of cocaine abuse totaled 1.5 million in 2013—a significant decrease from the 2.0 to 2.4 million estimated during 2002 to 2007. Methamphetamine abuse increased by a margin of nearly two-thirds from 2007 to 2013. But alcohol abuse, one of the most commonly abused substances saw a slight decrease both in underage binge drinking and in incidents of driving under the influence.

Reports from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, as referenced by the American Society of Addiction Medicine in 2014, reflected the same trends. That is, marijuana abuse continued to increase, many other substance abuse forms stabilized, and another significant, troubling trend: heroin abuse is also on the rise.

One article in Forbes suggests some reasoning behind the continued uprise of heroin abuse. First, the overall decrease in abuse among other substances made way for an increase in other drug abuse; heroin closed this gap. Also, heroin may be more readily available to those afflicted with substance abuse, as it is more affordable, especially when compared with other narcotics, such as prescription drugs. Another possibility is that prescription opioids may be the gateway to use of more harmful narcotics, such as heroin. Once a person no longer has a prescription, but has developed an addiction, he or she may undergo compulsive cravings and a need to fill the void.

Is Drug Abuse Increasing Or Decreasing In The U.S.? PreventionIn sum, though drug abuse trends are rising overall, some are decreasing or becoming stable. This trend accounts for millions of people in need of substance abuse treatment. The percentage of people that actually make it into treatment is far too low, and that is a fact which cannot be ignored.

Decreasing Drug Abuse

So what is the missing link needed to help decrease current substance abuse trends? Treatment. Preventative measures and treatment may significantly help decrease the numbers. For instance, there are certain risks associated with abuse. Protective factors may help prevent these risks—a child who grows up with lack of parental involvement or care may be at a heightened risk for substance abuse later in life. The preventative protective factor in this case would be increased parental involvement. Though the solution to preventing substance abuse is not always a simple one, measures can be taken to reduce risk of later abuse.

Treatment for those afflicted with substance abuse is available in many forms. Therapy exists to treat physical, mental, and emotional health. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one type, and works by teaching participants to form new lifestyle habits which build a life without substance abuse. Research finds that medication therapy helps greatly to ease the withdrawal process, or to help wean off substance use. Others may benefit from counseling, which helps people to cope with the range of emotions and thoughts that can result from substance use disorders. In any treatment decision, though, it is imperative that one has access to resources and information to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Reversing The Trend: Get Help For Substance Abuse Treatment

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.The increase in illicit drug use is great cause for concern. Overdose rates for heroin continue to rise, and abuse of alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs remain high, even if they are not changing significantly. But the ever glimmering hope within these dark facts is that treatment is available. Too many people do not get the help they need and deserve, but you do not have to be one of them. Contact us today at DrugRehab.org for more information on treatment, connection to resources, and to begin your recovery.

Sources
American Society Of Addiction Medicine—Increased Marijuana, Heroin Use
Drug War Facts—Drug Use Estimates
National Institute On Drug Abuse—Drug Use Trends Remain Stable Or Decline Among Teens
National Institute On Drug Abuse—DrugFacts: Nationwide Trends
National Institute On Drug Abuse—Is Marijuana A Gateway Drug?

Cocaine And Alcohol: A Deadly Combination

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Cocaine And Alcohol: A Deadly Combination

Some people drink to engage socially, to celebrate, or to simply relax from a stressful day. However, for some, the power of alcohol is highly misunderstood, and many find it tough to balance it in a healthy perspective. In fact, some even make the dangerous choice of combining it with other drugs, further compounding the dangers of each. Whenever you combine two or more drugs, the danger increases—cocaine and alcohol are no different. First, let’s take a look at these two drugs individually, in order to better understand their potentially deadly risks when combined.

Hazards Of Cocaine Use

Cocaine is a stimulant drug with very powerful properties. It works within a person’s brain by increasing levels of an important neurotransmitter called dopamine. It is the overabundance of this chemical that is responsible for causing the “high” attributed to cocaine use. Like any stimulant, it causes a variety of short-term disturbances, and more long-lasting, and dangerous risks.

Cocaine And Alcohol: A Deadly Combination Side Effects

In the short-term, cocaine causes:

  • An increased sense of happiness, energy, or alertness
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Constriction of blood vessels
  • Enlarged (dilated) pupils
  • Nausea
  • An increased body temperature
  • Cardiac changes, including an increased heartbeat and blood pressure
  • Tremors and involuntary muscle twitches
  • Irritability or restlessness
  • Paranoia

Depending on the usage, particularly, the means of administration, frequency, and quantity of use, the risks may change, however, here are some of the most common long-term results and dangers:

  • Individuals that snort cocaine may encounter nasal disturbances, including a runny nose, nosebleeds, or a loss of sense of smell, and they may also experience difficulty swallowing.
  • A person that consumes their cocaine orally will experience a reduced blood flow that increases the odds of acute bowel decay.
  • Injection drug users face an increased risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis C, or other infectious diseases.
  • Even people who don’t inject, experience a greater risk of contracting HIV. This is because cocaine impedes judgement, increasing the odds that a person will engage in an unsafe sexual practice.
  • Malnourishment
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Severe paranoia, often accompanied by auditory hallucinations

Cocaine can also cause a fatal overdose. It is important to realize, that this can happen on the first time a person uses cocaine, or at any point thereafter.

Dangers And Risks Of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that is found in a variety of beverages, including, beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Alcohol is processed by your liver, however, this organ can only process a certain amount in a set time, hence, when a person consumes an excess, the remainder that cannot be processed remains in your body’s system, causing the variety of side effects that we attribute to an increased alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse can be very damaging, and impacts every organ within a person’s body. The following are risks linked to alcohol abuse and addiction, most of which are sourced from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

  • Disruption of the brain’s communication pathways. Alcohol alters a person’s mood, judgement, behavior, and sense of inhibition, making it difficult to think in a clear manner.
  • Impaired coordination
  • Drinking too much over a period of time, or even during a single event, can lead to various cardiovascular concerns. In the long-term, heavy drinking can cause alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is the stretching and drooping of the heart muscle. Both binge and long-term drinking patterns can cause arrhythmias (an irregular heartbeat), stroke, or high blood pressure (hypertension).
  • Heavy drinking exerts a massive toll on the liver, this damage can include: hepatic steatosis (fatty liver), alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, or hepatic encephalopathy.
  • Production of toxic substances in the pancreas that can lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of blood vessels in the pancreas that inhibits proper digestion.
  • Increased risk of cancer
  • Weakened immune system creates a much easier target for disease.
  • Digestive concerns, which may create a state of malnourishment
  • Seizures associated with withdrawal

The Risks Of Combining These Two Drugs

The urge to combine alcohol with cocaine is highly popular among some who use these drugs, especially within certain social settings. The increased “high” that results from the combination of these two drugs, back-to-back, creates a bridge for the feelings of each to continue at now heightened levels. Some choose to use alcohol when using cocaine, in an attempt to circumvent the uncomfortable feelings associated with coming down off the drug.

On its own, cocaine offers a user less than an hour of euphoric feelings—typically the high only lasts 5-30 minutes, depending on how it’s administered, with all effects dissipating within an hour. Pairing it with alcohol gives some people the boost they are looking for. For some, this makes it a much higher temptation then simply using one drug or the other, a combination that increases the risk of overdose, and ushers in a host of other dangers, including increased cardiovascular concerns.

Looking back to the individual side effects and risks, you’ll notice some commonalities. Both drugs have the potential to increase your blood pressure. Thus, taken in combination, the risk attributed to hypertension may increase even more, the most notable risk of this being stroke, which in some cases may lead to death.

Both alcohol and cocaine can cause malnourishment, which may set the stage for other hazardous complications, including an increased risk of infection and infectious disease. As we’ve noted, both drugs decrease a person’s judgement. Due to this, a person may experience an even greater risk of contracting an infectious disease, several of which may be deadly if left untreated. This risk may be higher if their immune system is already compromised from these forms of substance abuse.

ScienceDailyCocaine And Alcohol: A Deadly Combination Blood Cocaine Levels reported on a 2000 study, published in the journal Neurology, which sought to examine if there was increased cognitive impairment when cocaine and alcohol were combined. ScienceDaily reported that the study found this combination “leads to more impulsive decision-making and to poorer performance on tests of learning and memory than does use of either cocaine or alcohol alone.” They also noted that these effects were present for a month after the substance abuse stopped. Poor and impulsive decision-making skills may lead a person to riskier behaviors, such as driving a car while using drugs, which may jeopardize their life.

As another study notes, the combination of these two drugs is not without danger, resulting in “greater-than-additive effects on heart rate,” in a capacity that is equivalent to an increase of cocaine blood levels by 30%. For a person that has an existing heart condition, this could be a fatal complication. This publication goes on to note that these drugs, when combined, may increase a person’s propensity towards violent thoughts and behaviors—which could put a person in a position where their life is endangered, such as if they start a fight, or consider self-harm. Lastly, it cites research that illustrates that the use of both drugs in a given time leads to a formation of a toxic chemical called cocaethylene.

Facts About Cocaethylene

Cocaethylene is formed in the body without most users even realizing it or the risks it creates. The production of the chemical cocaethylene may be responsible for many of the severe risks attributed to the combination of alcohol and cocaine. The presence of this chemical increases the severity of cardiotoxic issues, complications caused by the chemical burden on a person’s heart, in comparison to the effects of cocaine or alcohol alone.

Cocaine And Alcohol: A Deadly Combination CocaethyleneCocaethylene creates a greater state of euphoria. It works similar to cocaine, creating even more intense feelings of pleasure, due to its increased ability as a reuptake inhibitor of dopamine. In addition, cocaine only has a half-life of 38 minutes, whereas cocaethylene has a half-life that is nearly four times that—at 2.5 hours. This is why individuals that choose to mix cocaine and alcohol experience the euphoria for longer periods of time.

Research also suggests that this pairing of drugs alters the function of an enzyme, hCE1, that is responsible for degrading cocaine. Due to this, and the way ethanol molecules fit within hCE1, research also shows that the ethanol molecules may inhibit cocaine hydrolysis, or the metabolism of cocaine, in a way that might spike the plasma concentrations of cocaine upwards of 30%.

Cocaethylene has been known to increase the risk of seizures, liver damage, and the suppression of the immune system, all of which are independently associated with alcohol use, and may, in worst cases, be linked to or increase the odds of death. One study found that cocaethylene carries a 18- to 25-fold increase in the risk of “immediate death,” compared with just cocaine abuse alone, while other research suggests that the lethal dose of cocaethylene is 50% less than that of cocaine.

Don’t Let This Combination Destroy Your Life

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.The fact of the matter is that the combination of these two potentially dangerous drugs can lead to an increased risk of various health concerns, and sudden death. If you or a family member is in danger of going down this path, please contact us today for help. Anytime a person suffers from co-occurring substance abuse, it is imperative that treatment addresses both concerns. We can help you find treatment options, and more information on these, or any other forms of substance abuse.

Sources
National Institute on Drug Abuse — What is cocaine?
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — Beyond Hangovers
U.S. National Library of Medicine — Effects of concurrent use of alcohol and cocaine.
U.S. National Library of Medicine — Cocaethylene toxicity.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs

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The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs

There are a variety of dangerous drugs in the world and the addictive levels of each varies wildly. Some are relatively non-addictive, while others cause addiction very quickly. Understanding the most addictive substances available can help you understand whether you or someone you love is at a high risk for addiction. While drug use of any kind is typically dangerous and potentially addicting, these substances are the most problematic.

The Basis Of Our Ranking

Our list is based on information gleaned from two different studies. The first was published in The Lancet in 2007, from a team headed by British psychiatrist David Nutt. The idea was to create a system for assessing the addictive level of various types of drugs. Three different aspects were measured, including physical dependence, psychological dependence, and pleasure generated by the drug.

The findings of this study were somewhat controversial because it was found that alcohol and nicotine, two legal and commonly accepted substances, were more addictive than ecstasy. Various newspapers in his homeland and the public ridiculed the studies and called for Nutt to resign.

Though he didn’t resign, the controversy led to him being fired and another study was allegedly undertaken to confirm the truth of his hypothesis. This study has been reported to agree with Nutt’s findings, though no online publication of the study has been found.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Heroin

Heroin

Heroin is a substance that has a reputation for being incredibly addictive. The reasons for its addictive nature have to do with how it works on the mind and the body. When heroin is introduced into the body, it binds with opioid receptors in the mind to stimulate pleasure by releasing dopamine in a way beyond what the body can produce on its own.

Unfortunately, once heroin is removed from the system, the body won’t produce dopamine for a period of time. This will cause a variety of symptoms, including depression, nausea, physical pain, and hallucinations. To avoid these symptoms, people may continue to use heroin.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Crack Cocaine

Crack Cocaine

Just slightly under heroin sits crack cocaine, a type of cocaine that is smoked, rather than snorted. Crack cocaine is chemically very similar to normal cocaine, but it takes effect more quickly and, due to its potent nature, creates a more intense high. This high decreases in about 10 minutes, which is quicker than powder cocaine’s 30 minutes. As a result, increasingly higher doses are often necessary

Those who use crack cocaine experience a high that creates feelings of high energy, happiness, and excitement. These feelings are more extreme than naturally-occurring instances, and as crack wears off, it causes increased depression, anger, and anxiety. Though the withdrawal effects of crack cocaine are short-lived, they are extreme, and fending them off requires often increasingly higher doses. As a result, nearly half a million people in the country are currently addicted to crack cocaine.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Nicotine

Nicotine

The finding that nicotine was more addictive than crystal meth, and just as addictive as crack cocaine, were a major influence on Nutt being fired. However, studies have shown that nicotine stimulates the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain, named nicotinic, and makes it necessary to ingest nicotine regularly.

As a result, withdrawal symptoms (such as anxiety, mood swings, and headaches) are common when people try to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. These symptoms are often very severe, and easy access to nicotine products makes it easier to relapse than with many other substances. As a result, it is estimated that one in every five deaths in the country was influenced by nicotine use.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Methadone

Methadone

The use of methadone in opiate withdrawal cases has been common for decades, because it is a healthier and cleaner alternative. Like heroin it is an opiate, albeit one that is less addictive. In a medical setting, methadone doses are carefully monitored and tapered to decrease withdrawal symptoms and to decrease the risk of developing an addiction. Unfortunately, addiction is still possible.

Crystal Meth

Crystal meth is an alternative form of methamphetamine that does something that its parent drug does not: teach your brain to crave it. When someone smokes crystal meth, they are stimulating the areas of the brain that produce dopamine and norepinephrine, the chemical that increases your feeling of alertness. As a result, those who use crystal meth often feel increased energy and a more “focused” state that helps them perform a task more efficiently.

Unfortunately, the brain can become reliant on these artificially increased doses of dopamine and norepinephrine. However, crystal meth also damages the neurons that produce these chemicals and makes them less effective at producing them. As a result, those who suffer from crystal meth addiction may have a permanently decreased ability to feel pleasure and focus.

Barbiturates

Barbiturates are a depressant type of drug that were once widely prescribed as a treatment for anxiety and other concerns. However, benzoodiazepine drugs have taken their place, due to their higher effectiveness. They are still sometimes used to treat epilepsy, however. Addiction to these substances are very possible, and withdrawal is often very similar to alcohol withdrawal.

As a result, cramps, seizures, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and even hallucinations are all possible. In severe cases, heart problems, hypthermia, and even death can occur.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Alcohol

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Alcohol AddictionAlcohol

The legal status of alcohol helps increase its potential for addiction, but its impact on the mind and body already create a potent addictive potential. When a person drinks alcohol, their body releases high levels of endorphins and dopamine, which makes them feel happier. It also decreases feelings of anxiety and self-control, which may make socialization easier. This is the reason that alcohol is considered a “social drug.”

Unfortunately, those who become addicted to alcohol become reliant on it to release endorphins, even as their body becomes physically reliant on it to operate. Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol are among the worst, and can actually cause death in severe cases. Sadly, this has led to an addiction rate of nearly 10 percent of the nation (nearly 18 million Americans).

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Cocaine

Cocaine

Though less potent than its sister drug, cocaine remains dangerously addictive. It stimulates dopamine release and prevents the mind from reabsorbing it into the body. Though this symptom is only temporary, it will make a person crave cocaine at high levels.

The effects it causes (including extreme pleasure, energy, and happiness), its quick nature of use, the potency of its high, and the rapid development of tolerance make its potential for addiction severe. Though withdrawal symptoms are typically short-lived, psychological dependence is high with cocaine.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Amphetamines

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are a type of stimulant that can be used for a variety of medical purposes, such as increasing energy, treating sleep disorders, and helping with ADD and ADHD. Adderall, Dexedrine, and Desoxyn are all legal prescription forms of amphetamines. Methamphetamines are an illegal and non-medical variety that have become a major problem across the country. However, even legal amphetamines carry the possibility of addiction, though no more than methamphetamine.

Using amphetamines improperly can cause problems with speaking, a dry mouth, dizziness, constipation, insomnia, and heart problems. It can also cause addiction due to the ways that it impacts the production of dopamine and other endorphins. The increased levels of these chemicals it causes cannot be naturally stimulated, which leads to a reliance on amphetamines to achieve them again.

The Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines

When a person suffers from anxiety, substances like benzodiazepines can help them achieve a sense of calm and stability. However, these substances are high on the list of addictive substances due to the way that the mind can become reliant on them. They cause a rapid tolerance, making severe withdrawal symptoms likely. These symptoms include severe anxiety and panic attacks, though physical reactions, such as nausea, may also occur.

Improper use of benzodiazepines is uncommon, but it does occur—in these instances they are usuallly used in conjunciton with other drugs. Unfortunately, even proper use may cause addiction. However, unlike most of the other drugs on this list, benzodiazepines do serve a medically-necessary purpose. If use is halted, it is typically done in a controlled and tapered way, to decrease the potential for withdrawal symptoms.

Please Contact Us Today

Contact us if you or a loved are considering treatment.Addiction to any of these or any other substances is a dangerous problem that must be treated as soon as possible. That’s why you need to contact us at DrugRehab.org today. We can help set you up with a rehab center near you that will help you beat addiction and regain a sober and healthy life.

 

Sources
Independent – The 5 Most Addictive Drugs In The World
Tech Insider – These Are The 10 Most Addictive Drugs In The World
The Science Explorer – Experts Ranked The Top 5 Most Addictive Substances on Earth
The Lancet – Development Of A Rational Scale To Assess The Harm Of Drugs Of Potential Misuse
Mental Health Daily – 10 Most Addictive Drugs List
The Guardian – Government Drug Adviser David Nutt Sacked
National Institute On Drug Use – What Effects Does Heroin Have On The Body?
Medline Plus – Cocaine
Be Tobacco Free – Nicotine Addiction And Your Health
Foundations For A Drug Free World – What Is Crystal Meth?
Huffington Post – Why Alcohol Is So Addictive
National Institute On Drug Use – Well-Known Mechanism Underlies Benzodiazepines’ Addictive Properties
Drugs.com – GHB or Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate
Project GHB – GHB Addiction
Healthline – What Is Amphetamine Dependence?
University Of Maryland – Center For Substance Abuse Research
European Monitoring Centre For Drugs And Drug Addiction – Barbituates

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