If you know someone struggling with an addiction, then you know the effects it can likely have on their life, relationships, and even their health. Unfortunately, we don’t often realize that certain drugs can have devastating long-term effects on a person’s body. That’s why it’s more important than ever to understand the signs of drug use and addiction to get them the help they need as soon as possible to minimize the long-term effects on the body.
Refine Recovery understands that addiction is a lifelong disease and that using drugs can have terrible consequences. In this post, we are going to discuss the drug cocaine, specifically the signs and the long-term effects of cocaine use.
Contact Refine Recovery today to learn more about how our Beverly Hills rehab can help you overcome cocaine addiction today.
How Does Cocaine Affect The Body?
While most of us have heard of the drug cocaine and know that it is considered highly illegal, not everyone knows that it wasn’t always that way. In fact, it has numerous properties that were once found to be beneficial before it was determined to be so incredibly addictive.
Cocaine is a stimulant drug derived from the coca plant and has been used for centuries to treat various illnesses due to its stimulant properties. It is known to suppress appetite and fatigue and give energy. In the 1800’s it was used regularly in medicine due to its qualities as an anesthetic. It has powerful numbing qualities that make it quite useful in medical practice. By the mid-to-late 1900s, it was determined that cocaine was too addictive to be used regularly in the medical field.
The drug we know of today is slightly different from the cocaine from long ago. It is now a powder that is most often snorted to produce a high that many people enjoy. It lowers the appetite, causes people to feel a rush of energy, has been known to suppress the symptoms of alcohol consumption, and provides a sense of energy and alertness. For this reason, it is often used as a party drug.
Cocaine reacts with the central nervous system as a stimulant, so the body constantly feels heightened while on the drug.
What Are the Signs of Cocaine Use?
Each unique situation with drug use is different, but there are some common signs that someone may be using or abusing cocaine.
These signs of cocaine use include hyperactivity, mood swings, talkativeness, and excitability. Changes in sleep patterns, inability to sleep may also occur. Other signs like rapid weight loss, runny nose, nosebleeds and dilated pupils are common as well.
You should also look for changes in day-to-day behavior such as secrecy, lack of interest in once pleasurable activities, distancing oneself from social circles, and neglecting responsibilities. These changes may be a result of drug-seeking behavior which can have devastating effects on work and home life, finances, and can even result in legal penalties.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Use?
There are several ways that cocaine use can affect the body over the long term.
To begin, cocaine affects certain neural pathways in the brain that cause the reward and pleasure centers of the brain to be less active, while heightening the stress centers of the brain. This means that over time as the brain changes, it becomes more difficult to gain pleasure from things and easier to become stressed.
Other ways that it impacts the body depend on how the drug is used. For instance, snorting the drug can lead to damage to the blood vessels and tissues in the nose, which can cause frequent nosebleeds that persist long after cocaine use has stopped. Sinus problems and sensitivity may also occur as well as a loss of sense of smell. Similarly, injecting the drug can do damage to veins and blood vessels and may cause blockages or other problems. Smoking can cause lung damage and even asthma.
How to Find a Cocaine Rehab in Beverly Hills, CA
If you know someone struggling with a cocaine addiction, the time to get them help is now. Refine Recovery is the premier rehab in Beverly Hills, CA.
We offer luxurious inpatient rehab accommodations, aftercare planning, and medically supervised detox in Southern California. Now that you know the long-term effects of cocaine use, the time to get treatment is now.
Contact Refine Recovery for help today.
