What is cocaine tolerance? What is cocaine dependence? Are you addicted or dependent on the drug? You wouldn't know how to answer these questions if you don't understand the difference between each term. When your body has a tolerance or dependence to cocaine, it means that cocaine is physically and mentally affecting you. Cocaine dependence vs. addiction is not the same thing although people often confuse the two terms. Dependence to cocaine means you are biologically affected by the drug, and addiction is the continual engagement in a harmful behavior. Cocaine dependence and tolerance can lead to addiction, and then you will be affected by the drug physically, psychologically, and behaviorally.

Tolerance

What is cocaine tolerance? Cocaine is a highly addictive potent drug and tolerance can begin to build up after just one dose. Tolerance is when the body becomes used to having the drug present, and begins to adapt to the effects of the drug. This action causes the effects of the drug to diminish and the user has to take a larger dose, or dose more often, to achieve the same effects as before. Tolerance to cocaine will develop quickly with continued abuse. This describes the initial level of tolerance to cocaine. Some cocaine users may develop a cocaine sensitization, or reverse tolerance, and they will experience intense effects of the drug. Sensitization to cocaine is a dangerous development because it can cause cardiac arrest, respiratory failure and overdose, even if the user only takes a small amount of the drug.

Dependence

What is cocaine dependence? Cocaine dependence is when the body has adapted to the presence of the drug and is experiencing drug-related physical and mental symptoms. If the use of cocaine is reduced or stopped, the body will react by producing withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine users often sustain their high by cocaine binging, which is the continual dosing of cocaine within a short amount of time. Cocaine binging can rapidly lead to dependence of the drug, sometimes within a matter of days. Some of the symptoms of cocaine dependence include:

* Agitation, restlessness, bizarre or violent behavior, depression, paranoia, hallucinations

* Fatigue, malaise, decreased activity, increased appetite, vivid dreams, nightmares

* Seizures, respiratory failure

* Heart attack, strokes, kidney damage, thickened heart muscle walls

* Parkinson's disease, a ruptured aorta, psychiatric disorders, psychosis

* Increased attention and concentration, involuntary muscle movements

Anyone with cocaine dependence can receive recovery treatment at a drug treatment center. The initial stage of treatment is the medical detox, where the patient will be weaned off of the cocaine. He can be given medications to assuage some the cocaine withdrawal symptoms, which include:

* Drug Cravings

* Stomach Cramping

* Nausea

* Vomiting

* Fatigue Diarrhea

* Muscle Aches

* Spasms

* Anxiety

* Fatigue

* Depression

Once the patient recovers from the withdrawal symptoms, he will no longer have a physical dependence to cocaine. The urge to start using again will be caused by the psychological addiction, and that is why the patient must receive psychological and behavioral therapy to completely recover. Addiction

What is the difference between cocaine dependence vs. addiction? Cocaine addiction is the psychological attraction to continue using the drug even when doing so causes harmful consequences. Cocaine addiction can occur during the early use of the drug because of the powerful effects it has on the reward center of the brain.

Some signs of cocaine addiction are:

* The incessant compulsion to use cocaine

* Not being able to reduce the intake of cocaine or stop using

* Constant obsessing about using cocaine

* Continued use of cocaine despite harmful consequences

* Experiencing cravings for the drug

* Borrowing or stealing money to get cocaine

Debating about what is cocaine dependence vs. addiction will no longer be confusing, now that you know the difference between the terms. Tolerance, dependence and addiction can all spell trouble for the person that wants to dabble in cocaine to get high. Cocaine is a potent drug that can cause many treacherous physical and psychological health problems, some of them permanent. If you are using cocaine, you should call a drug treatment center to begin recovery treatment.