Crack and Cocaine Insight by the National Institute on Drug Abuse
by Karen Schroeder, MS, RD
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug. This provides immediate feelings of euphoria, extreme power and alertness and mental clarity. Cocaine produces these "high" because it stimulates the central nervous system and interferes with absorption of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine increases the pleasure and affect the movement. To prevent the reabsorption of dopamine, cocaine allows larger levels of normal dopamine acting on the body, leading to increased impact.
Cocaine can be taken orally as a powder inhaled through the nose (snorted or aspirate) or injected, usually directly into the vein (called the main line). "Crack is the street name given to cocaine that has been processed to be smoked as a free base.
The method of determining how long to take the cocaine to be high. The high can last sniff of 15 to 30 minutes, while that from smoking may last 5 to 10 minutes. Smoking allows extremely high doses of cocaine from reaching the brain very quickly and bring an intense and immediate elevation. Due to the high of cocaine does not last very long, users take repeated doses to continue high. And, according a person using cocaine again and again, tolerance develops rapidly, which means that the high will not last much.
This, consequently, leads to even more frequent use. This vicious cycle can become someone who uses it for the first time in an addict. In fact, many addicts report that they tried but failed to try to get as much pleasure they had their first exposure. It appears that compulsive cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted. No matter how cocaine is made, there are many serious health effects.
The cocaine-related deaths often result from cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest. In rare examples, sudden death can occur to the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly since then.
Cocaine can cause the following physical effects:
◦ Increased temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, which can cause a heart attack (even in previously healthy individuals)
◦ Constipation
◦ intestinal damage
◦ The feeling that something is moving under the skin (cocaine bugs), which is a sign of possible nerve damage
◦ Seizures (convulsions)
◦ Insomnia
◦ a prolonged aspiration of cocaine, ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose and possible collapse of the nasal septum
◦ Spontaneous Abortion or fetal harm if a woman consumes cocaine during pregnancy
Those who took cocaine injections are at risk of infectious diseases including hepatitis and HIV infection if needles or other injection equipment are shared.
Cocaine can also cause the following mental effects:
◦ Nervousness, restlessness, irritability and anxiety
◦ Hallucinations
◦ Delirious paranoid
◦ Violent Conduct
◦ Hyper sexuality Conduct
To reduce the extreme anxiety caused by cocaine, many addicts also abuse of heroin or some other depressants such as alcohol.
The scientific evidence suggests that cocaine is a powerful neuropsicótica property. This leads a person to continue to use despite the harmful physical and psychological consequences. When an addicted person stops using cocaine, they often come to be depressed and in some cases, suicide. This could lead to the resumption of the consumption of cocaine to alleviate depression.
Mixing Cocaine with Alcohol
When a person mixes cocaine with alcohol with alcohol, they are combining the danger each drug possesses. Researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, the cocaetileno. Cocaetileno intensifies the euphoric effects of cocaine, while possibly increasing the risk of sudden death.
The most effective treatment for cocaine abuse is the advice and psychotherapy. Sometimes the psychological records of cocaine addicts, depression and manic depression are treated with antidepressants or lithium. Other drugs are currently being investigated to test its safety and effectiveness in treating cocaine addiction. Long-term abstinence from cocaine requires close monitoring because the person may be depressed and suicidal. It may be necessary to go to a hospital or a treatment center for drugs.
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