Cocaine Addiction and Senior Citizens

While many people assume that senior citizens do not abuse drugs, there is evidence to the contrary. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2005, 184,400 Americans who were admitted to drug rehab programs; 10% of the total was over 50 years old, up from...

Cocaine Abuse Rates in Australia

According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2010, the following is true of cocaine abuse in Australia: 7.3 percent of Australians 14 years of age and older had used cocaine at some stage in their lives. 2.1 percent had used it in the previous 12 months. The average age at which Australians...

How Much Cocaine Will Cause an Overdose?

Cocaine, a powdered extract from the coca plant, is an illegal stimulant drug that can be snorted, injected or smoked. The faster the drug is absorbed into the blood stream, the more intense the high. People become addicted to cocaine due to a psychological dependence on the feelings the drug produces. Those...

How Cocaine Affects Sleep

Cocaine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant. It targets cells in the brain that regulate mood, pleasure and wellbeing, and it affects these cells quite strongly. Someone who uses cocaine may feel euphoric, energetic and alert while under the influence, but this drug can also decrease the need for food...

Hormonal Balance and Cocaine Use

A wide range of physiological and psychological functions are controlled by the brain through a system of chemical signals and responses in the endocrine system. Many of the chemicals the body uses to send these signals are naturally occurring hormones. These hormones are responsible for a variety of...

Hepatitis and Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine abuse comes with a heavy price: many cocaine addicts face consequences in their relationships, finances, mental wellbeing and physical health. Among the many risks of cocaine abuse is the possibility of contracting or developing hepatitis. Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and it can be caused...

Cocaine Use in Rural Areas

Extracted from the leaves of the coca plant, cocaine is considered the most potent stimulant from a natural source. Cocaine stimulates the brain and is one of the most powerfully addictive drugs. The primary methods of using cocaine are: Snorting – Inhaling cocaine through the mucous membranes of the...

Cocaine Dependence after Surgery

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that increases levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical associated with pleasure. Cocaine prevents dopamine from being absorbed in the brain, leaving excesses in the brain and causing a sense of euphoria. What is not commonly known is that the professional...

Can Cocaine Affect My Memory?

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that increases the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical associated with pleasure. Cocaine prevents dopamine from being absorbed in the brain, leaving excesses in the brain, causing a sense of euphoria. Like all drugs, cocaine often carries physical and...

How Education Can Prevent Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction damages every aspect of a user’s life, because it can cause any of the following problems: Physiological and functional changes in the brain Physical changes particularly due to diminished nutrition, improper sleep and limited exercise Altering or destroying family dynamics Social...

Effects of Cocaine Abuse on the Immune System

In addition to the well-known risks associated with cocaine use, namely hypertension, heart attacks, brain damage, septum damage, sleeplessness, and an increased likelihood of abusing other drugs and alcohol, scientists have noticed that the drug has several negative repercussions on the immune system of...

Can My Brain Heal after Cocaine Use?

Cocaine use has a tremendous effect on the human body, and according to the U.S. government’s 2010 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report, it is the most common illicit substance found in drug-related emergency room visits. With advanced imaging equipment, researchers can see the following physical...

Why Won’t My Son or Daughter Stop Using Cocaine on Their Own?

Cocaine can cause an almost immediate high upon use. This high can last from thirty minutes to two hours, depending on the dosage and the user’s tolerance to the drug. Because of this, users are often trying to chase the high by increasing their doses, mixing drugs or engaging in other dangerous...

What’s the Average Length of Stay in Cocaine Addiction Treatment?

There are many steps for addiction treatment. You first start with detox, then in inpatient treatment you learn why you use drugs and then you engage in aftercare. During these three stages you investigate what triggers your use and how to avoid relapse. The length of rehab varies according to each...

Stigmas Related to Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction changes people for the worse and affects everyone around the users. This means that other people can easily make snap judgments about the causes of cocaine abuse without considering the addict’s personal story. By doing this, stigmas can form and spread to people all over the country....