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Cocaine Addiction Drug
Rehab
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse.
Once having tried cocaine, an individual cannot predict or control the extent
to which he or she will continue to use the drug. The major routes of
administration of cocaine are sniffing or snorting, injecting, and smoking
(including free-base and crack cocaine).
Snorting is the process of
inhaling cocaine powder through the nose where it is absorbed into the
bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Injecting is the act of using a needle
to release the drug directly into the bloodstream.
Smoking involves
inhaling cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where absorption into the
bloodstream is as rapid as by injection.
"Crack" is the street name
given to cocaine that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride to a free
base for smoking.
There is great risk whether cocaine is ingested by
inhalation (snorting), injection, or smoking. It appears that compulsive
cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather
than snorted. Smoking allows extremely high doses of cocaine to reach the brain
very quickly and brings an intense and immediate high.
The injecting
drug user is at risk for transmitting or acquiring HIV infection/AIDS if
needles or other injection equipment are shared.
Health Hazards Cocaine
is a strong central nervous system stimulant that interferes with the
reabsorption process of dopamine, a chemical messenger associated with pleasure
and movement.
Dopamine is released as part of the brain's reward system
and is involved in the high that characterizes cocaine consumption.
Physical effects of cocaine use include:
- constricted peripheral blood vessels
- dilated pupils
- increased temperature
- increased heart rate
- increased blood pressure
The duration of cocaine's immediate euphoric
effects, which include hyper-stimulation, reduced fatigue, and mental clarity,
depends on the route of administration. Increased use can reduce the period of
stimulation. Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness,
irritability, and anxiety. An appreciable tolerance to the high may be
developed, and many addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much
pleasure as they did from their first exposure.
Scientific evidence
suggests that the powerful neuropsychologic reinforcing property of cocaine is
responsible for an individual's continued use, despite harmful physical and
social consequences. In some instances, sudden death can occur on the first use
of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter. However, there is no way to determine
who is prone to sudden death. High doses of cocaine and/or prolonged use can
trigger paranoia.
Smoking crack cocaine can produce a particularly
aggressive paranoid behavior in users. When addicted individuals stop using
cocaine, they often become depressed. This also may lead to further cocaine use
to alleviate depression.
Prolonged cocaine snorting can result in
ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose and can damage the nasal septum
enough to cause it to collapse. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of
cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest. |
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