If you’re doing a Google search for ‘how addictive is cocaine,’ you or a loved one may be struggling with a cocaine addiction. Cocaine is highly addictive and comes with some dangerous side effects, yet millions of people abuse this substance every day. Learning how addictive cocaine is can help you better understand the dangers of this drug and what it takes to recover.
Recovery Ranch PA welcomes Pennsylvania residents who are abusing cocaine and need help in breaking the addiction once and for all. To speak with one of our team about our cocaine rehab program, call 717.969.9126 today.
How Addictive Is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a very addictive substance that began as a party drug in the 1980s and quickly turned into a dangerous epidemic. Cocaine is a stimulant that affects the way your brain communicates with the body. When you ingest cocaine, it signals a massive release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects your balance and coordination, attention, mood, and sleep. It’s the reward system and is responsible for the euphoric high.
How addictive is cocaine? In some cases, people can become addicted overnight. The euphoric high is very pleasurable, and you’ll start craving more cocaine to keep the high going. If you’re not careful, it can lead to a serious addiction and can cause serious side effects that include:
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Erratic behavior
- Rapid heart rate
- Hypertension
- Heart attack
As cocaine leaves your body, it can cause severe withdrawals and increasingly intense cravings for more. The safest way to stop abusing cocaine and break the addiction is by enrolling in an addiction treatment program. Recovery Ranch PA can create a comprehensive cocaine addiction treatment program based on your symptoms. We’ll develop a treatment program based on the severity of the addiction and will include behavioral therapy and medication-assisted treatment.
Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Cocaine
Cocaine is a dangerous narcotic that can cause significant problems with your health and well-being. If you’re abusing cocaine, you should be aware of some of the long-term effects of abusing this drug. Here are some of the long-term effects of cocaine on the body.
Physical Symptoms
Cocaine is a stimulant that affects your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. This can damage your cardiovascular system and lead to serious health complications. Abusing cocaine for an extended period can lead to:
- Blood clots that lead to heart attack, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and deep vein thrombosis.
- Angina, or chest pains
- Myocardial infarction, or the death of heart muscles
- Permanently increased blood pressure
- Tachycardia
- Arrhythmia
If you’re abusing cocaine, your risk of heart attack increases dramatically. It can also impact your breathing and respiratory system, and long-term abuse can lead to coughing, black sputum, diffused wheezing sounds, and pain.
Psychological Symptoms
Cocaine has a direct impact on the brain by decreasing the amount of oxygen that gets to it. This can lead to severe brain damage and loss of cognitive abilities. Here are some of the psychological symptoms of abusing cocaine:
- Transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke)
- Seizures
- Cerebral atrophy, or brain shrinkage
- Hyperpyrexia
- Changes to the prefrontal and temporal lobes
- Changes to neurotransmitter production and absorption
Long-term cocaine abuse will age the brain, which will increase the risk of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological problems.
Connect with The Ranch PA Today to Enroll in Our Cocaine Rehab Program
How addictive is cocaine, and what treatment options are available? The Ranch PA is a fully accredited addiction treatment facility that supports individuals who are abusing cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, or other types of stimulants. We have residential and outpatient treatment programs available where you’ll work with a therapist who’ll teach you healthy ways of recognizing your triggers and how to cope with them.
If you or a loved one is abusing cocaine and want help in breaking the addiction, call 717.969.9126 or fill out our online form today to learn more about our cocaine rehab program.
