Cocaine and the Body
How does cocaine affect the body? In many, often serious and even life-threatening ways. And, cocaine’s deleterious effects can occur with a single episode of use or, of course, over the long-term in addiction. One of the most basic physical health risks involved in cocaine use is the development of a cocaine addiction, or what is medically known as a Cocaine Use Disorder. This begins deep in the limbic region of the brain in what is commonly known as the reward system.
The immediate effects of intoxication result from the stimulation of the brain’s reward system. Abnormal amounts of the neurotransmitter dopamine result which causes pleasure and euphoria. This brain region typically responds with dopamine release during pleasurable activities such as eating and having sex. Using cocaine ‘floods’ the system with this naturally occurring ‘feel good’ brain chemical.
How Does Cocaine Affect the Body in Addiction?
In addiction, there are repeated episodes of use and so repeated periods of dopamine stimulation and flooding. The results of this are alterations in brain functioning which leads to multiple problems. And, these brain alterations become the core of cocaine addiction. One of the most damaging of cocaine’s effects upon the body is the development of a Cocaine Use Disorder, or what is commonly known as cocaine addiction.
Compulsive Cocaine Use
Compulsive cocaine use, for example, is fueled by the desire to experience the elevated dopamine levels again. We are ‘wired’ to pursue rewarding experiences. The repeated use of cocaine, however, trains the natural dopamine system to rely upon the drug. Consequently, without cocaine, there is a lack of pleasure and reward after heavy or prolonged use. The brain must heal from cocaine addiction and resume its own natural functioning during recovery.
Reduced Stress Tolerance
Cocaine-induced brain changes also create a lowered stress tolerance. This means that people become more highly sensitized to stress in cocaine addiction. This can evolve into a vicious cycle in which one becomes more easily stressed and uses cocaine to self-medicate. The use of cocaine then reinforces the sensitivity to stress and the cycle continues.
The Effects of Adulterants
Cocaine is typically ‘cut’ with adulterants or added ingredients to increase profits for traffickers. Adulterants may be poisonous, or users may be allergic to these unknown additives. Common additives include white powders such as:
- Benzocaine
- Boric Acid
- Caffeine
- Creatine
- Laundry Detergent
- Laxatives
- Levamisole
- Lidocaine
- Procaine
- Sugars
Other Effects of Long-term Cocaine Use
Long-term use of cocaine can cause multiple types of damage to the body. Some are specific to methods of use, and others to the systemic effects of the drug itself. Among such effects are:
- Asthma (from smoking cocaine)
- Brain hemorrhage
- Clogged arteries (from injecting cocaine with adulterants)
- Damaged nasal passages and sinuses (from intranasal use or ‘snorting’)
- High blood pressure
- Infectious disease such as Hepatitis C and HIV (from sharing needles to inject cocaine)
- Lung disease (from smoking cocaine)
- Malnutrition
- Movement disorders
- Nosebleeds
- Organ damage including stomach, intestines, kidneys, heart, and liver
- Seizures
- Skin abscesses (from injecting cocaine
- Stroke
Getting Help for Cocaine Abuse and Addiction
If your or a loved one is struggling with a cocaine abuse issue, you need to know that you can get help. The sooner you stop using cocaine, the sooner you’ll be able to get healthy and reduce much of the damage that cocaine use can cause to your health and your body. By seeking professional addiction treatment, you can learn to overcome your addiction and start living healthy, happy, and addiction-free again.
