Cocaine Addiction and Treatment

Cocaine and Crack

Cocaine: Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that comes in two chemical forms:

1. hydrochloride salt cocaine: this chemical form of cocaine comes in powder form and can be dissolved in water; this form of cocaine can be taken intravenously (by vein) or intranasally (in the nose)
2. freebase cocaine: freebase cocaine has not been neutralized to make the hydrochloride salt, and this form of cocaine is smokable

Crack:Crack is the street name for the freebase form of cocaine that has been processed from the powdered hydrochloride form to make a smokable substance. It is called crack because of the crackling sound that it makes when smoked. Because crack is smoked, it produces an almost immediate euphoric effect. Crack is highly addictive because of the rapid euphoric high, and because it is inexpensive to produce and buy, making it highly available and accessible.

There is no safe way to use any form of cocaine. Any rout of administration of the drug can lead to a dangerous amount of absorption of the chemical into the blood, resulting in acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular emergencies that can lead to immediate death.

Risks and Consequences

While many people are attracted to cocaine and crack because of the feeling of euphoria that it produces, there are many short term and long term effects that can negatively impact your health and lead to serious medical consequences.

Short-term effects: The effects of cocaine use can be felt almost immediately after a single dose, and produces a variety of effects on your body.

The short term effects of cocaine can include:

• euphoria
• mental alertness
• decreased appetite
• increased energy
• constricted blood vessels
• increased temperature
• dilated pupils

In some instances, cocaine use can cause instant death as a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.

Long-term effects: Because cocaine is highly addictive, long term use usually results in addiction and tolerance, which then leads to user to take larger quantities of the drug to achieve the same high.

This increased dosage can lead to effects that include:

• irritability and mood swings
• restlessness
• paranoia
• auditory hallucinations

Increased dosages of cocaine may result in paranoid psychosis, where the individual loses touch with reality and experiences hallucinations.

Medical consequences: Repeated and regular use of crack can lead to addiction, which leads to negative effects on your health. These negative effects can include:

• Cardiovascular effects, such as irregular hearth rhythm and heart attacks
• Respiratory effects such as chest pain and respiratory failure
• Neurological effects, such as strokes, seizures, and headaches
• Gastrointestinal complications, such as abdominal pain and nausea

These effects and medical consequences of cocaine can be life threatening, and because of the dangers presented by cocaine use, it is important to find treatment for yourself or a loved one who is battling cocaine addiction.

Treatment

Cocaine addiction can result in serious behavioral, social, and medical complications. If you think you or someone you love has a problem with cocaine addiction, it is very important that you choose a treatment program that will help them to achieve a successful, drug-free lifestyle. When choosing a treatment program for cocaine addiction, it is important to take the needs of the individual into consideration when choosing the program that is right for them.

Treatments for chronic brain diseases, such as cocaine addiction, are typically most effective when they include a combination of behavioral and pharmacological treatment.

Behavioral Treatment: Behavioral treatments can include both residential and outpatient treatments. In these programs, there are two common behavioral strategies that are used to help recovering cocaine addicts achieve and maintain recovery and sobriety.