What is cocaine and what are the detrimental effects of cocaine addiction? Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that is derived from the leaves of the coca plant. Initially, the drug was used as an anesthetic for surgical procedures, but today it has become an illicit and highly abused drug among the American populace. Some of the adverse effects of cocaine addiction are unknown to the individuals who use the drug. Illicit cocaine is usually diluted with other drugs and substances, and addicts are mostly unaware of what substances are present in the cocaine they buy on the street. This practice of mixing substances presents one of the many dangers of using cocaine.

Cocaine Use

What happens when you do coke? Cocaine floods the brain with the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine which creates a euphoric high, and it also increases energy, mental focus and motivation. When cocaine is abused, the body can quickly build up a tolerance to the drug, which will diminish its effects. To achieve the same effects as before, the user will have to take more of the drug, and this often leads to addiction.

Effects of Cocaine

Some of the dangers of using cocaine include high blood pressure, hyperactivity, changes in cognition and attention, risky behavior, respiratory depression and involuntary muscle movements. The extensive use of cocaine can cause many adverse effects such as:

* Talkativeness, hyperactivity, restlessness, agitation

* Shaking, tics, twitching, increased energy, nausea

* Respiratory depression, hyperthermia

The effects of cocaine addiction can cause dangerous health complications for the addict, and one of the worst effects of cocaine is sudden death caused by cardiac toxicity. Some of the worst effects of cocaine addiction include:

* Kidney damage, heart attack and stroke, sudden cardiac death

* Thickened heart muscle walls, tremors, a ruptured aorta, heart muscle inflammation

* Increased heartbeat, malnutrition, Parkinson's disease, blood infections, myocardial infarctions

* Psychiatric disorders, paranoia, auditory hallucinations, bizarre or violent behavior

Other effects of cocaine addiction are obvious changes in the addict's personality and behavior. A cocaine addict can have intense mood swings, talk incessantly and become hyperactive. His mood can quickly change from feeling upbeat and happy to becoming irritated, paranoid and angry. Paranoia may cause the cocaine addict to isolate himself from others as a form of protection against the distorted perception of threats. He may have trouble relaxing enough to be able to fall asleep, and his appetite will dwindle. These affects of cocaine addiction can cause the addict to become exhausted and malnourished. Other changes in the addict include having intense cravings for the drug and a serious decline in his health and quality of life. This is what happens when you do coke.

Mental Disorders

Other dangers of using cocaine are irreversible damage to the brain. Cocaine addicts can develop mental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other psychological and behavioral problems, making the dangers of using cocaine more amplified. Statistics reveal that some cocaine addicts already had mental disorders before they started using cocaine. Some common pairings of cocaine use and mental disorders are: anxiety disorder, clinical depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bi-polar disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

This is what happens when you do coke, but it doesn't have to stay this way. If you are a cocaine addict and are beginning to experience some of the worst effects of cocaine, you can get professional help to recover from the effects of cocaine addition. You will no longer have to worry about the dangers of using cocaine and experiencing some of the worst effects of cocaine. Today is your day to get off of cocaine and begin to live again.