Cocaine is a stimulant that can relieve pain and constrict the blood vessels. Users snort, take cocaine by mouth, inject it intravenously, or smoke it. This highly addictive drug causes strong side effects. Many cocaine effects are more intense with long-term.
The Cocaine High
Many activities and substances can make you feel pleasure. Cocaine stimulates the same reward centers in the brain, causing a sense of well-being and euphoria.
Additionally, cocaine use causes an immediate high. Because the high comes on strongly and quickly, your brain tells you to use more of the drug to continue feeling this way.
For example, you may feel more confident than usual. This effect is especially appealing for people who have low self-esteem or social anxiety. You might also feel like it’s easier to meet new people or socialize at a party.
Cocaine delivers intense bursts of energy. Consequently, you might feel more animated and talkative. In addition, the drug eliminates fatigue and helps you stay up later than normal. Some people use the substance to get work done or party all night.
Immediate Cocaine Effects
Your brain and body respond to cocaine in ways that make you feel good.
For example, immediate cocaine effects include:
- An increase in heart rate and blood pressure
- Rapid respiration
- Sensitivity to physical sensations
- An increase in body temperature
- Sweating
- Muscle weakness
A few of these physical responses make you feel good. You might feel alert, strong, and invincible. However, the negative side effects include nausea, irritability, and panic. You also increase your risk of heart attack, seizure, or stroke.
Furthermore, since your brain associates these symptoms with rewards while you’re using the drug, you might become tolerant to the negative effects of cocaine. This is a problem in many people who suffer from addiction disorders. They continue to use the drug even when it continues to devastate their lives.
The euphoria you experience while high doesn’t last forever. As the high wears off, you often feel the opposite way as you did while you were high. You might feel short-tempered and grouchy. You could even experience feelings of self-doubt and insecurity.
Worst of all, you might feel like the only way to get back that energy and confidence is to use the drug again.
Long-Term Cocaine Effects
If you continue to take cocaine to continue feeling good or to avoid a crash, you increase your risk of overdosing. Not to mention, combining the substance with other drugs, such as heroin or alcohol, can be extremely dangerous.
You can’t continue taking cocaine forever. Eventually, you’ll need to take a break. Discontinuing use after a long-term binge can lead to extreme insomnia, panic attacks, and anxiety.
Perhaps you give yourself breaks between doses, but still, continue to use the drug regularly. Consequently, you are still subject to long-term cocaine effects.
If you snort the drug, you can damage the blood vessels in your nose. This can lead to nosebleeds or a diminished sense of smell. Smoking cocaine damages the airways as well.
In addition, your mood can change from long-term use. When you’re not using, you might become more withdrawn and angry than usual. Eventually, cocaine might not produce the same euphoric intensity. You might start to have delusions or feel depressed while under the influence.
Cocaine Addiction Treatment with Steps to Recovery
If you don’t know where to turn for help, you might keep trying to self-medicate with cocaine’s help. Fortunately, at Steps to Recovery, we provide treatment options and addiction education to help you develop healthy ways of coping with stress.
We offer services for individuals and families, including:
- Interventions
- Men’s and women’s addiction rehab programs
- Intensive outpatient program
- Partial hospitalization program
- Relapse prevention and aftercare
You can heal from a substance abuse disorder and find joy once more. Call us at 267.719.8528 to learn more about how you can restore your physical and emotional health with our help.