Cocaine Side Effects, Risks & Dangers of Use

Studies have shown that infants born to women who use cocaine during pregnancy may be delivered prematurely, have low birth rates, may have smaller head circumference, and be shorter in length. The extent of cocaine use in youth is important to follow to see trends and changes in drug use — and drug choice — over time. Use in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, may lead to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia.

Short and Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Use and Addiction

You can also instantly check the coverage offered by your health insurance provider or contact free drug and alcohol hotline numbers. The phenomenon is similar to what happens with high cholesterol, Hazen said. If they get big enough, the clots can block blood flow through crucial veins and arteries.

Cocaine and crack

That also depends on how it’s consumed, along with other variables, like your dose and whether you’re taking other substances. Some people process cocaine into a rock and smoke it, which we’ll get to next. Individuals who stop how to get someone fired using the drug will have powerful cravings that can last for years. Depending on the nature of the abuse, some patients who seek help will be advised to attend a residential rehabilitation program, or a structured day program.

1. These effects are also similar to those of other commonly abused stimulants, such as methamphetamine.
2. Patients with cocaine toxicity need to be stabilized, and attention should be paid to the ABCDEs.
3. This means you need more of a substance to get the same effect you once did.
4. Multimodal care typically includes combining psychosocial interventions (such as CM or CBT) with medications, and this approach often has better outcomes than treatment with a single intervention.
5. The risk of overdose also increases with the co-use of other substances such as alcohol or opioids, for example.

Treatments Targeting Cognitive Deficits

Recreational use of cocaine is illegal because it is dangerous and can lead to severe health consequences, including stroke, heart attack, and overdose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 24,000 people died from cocaine overdose in 2021. This buildup of dopamine is central to cocaine’s potential for misuse. Because the body may seek to fulfill the newfound craving for this dopamine reward, the brain’s neurochemistry can be changed, leading to a substance use disorder.

Bloodborne infections

This is because regular use changes the way the brain releases dopamine, a brain chemical that makes you feel happy. The effects of smoking crack are even shorter lasting, around 10 minutes, with the peak lasting for about two minutes after smoking it. When snorted, cocaine can take from around 5 to 30 minutes to kick in, whereas the effects of smoking crack are almost instant. Cocaine powder has a bitter ‘chemical’ taste and smell, while crack cocaine can smell like burnt plastic or rubber. If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder, reach out to a healthcare provider for help.

How does cocaine work in the brain?

The effects generally last between 15 and 30 minutes, but shorter with crack. The effect is intense and virtually immediate, as with injected cocaine, but the “high” lasts only around 5 minutes. Cocaine is a highly addictive and a naturally occurring anesthetic, or pain blocker. The 2021 (U.S.) National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) concludes 4.8 million people age 12 and older used cocaine in 2020.

Cocaine use can also lead to a variety of long-term physical effects. Headaches, nosebleeds, and seizures are three of the many potential side effects of using cocaine. While we are unable to respond to your feedback directly, we’ll use this information to improve our online help. Anyone who is concerned about cocaine use should see a doctor or a local support group for beating addiction. People who are addicted may eventually prefer taking cocaine to any other activity. Their lifestyles may alter completely as the addiction takes hold.

However, cocaethylene use is linked to a significantly greater risk of sudden death, compared with cocaine alone. Cocaethylene prolongs the euphoric effects of cocaine and makes them more intense. The basal ganglia, a part of the brain that mescaline benefits houses the reward system, was found to be larger among individuals who were dependent on cocaine. Scientists at the University of Cambridge in England identified abnormal brain structure in the frontal lobe of the brain of cocaine users.

However, cocaine and its derivative, crack cocaine, are widely used as illegal recreational drugs. Normal amounts of dopamine can make us feel happy, alert and focused. Large amounts may make us feel powerful, euphoric and filled with energy. But that cocaine-driven dopamine release or rush fades quickly, leaving them wanting more of those feelings — and the drug. As people keep on using cocaine, their brains get used to the huge overstimulation and they need stronger, more frequent doses. When people take cocaine, their blood pressure goes up and their heart races.

Many people who use cocaine also use alcohol, and this combination can be particularly dangerous. The two substances react to produce cocaethylene, which may increase the toxic effects of cocaine and alcohol on the heart.17 The combination of cocaine and heroin is also very dangerous. People combine these drugs because the stimulating effects of cocaine are offset by the sedating effects of heroin; however, this can lead to substance abuse games for groups taking a high dose of heroin without initially realizing it. Because cocaine’s effects wear off sooner, this can lead to a heroin overdose. Inpatient treatment centers are a desirable choice for many crack abusers because these centers keep the user away from the drug and anyone using it. Inpatient programs can also provide the intensive counseling and therapy many people require to recover from crack cocaine addiction.

They also may experience allergic reactions, either to the drug itself or to additives in cocaine, which in severe cases can result in death. Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug that can change lives and be life-threatening. Using cocaine may change how people’s brains work and increase their risk for many serious medical issues. Finding the next high may seem like the most important thing in their lives. But the impact of cocaine use can last for months, years or a lifetime. If you think someone you love is using cocaine, encourage them to seek help.