It usually begins as fun and games, but sooner or later, you can’t seem to live without it. We are talking about cocaine. Worried about somebody abusing it in your family? Please do not panic. Keep your calm because being addicted to cocaine is not the end of the world. There is hope.
Alabama drug rehab center is known to treat cocaine addicts. Initially, it seems that the life of an addict is falling apart and there’s hardly any hope for revival. This is not true. Whether somebody is mildly addicted or severely addicted, there is always hope to revive your sober life.
Knowing cocaine better
Cocaine is extracted from coca plants that grow in South America. Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system. Early psychologists like Sigmund Freud had theorized that cocaine can cure mental illnesses like depression. The earlier medical community used it as a painkiller too.
Soon, cocaine became one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs in the world. Today, it poses an alarming societal issue. People witness the horrors of cocaine addiction.
The substance is generally available as a white powder. People snort, smoke, or inject cocaine. It is highly addictive and anybody can get hooked on it. Even a single use can send you swirling down into addiction. You may get an urge to use it again and that’s the beginning of this dangerous disease.
Side effects of taking cocaine frequently
Using cocaine frequently creates an array of negative effects on the mind and the body. A few of the effects include:
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Feeling of panic
- Paranoia
Being a strong stimulant makes you feel restless, panicky, bursting with energy, hyperactive, aggressive, and so on. If you find somebody in your family showing such behavior on a regular basis, you must be on alert. Call the addiction hotline for help.
What happens to your body when you snort/inject cocaine?
- Your pupils dilate.
- Your blood pressure increases.
- Your heart rate increases.
- Your sexual performance decreases. Although many people get an urge to have sex while on a “high” from cocaine, they are unable to perform well sexually.
- You undergo tremors
- You suffer from vertigo
Long-term effects of cocaine
- Headaches
- Chronic fatigue
- Nosebleeds
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
Sudden effects include:
- Cardiac arrest
- Stroke
- Respiratory failure
- Seizure
- Death
Spotting a cocaine addict
It’s easy to spot a cocaine addict. Such people are usually hyperactive and hyper-alert. They may talk a lot and seem restless. You might see them with friends, who are also highly alert and agile like them.
Then they crash. They would sleep for hours together, even for days! Cocaine typically produces the “high” and the “crash.”
Cocaine users have reduced appetite. This makes them lose a lot of weight, suffer from fatigue, and become malnourished even. Their face appears flushed. They may have eye bags.
During “high,” they may stay awake continuously. This may lead to hallucinations and paranoia. They may withdraw from family and social gatherings.
Know such a person? Search for “drug rehab near me” and help them get back their life.