What are the Side Effects of Cocaine?
Cocaine is a Schedule II drug, which means it has high potential for abuse, but can be administered by a doctor for legitimate medical uses. Some popular nicknames for cocaine are coke, blow, nose candy, snow, and yeyo. Street names for crack include rocks, gravel, sleet, and nuggets. Cocaine mixtures have their own street names, which include speedball, cocopuffs, bumping up, and snow seals.
Most cocaine users snort the white powder into their nose. Some rub it onto their gums or dissolve it in water and inject it with a needle. Others heat up the rock crystal and inhale the smoke into their lungs.
Cocaine causes a short-lived, intense high that is immediately followed by the opposite—intense depression, edginess and a craving for more of the drug.
If you or someone you love suffers from cocaine addiction, we can help. Speak confidentially with a counselor right now, (844) 747-7772.
How It Works
Cocaine sends high levels of dopamine, a natural chemical messenger in your body, into the parts of your brain that control pleasure. This buildup causes intense feelings of energy and alertness called a high. Based on the research we’ve done here at Honey Lake, there are many dangerous, even life-threatening side effects of cocaine use.
Short-term effects of cocaine may include:
- Paranoid feeling
- Decreased appetite
- Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature
- Contracted blood vessels
- Increased rate of breathing
- Dilated pupils
- Disturbed sleep patterns
- Nausea
- Hyperstimulation
- Anger/irritability
- Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior
- Hallucinations, hyperexcitability, irritability
- Tactile hallucination that creates the illusion of bugs burrowing under the skin
- Intense euphoria
- Anxiety and paranoia
- Depression
- Intense drug craving
- Panic and psychosis
- Convulsions, seizures and sudden death from high doses (even one time)
What are the long-term effects of cocaine?
As tolerance to the drug increases, it becomes necessary to take greater quantities to experience the same high. The more you use, the more you’ll need, leading to addiction and the risk of overdose. There are many negative long-term side effects of cocaine use.
Long-term effects of cocaine use include:
- Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain
- High blood pressure, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death
- Liver, kidney and lung damage
- Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed
- Respiratory failure if smoked
- Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
- Malnutrition, weight loss
- Severe tooth decay
- Auditory and tactile hallucinations
- Sexual problems, reproductive damage and infertility (for both men and women)
- Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion
- Irritability and mood disturbances
- Increased frequency of risky behavior
- Delirium or psychosis
- Severe depression
- Tolerance and addiction (even after just one use)
Are you or is someone you love struggling? We know it is scary. We can help.
Treatment for Cocaine Addiction
Seeking treatment for substance addiction is the first step to true recovery. Finding the best suited treatment program and facility will require some research, but the very good news is there is reason for hope—there is help available.
The most important part of any treatment plan is that you give up the drug right away. Many people who are addicted to cocaine go through a phase called withdrawal when they stop cocaine use. Symptoms can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Cravings for the drug
- Nightmares
- Chills, nerve pain and muscle aches
Having medical, mental health and addiction professionals help you through the process of withdrawal and into recovery offer your best chance at beating cocaine addiction.
At Honey Lake Clinic, we understand that substance abuse is a complex and dangerous mental health concern, affecting not only the one in its grip, but also others. Our experienced staff, licensed therapists, psychologists, and psychiatric specialists, strongly believe that faith-based treatment, encompassing mind, body and spirit, will provide you with the long-lasting tools and knowledge to find freedom from substance abuse.
A beautiful and tranquil 650-acre lakeside setting, a safe medical environment, 24-hour nursing, doctors and psychiatric specialists, all administering care from a Christian worldview and perspective—
Honey Lake Clinic is a unique solution in Christian mental health.