It’s no myth that many people in the United States consume cocaine. Around two million people nationwide use cocaine somewhat regularly, according to a 2016 report. This illegal substance has many names:
- Blanca
- Crack, Flake, or Gold Dust
- Icing or Line
- Paradise White or Pearl
- Snow White, Sleigh Ride Snowcones
- White Mosquito or White Powder
Along with its diverse labels, cocaine can be consumed in numerous ways. Different people prefer different methods. Generally there are four ways of introducing cocaine to the body:
- Orally: by rubbing the substance onto the gums
- Intranasally: by snorting the substance through the nose
- Intravenously: by mixing the substance with water or other liquids and injecting it directly into the bloodstream with a needle
- Inhalation: by smoking the substance. This process is almost as fast-acting as injection. When cocaine is consumed in this way it is called crack-cocaine or crack.
In the United States, cocaine has been illegal at the highest levels of the federal government since the early 1900s, when it was seen as more dangerous than most other habit-forming drugs. After that, cocaine use declined and didn’t become a problem again until the 1960s.
In today’s post, we’ll take a look at cocaine’s effect on the body and at resources for overcoming a cocaine addiction.
Let’s begin with a little trivia!
Round 1!
Chronic cocaine use has an effect on what specific brain process?
- Motor processes (the process of voluntarily moving any muscle in the body)
- Reward processes (the process our brain conducts when creating connections between actions and the benefits they may bring us)
- Cognitive processes (the process our brain goes through when paying attention, producing language, learning, using memory, perceiving, and forming thought)
- All of the above
If you answered D, you’re off to a great start. Unfortunately, cocaine use affects all of these areas of the brain. The higher the dose and the longer the use, the greater these effects will be.
Round 2!
Perhaps you’ve heard it rumored that cocaine kills brain cells. Which specific parts of the body are damaged with chronic cocaine use?
- The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), where we carry out decision-making, formulate insights about ourselves and our behavior, and practice general self-awareness
- Cerebral blood vessels, which can burst and lead to potentially fatal brain hemorrhages
- The cardiovascular system and the heart
- All of the above
Once again, the answer is D. It’s no myth that chronic cocaine use and dependence may cause brain damage, which can lead to stroke, hemorrhage, heart failure, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Round 3!
Once the damage is done, there’s no turning back. The long-term effects of cocaine use are irreversible. True or False?
If you answered “Not sure,” you are correct. We don’t have any definitive scientific answers to this question yet. We only know that long-term cocaine use can alter the way nerve cells branch off and behave.
As we can see in Rounds 1 & 2, cocaine deserves its reputation as a dangerous drug for recreational use. It is highly addictive and can be incredibly harmful to an individual’s brain processes.
So, what are the facts about cocaine? We can say without a doubt that:
- As a stimulant, it nearly instantly provides users with euphoria, energy, and mental alertness
- It’s highly addictive
- Short-term effects include constricted blood vessels, pupil dilation, higher temperature, and increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Long-term effects include irritability, extreme mood swings, restlessness, paranoia, auditory hallucinations, and addiction
These are the facts.
What is fiction is the idea that we can never get off cocaine once we’ve developed a dependency on it. Every substance abuse disorder can be overcome and replaced with personal success, independence, and sobriety.
That’s where we, at St. Gregory Recovery Center, can step in to lend you or your loved one a hand. Whether you’re researching detox options, residential stays, or the overall effectiveness of treatment, we’re here to support and guide you. Contact us today!
