Cocaine addiction can be devastating, not only to your finances and your relationships but also to your body. The short-term effects of cocaine use include rapid heartbeat, constricted blood vessels, blurred vision, chest pain, muscle spasms, and panic attacks—all of which have the potential to put you in physical danger if you’re in an environment where these symptoms might lead to an accident or injury. However, these are just the short-term effects of cocaine use; the drug’s long-term effects can be just as disastrous.

The Short-Term Effects

Dependence is considered an extremely serious medical condition in which someone becomes reliant on a substance or drug to feel good, deal with life, or control their feelings. Cocaine has both short-term and long-term effects that can be life-threatening. Although it can seem harmless to do cocaine for recreational purposes, cocaine addiction can damage your body when you continue to use it over time. If you find yourself starting to develop a dependency on cocaine, seek help immediately.

When you take cocaine, it goes to your brain, where it acts as a stimulant. It triggers your brain cells to release dopamine, a natural chemical that controls pleasure and movement. This can make you feel good for about 20 minutes. But that good feeling goes away quickly and then you want more of it. 

It’s dangerous to mix cocaine with other drugs or alcohol. Mixing drugs can make it harder for your body to deal with each substance individually, which means more of either one could be deadly. Cocaine is often cut with other dangerous substances. When mixing cocaine with other stimulants it often disconnects you from reality. If you’re high on these other substances as well as cocaine, it will be very difficult to react if something goes wrong. You won’t be able to think clearly, so call emergency services right away if someone who has used cocaine shows these signs of an overdose. 

The Long-Term Physical Effects

The long-term effects of cocaine use include damage to your heart, brain, liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines. Cocaine can also lead to infections in any of these organs as well as infections in cuts or sores caused by sharing needles. As a stimulant that keeps you awake for hours at a time, it’s easy to see how sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your health. Cocaine can cause cardiac arrhythmias that may lead to sudden death or strokes. It can also cause ulcers or make existing ulcers worse if used regularly. The psychological effects include hallucinations, paranoia, irritability, and hyperactivity.

Over time, frequent cocaine use can lead to heart problems such as high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, or a heart attack. The drug can affect every system in your body including your nervous system which can lead to symptoms like paranoia and hyperactivity. In general, tolerance to cocaine will develop over time so you need higher doses to get an effect from it. This can increase your risk of overdose from cocaine if you accidentally take too much at once. Over time, frequent cocaine use may also damage parts of your brain that control emotion and memory.

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug. As your body builds a tolerance to it, you’ll need more of it just to feel normal which can lead to snorting larger amounts, ingesting it by smoking, or injecting it directly into your bloodstream. These practices put you at risk of serious health problems like overdose, infection from sharing needles, or blood-borne diseases from needle sharing. To give up cocaine use entirely takes medical detox followed by counselling sessions. The effects of withdrawal can be severe if cocaine has been part of your life for many years so professional help will make it easier to deal with them until they subside in about three weeks.

The Mental Health Implications

One of cocaine’s most dangerous effects is its ability to quickly change your mood. Cocaine acts as a stimulant, causing you to experience intense bursts of euphoria and energy. Cocaine abuse may trigger anxiety, depression, paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions – in some cases even psychosis. Many users take cocaine while they are alone, which can increase their risk of a drug overdose. In addition to affecting your mental health, cocaine use can lead to risky behaviors that affect your physical health, including unsafe sex practices or risky driving habits. This is especially true when combined with alcohol use because both drugs increase your risk for liver damage and other life-threatening diseases such as heart disease and stroke.

Over time, cocaine use can cause lasting effects on your mental health. Regular cocaine use changes how your brain works, which can lead to a dependence on cocaine and other drugs. Cocaine causes you to build up a tolerance to it, meaning that you need more of it over time to experience its initial effects. For your body to maintain its high level of euphoria, you have to keep taking increasing amounts of cocaine. If you quit taking cocaine after developing an addiction, withdrawal symptoms such as depression or anxiety may occur – these are some of the most difficult aspects of addiction recovery. One of the best ways to avoid ongoing problems with drug abuse is through prevention education early in life and long-term treatment services as needed.

Getting treatment for cocaine addiction is essential if you want to avoid withdrawal symptoms, improve your mental health and prevent further drug use.

Get Rid of Cocaine Addiction at Freeman House Recovery 

At Freeman House Recovery, we have helped many people from all over the world kick their coke habit.  Our rehab programs are designed to help you overcome your addiction to cocaine by addressing any underlying issues that may be contributing to your substance abuse problem. Our staff members are highly trained in helping you break free of cocaine addiction so that you can regain control of your life. If you’re ready to start living a happy, healthy life without cocaine, contact us today at +27 12 1111 739 for more information about our treatment programs. 

About Freeman House Recovery

Freeman House Recovery is a full-service luxury drug treatment facility located in South Africa. We offer detoxification, residential treatment, relapse prevention, and aftercare support, all in a safe and nurturing environment. Our programs are highly effective at helping people recover from drug addiction or alcoholism. We can help you overcome substance abuse with specialized care for co-occurring mental health issues. 

Contact Freeman House Recovery now to find out how we can help you or your loved one

break free from cocaine addiction.

This article was first published at https://www.freemanhouserecovery.com/cocaine-addiction-what-are-the-short-term-and-long-term-effects-on-your-body/