Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Cocaine abuse is, unfortunately, common in our world today. Thankfully, those who are trying to find out how to quit cocaine abuse can find hope. Cocaine addiction treatment is available for individuals who are struggling with substance abuse. Here at Palm Coast Treatment Solutions, our clients can find freedom through our cocaine addiction rehab program.

What is Cocaine?

Cocaine is an extremely powerful and habit-forming stimulant drug that comes in the form of a white powder and it’s commonly smoked, injected, or snorted. The popularity of cocaine as a recreational substance is due in part to the recognizable positive effects on motivation, mood, and energy. Therefore, increasing sociability, decreasing shyness, heightening concentration, and more typically occur with cocaine use. 

How Does Cocaine Addiction Develop?

Cocaine addiction tends to develop when individuals start using this substance in a compulsive way. When this occurs, individuals experience an irresistible urge to use cocaine, even if they are aware of the damaging consequences. Although addiction is considered a chronic brain disease, remember that it is treatable and recovery is certainly possible. 

Cocaine misuse and addiction can be caused by the reinforcing high that mostly comes from how it works on the dopamine neurotransmitter system in an individual’s brain. Typically, dopamine is associated with europhia, the processing of reward cues, and the regulation of movement. 

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction?

The typical signs and symptoms of cocaine addiction include:

• Signs of involuntary movements such as muscle tics
• Increased movement such as hyperactivity 
• Changes in focus and concentration 
• Effusive enthusiasm 
• Increased agitation 
• Disinhibition 

What are the Withdrawal Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction?

Even though individuals might experience these types of highs for a long period of time, once the drug begins to leave the person’s system, they might experience:

• Unpleasant reactions
• Confusion 
• Irritability 
• Agitation 
• Anxiety 

The above-mentioned negative effects might lead individuals to engage in regular use of Cocaine in order to avoid disagreeably withdrawal symptoms, which can drive tolerance development. Tolerance occurs in an individual when persistent and escalated use is needed in order for the individual to reach the same level of high or positive effects and temporarily decrease any negative effects of cocaine withdrawal.

As the individual’s brain further adapts to the surges of dopamine-related specifically to their cocaine use, they become not as sensitive to it. This might lead a person to use more of the drug or even use it more frequently to prevent uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, which might include:

• Increased appetite
• Unpleasant dreams
• Delayed thinking
• Depression 
• Insomnia 
• Fatigue

Adverse Effects of Cocaine Use

There are numerous potentially threatening effects of cocaine. One particularly urgent risk of cocaine abuse is heart damage. Heart damage can occur both severely and over time. This drug has the ability to result in several different cardiovascular issues such as the following:

• Ischemic heart disease
• Aberrant heart rhythms 
• Cardiomyopathy
• Hypertension 

It’s important to be aware that intravenous cocaine use can result in inflammation of the heart valves, the lining of the heart chambers, or an infection. The other symptoms of cocaine-induced cardiotoxicity can include are the following:

• Severe declines in life and health quality due to chronic cardiac function reductions
• Inflammation of the heart muscle is called myocarditis 
• Aortic rupture 

Cocaine-induced heart failure or damage might also increase the risk of stroke or brain damage resulting from several interruptions in the blood supply that is available to the individual’s brain. Cocaine addiction is also related to kidney damage. The prolonged use of cocaine has been thought to be associated with the inflammation of essential microstructures within this organ. 

Even individuals who consider their use as ‘recreational’ might be more at risk of undergoing neurological changes that can ultimately affect their lives. Long-term use is also associated with several deficits in attention, decision-making abilities, and cognitive performance. There are other risks stemming from abuse that includes infectious and bloodborne conditions such as:

• HIV
• Hepatitis C (HCV) 

These risks relate directly to the use of non-sterile needles to inject cocaine. 

What are the Long-Term and Short-Term Effects of Cocaine Use?

There are numerous long-term and short-term effects of cocaine use. Cocaine causes a rather short-lived yet intense high that is immediately followed by the exact opposite. Individuals generally undergo edginess, cravings for more of the drug, and severe depression. 

Individuals that engage in this drug do not sleep or eat properly. They can certainly experience greatly increased muscle spasms, convulsions, or even an increased heart rate. This drug can make people feel angry, hostile, anxious, and paranoid even when they aren’t actively high. 

Regardless of how much of the drug is consumed or how frequent, cocaine increases the ultimate risk that the individual will experience a seizure, respiratory failure, stroke, or heart attack, any of which can definitely result in sudden death. When an individual engages in prolonged daily use of Cocaine, loss of appetite, hallucinations, and sleep deprivation can occur. 

Short-Term Effects of Cocaine Abuse

• Tactile hallucinations that create the overall illusion of bugs burrowing underneath the skin 
• Seizures, convulsions, and sudden death from high dosage
• Increased blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate
• Erratic, bizarre, and sometimes violent behavior
• Hyperexcitability, irritability, and hallucinations
• Increased rate of breathing
• Disturbed sleeping patterns
• Intense drug cravings
• Paranoia and anxiety
• Psychosis and panic
• Contracted blood vessels
• Loss of appetite 
• Dilated pupils
• Hyperstimulation 
• Intense europhia
• Depression 

Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Abuse

• Sexual problems, infertility, and reproductive damage (for both women and men)
• High blood pressure, leads to heart attacks, strokes, and death 
• Permanent damage to blood vessels of the brain and heart 
• Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion 
• Infectious abscesses and diseases if injected
• Destruction of tissues if it is sniffed in the nose
• Tolerance and addiction even after one use
• Increased frequency of risky behavior 
• Auditory and tactile hallucinations
• Mood disturbances and irritability
• Kidney, lung, and liver damage
• Respiratory failure if smoked
• Malnutrition and weight loss
• Psychosis and delirium 
• Severe depression 
• Severe tooth decay

Cocaine Addiction Treatment at Palm Coast Treatment Solutions 

We can help you overcome cocaine addiction through treatment at Palm Coast Treatment Solutions. There are numerous therapeutic options to assist you at a cocaine addiction rehab. If you’re trying to discover how to quit cocaine abuse, we will be able to help you.

We offer various treatment programs, therapy approaches, and more to help suffering individuals overcome substance addiction. So, if you need help, reach out to us today. Find out how our cocaine addiction treatment program can help you.