Cocaine is a highly addictive drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant of South America and is a natural pain blocker and powerful stimulant. The drug was initially used as an anesthetic during surgical procedures and was also an ingredient in the popular drink Coca Cola, but was removed in 1903. In the U.S., cocaine is a widely accepted recreational drug that can be smoked, snorted or injected. Common street names for the drug are snow, slopes, blow, nose candy, coke and more.
Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Usually found in the form of a white powder, cocaine is diluted with other substances like sugar, cornstarch, talcum powder and other drugs such as amphetamines. Addicts are mostly unaware of what substances are present in the cocaine they buy on the street, and they can be at risk when other toxic ingredients are in the mix. When cocaine is dissolved in water, mixed with heroin and injected into the body it is called a speedball.
As a stimulant, cocaine may initially cause an increase in motivation, energy, mental focus and a feeling of well-being. The drug causes dopamine to flood the brain creating feelings of a euphoric high. Eventually with prolonged use, the stimulation of the drug may cause hyperactivity, agitation, involuntary muscle movements, risky behavior, and changes in attention and concentration. Addiction to cocaine creates many adverse effects in the body and raises the risk of strokes, heart attacks, hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, kidney damage and thickened heart muscle walls.
A cocaine addict may experience muscle twitching, tremors, an increased heartbeat, nausea, restlessness, and an increase in blood pressure and body temperature. Long-term cocaine addiction may cause such adverse effects as malnutrition, Parkinson’s disease, a ruptured aorta, heart muscle inflammation, paranoia, auditory hallucinations, psychiatric disorders, and bizarre or violent behavior.
What Cocaine Does to the Body
Cocaine addiction also affects the chemistry of the brain and may cause behavioral abnormalities causing psychosis and new onset attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The neurological changes that take place decrease the addict’s ability to manage and control his behavior and muscle movements. Long-term cocaine addiction may impair decision making abilities and cognitive performance, making it difficult to carry out simple tasks.
There are many treatments for cocaine addiction as an inpatient at a rehab facility. The initial phase of treatment begins with a medically supervised detox process to remove all of the cocaine from the patient’s body. The patient is monitored throughout the process and medications are given to help ease or eliminate withdrawal symptoms. Some of the withdrawal symptoms that a cocaine addict may experience include cravings, fatigue, diarrhea, stomach cramping, muscle aches, spasms, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and depression.
The next phase of treatment is psychological counseling and therapy. Behavioral therapies search for the underlying reasons why the addict began to use cocaine, and these issues are addressed and treated. Cognitive behavior therapy identifies destructive thinking and behavior patterns and attempts to change them into positive, healthy ones. Behavioral therapies have proven to be an effective part of cocaine addiction treatment.
Less severe cases of cocaine abuse and dependence may be treated on an outpatient basis. Pharmacological therapies use medications that mimic cocaine in an attempt to help the addict wean off of the drug. Methylphenidate treatment is a medication used to treat ADHD, and it creates neurological effects similar to those of cocaine, but less extreme. Pharmacological therapy should always be medically supervised by a physician or addiction specialist.
As the patient begins to recover from addiction, he will begin to see positive changes taking place within himself and his life. With continued support and counseling, a recovering cocaine addict can learn to live a happy, balanced and productive life once again. Let Hackensack Drug Treatment Centers be your recovery guide. Just give us a call today at (201) 450-9668.