faq posts – drugs – v3
Cocaine Help For Users
-
Will I have long term damage from my cocaine use?
Cocaine, like any drug, has an effect on the brain. How does it affect it? The brain adapts to cocaine and the reward pathway becomes less sensitive to natural reinforcers. The circuits in the brain that are involved with stress become less sensitive to natural reinforcers. When the brain is in withdrawal from Cocaine, this leads to displeasure and negative moods. Drugs have a powerful effect on the mind and body. Due to this pleasure and reward system that the brain has many addicts become focused solely on seeking more of the drug. This is why you may crave using Cocaine and ignore relationships, food, or other natural rewards for the brain. You may find that over time you need a high dose of Cocaine in order to feel good. You may also need to use Cocaine more frequently in order to get the same sense of pleasure and relief from it. This is how some individuals end up overdosing. They may know their body can’t handle more but they need more to get a good feeling. When users go on Cocaine binges things can get scary. A Cocaine binge is when Cocaine is used repeatedly and at higher and higher doses. This has many negative effects on the body. This can lead you to experience increased irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, paranoia, and sometimes it can also lead to psychosis. Psychosis is when an individual loses touch with reality. They start to experience hallucinations. It is important to be aware of how much Cocaine you are using and how it is affecting your mind and body. Give us a call today at 706-480-8733 to learn more about how addiction treatment can help you.
-
What are the withdrawal symptoms of cocaine?
Have you been using Cocaine frequently? Are you worried about the withdrawal symptoms of Cocaine? After a Cocaine binge, it is likely you will experience a crash. During a crash, an individual can also experience a craving for more Cocaine. Symptoms that are experienced can range. They may include:
- Fatigue
- lack of pleasure
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Sleepiness
- Agitation
- extreme suspicion
- paranoia
The withdrawals that are associated with Cocaine are not as apparent as other drugs. There is no vomiting or shaking. The craving to use Cocaine is very powerful during withdrawal. During withdrawal, you may experience depression, fatigue, discomfort, and even vivid and unpleasant dreams. Symptoms range. It is best to seek help when going through Cocaine detox. The best option is to go to a detox center. At a detox center medical professionals can monitor you and help you get through the detox in the most comfortable and effective way. If any complications come up, the staff is nearby. It can be extremely difficult to detox on one’s own. Friends and family are often not very helpful in this situation. To get more information about detox centers give us a call at 706-480-8733! Don’t put off withdrawal any longer. You can finally be sober!
-
How can I manage the withdrawal symptoms of cocaine?
The withdrawal symptoms of Cocaine can be intense for individuals. However, unlike other drugs, there are no FDA-approved medications that reduce the effects of Cocaine withdrawal. Firstly, you can begin to detox from Cocaine. This is a short but often very intense process. Your symptoms can range from mild to severe. This depends on how long you have been taking Cocaine. It is important to take care of yourself mentally and physically during this time. Make sure you are getting regular exercise, eating well, and getting enough sleep. All of these things combined can help you feel better throughout the detox process. However, if you are considering detoxing at home without medical professionals, it is important to know that there are risks. If you have withdrawal symptoms that are more severe. The more extreme side effects of withdrawal from Cocaine may include severe depression, paranoia, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts. It is best to always detox around medical professionals. That way if anything goes wrong there is always medical help nearby. Medical professionals can also provide more care and support. It can be a challenge to detox around family and friends. They may not be able to provide you with the support you need. For more information on detoxing, give us a call at 706-480-8733!
-
What happens when you mix cocaine with other drugs?
Many individuals mix Cocaine with other substances that they use. So what happens when you mix Cocaine with other drugs? A range of things can happen depending on the drug. Cocaine and alcohol mixed together are extremely risky. The combination can lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure. This increases an individual’s risk for a heart attack. The combination of Cocaine and alcohol within the liver can also produce a chemical called cocaethylene. This chemical has a toxic effect on the heart, liver, and other organs. This can sometimes happen even if Cocaine and alcohol are used separately on consecutive days. Another popular combination is Cocaine with Heroin and other opioids. The combination of these two drugs can be potentially fatal. This can affect an individual’s heart rate. The combination of MDMA and Cocaine can lead to increased heart rate and body temperature. This can sometimes be fatal. Sometimes people combine Cocaine with antidepressants. This combination can lead to the risk of serotonin syndrome in which the brain becomes overloaded with serotonin. The results of this can be tremors, excessive sweating, increased heartbeat, seizures, shaking, shivering, and sometimes even death. It is best to not combine Cocaine with other substances. You are only increasing your risks of something fatal occurring.
-
What is cocaine psychosis?
Cocaine and be a risky drug to take because among other issues it can cause mental health problems. If an individual already has a mental illness, it can even make it worse. When certain drugs are taken frequently over a span of time it can sometimes lead to psychotic symptoms. What is psychosis? Psychosis is an illness that results in an individual experiencing delusions and/or hallucinations. The hallucinations are mostly visual while delusions are shifts in the way an individual sees reality. Oftentimes people will begin to believe things are going on that are actually not happening at all. Once someone stops using drugs, the effects of the psychosis should wear off. However, sometimes in more severe cases, the side effects may last for years after the use of drugs has stopped. Sings of early psychosis are delusions, hallucinations, no emotion, difficulty expressing feelings, and emotionless expressions. The individual may also have a lack of motivation and be socially withdrawn. These psychotic symptoms can last for days, months, and even years after an individual has stopped using drugs. Those that use Cocaine long-term may experience loss of memory and problems with concentration. If you suspect you may have these symptoms it is important to reach out and get the help you need. Call us today at 706-480-8733!
Cocaine Help For Loved Ones
-
What are the signs of cocaine use?
If you have a loved one who you suspect is using Cocaine, you may want to know what signs you should look out for. Cocaine has an overall effect of speeding up the whole body. The heart starts to be faster and a person will usually speak, move, and even start to think fast. You may even see them shake or twitch. Often their body will feel very hot and they may not sleep or eat much. Their behavior will definitely differ from their normal behavior. When someone is using Cocaine their behavior and emotions may be erratic. They can go from feeling happy and excited to become angry and nervous. They may even believe that someone is out to get them. Their behavior may seem to not make any sense. Once the high of Cocaine wears off a person usually crashes. They will feel tired and sad and they will want to use Cocaine again in order to feel better. Other signs to look out for include nosebleeds and needle injections on the arms. These are signs of how someone is using the drug. They may be snorting Cocaine or they may be injecting it. If you suspect a loved one is addicted to Cocaine give us a call today at 706-480-8733. We can give you more information about addiction and what steps you should take to get your loved one they help they need.
-
Can cocaine users quit without help?
When someone you love is addicted to drugs it can be extremely painful to watch them go down a path of destruction. They may even promise you that they are going to quit but it never actually happens. This is common. Why? Drugs are extremely difficult for the mind and body to stop consuming. Drugs such as Cocaine change the brain. That’s how powerful these drugs are. It makes it extremely hard to quit and although it is possible, it is highly unlikely someone will get better on their own. The best thing to do is seek out support groups and treatment programs. These were specifically designed to help people become and stay off drugs. Patients who seek treatment are able to get help from medical professionals and licensed therapists. They are able to take the steps needed to become clean in a supportive environment. The most powerful part of treatment is that patients gain the tools they need to remain clean further down the road. The first step to get your loved one to take is to get them into a detox center. Getting off drugs such as Cocaine on one’s own is very hard. Symptoms include fatigue, lack of pleasure, anxiety, irritability, and sleepiness. That is why so many people end up using drugs again. Using the drug makes them feel better. To learn more about detox give us a call at 706-480-8733.
-
How can I convince my loved one to seek help?
Are you hoping that your loved one will get the treatment they need? Does it seem impossible that they will ever get help or get better? Don’t worry, there is hope. Try to find treatment centers that appeal to your loved one and encourage them to seek help. Treatment centers come in a range of varieties. Approaches can be tailored to each patient. What works for one patient may not work for another so each treatment program is customized. There are outpatient and inpatient treatments as well as a variety of different therapy methods available. An addiction specialist will be able to evaluate what would be best for an individual.Â
Looking for ways to help your loved one? There are many ways you can support them. Firstly, try to learn more about addiction in general. This will give you more empathy towards them and allow you to understand what they are going through. Secondly, offer your loved one the support they most likely need. Express your love and concern about them. Going through addiction is a very hard thing and getting the courage to go to treatment is hard. Letting your loved one know you are there for them can be a big support. If you have any questions or concerns about addiction give us a call at 706-480-8733.
-
What should I do if I know someone is using cocaine?
If someone you know and love is using Cocaine you may be worried and for good reason. So what should you do if someone you know is using cocaine? There are some steps that you can take to help the situation. Firstly, learn all you can about addiction. This will make you more knowledgable about what is going on with your loved one. Secondly, talk to your loved one about your concerns about their addiction. Encourage them to go get help. The longer addiction goes on, the worse it gets. Thirdly, don’t wait until it gets worse. Your loved one doesn’t need to be at their worst in order to go get help. If you see that they have been slipping into addiction now is the time to say something. Fourthly, you need to be patient. Addiction is a pattern that is incredibly hard to break without professional help. Addicts need treatment, support, and coping skills in order to recover and stay away from substances. Lastly, once your loved one does decide to get help make sure that you are supportive of them throughout the recovery process.Â
So what should you not do? Don’t lecture to them about how they need to change and get better. Focus on being more supportive than judgemental. Also, don’t try to make them feel guilty. It is important to not be an enabler of their addiction as well. Try not to take on their responsibilities or cover up for their behavior. Most importantly, don’t engage in their addiction with them. Remain a place of support and encouragement. For more information give us a call at 706-480-8733.
-
What kind of long term damage does cocaine do?
It can be alarming to watch a loved one use a substance again and again and wonder how it is damaging them in the long run. Cocaine can do a lot to the mind and body. The drug changes the brain. It causes the brain to adapt so that the reward pathway is less sensitive to natural reinforcers. Natural reinforcers include things such as food and hobbies. Due to this, an addict becomes more focused on seeking out the drug and less focused on relationships, food, and other natural rewards. This is how addicts get stuck in a cycle of addiction. It feels better to be on the drug than to do anything else. Overtime users need to take more Cocaine in order to get the same effect. Using Cocaine repeatedly and in higher doses can lead to increased irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, paranoia, and even psychosis. This is an incredibly scary place to be in. That is why it is so important to get your loved one the help they need. Long-term damage to the brain can affect an addict’s life forever. Cocaine can also damage essential organs in the body over time. Cocaine can have toxic effects on the heart and cardiovascular system as a whole. That is why the drug can be potentially fatal. Don’t hesitate to get your loved one help. Call us today at 706-480-8733 to see how you can get your loved one the help they need.
FAQ
Struggling with addiction?
Talk to us today. We can help you find treatment no matter your situation.