Cocaine or Crack – The Long-Term Effects
Research into the use of cocaine or crack and its effects on the body show that symptoms seen in those with long term use and can also be seen in first time users including heart attacks and even death.
What the body with a cocaine or crack addition experiences
The body of someone using cocaine or crack who has developed an addiction may experience physical problems that may include severe loss of appetite and weight loss, nausea, headaches, abdominal pain, neglect of other bodily needs and personal hygiene, mood swings and psychotic behaviours, cardiac problems, collapse of the nasal septum (in the case of repeated snorting of cocaine) and a constantly runny nose.
As the highs are lasting only 15-30 minutes up to an hour, the user takes more and more and can easily overdose. The overdose can cause heart attack or seizures, brain hemorrhage due to increased blood pressure, dangerous rise in body temperature, renal failure, delirium, convulsions and death.
Alarmingly, many of these things can occur even after just one use of the drug – cocaine induced heart attack or full respiratory failure can occur in a first time user or an addict with an established tolerance.
With excessive or prolonged use, the drug can cause itching, tachycardia (a heart rate that exceeds the normal range for a resting heart rate that be dangerous depending on the speed and type of rhythm) , hallucinations, and paranoid delusions. Overdoses cause tachyarrhythmias (cardiac dysrhythmia – also known as arrhythmia which is abnormal electrical activity in the heart) and a marked elevation of blood pressure, which can be life-threatening.
The physical cocaine or crack life-changing effects from least to worst
When people experiment with cocaine or use it recreationally or socially, they probably do not expect to be nailed by its highly addictive nature. Anyone who samples cocaine is at risk of becoming addicted. Once addicted, long term use of cocaine will lead to a variety of life-changing effects, of which we have listed the worst.
- Dependence and Addiction
- Serious Health Problems Based on Method of Ingestion
- Snorting: Persistent runny nose, decreased sense of smell, frequent nosebleeds, swallowing difficulty, chronic hoarseness, and nasal perforation.
- Ingesting: Ulcers, ongoing nausea, reduced blood flow to the intestines causing severe bowel gangrene, and chronic abdominal pain.
- Injecting: HIV, Hepatitis, other blood-borne diseases, and severe allergic reactions.
- Heart Attack, Stroke, or Respiratory Failure
- Psychological Malfunction
- Seizures. Cocaine alters the brain's ability to function normally. Seizures and convulsions are not uncommon as a result of cocaine abuse.
- Severe Paranoia. Full-scale paranoid psychosis may occur when a person loses touch with reality from long-term cocaine abuse. Auditory hallucinations may occur; along with bizarre or violent behavior.
- Personality Changes. Lying, cheating, and stealing may develop in order to cover up and/or maintain the cocaine habit. Relationships may fall apart as cocaine dependency accelerates. Extreme criminal acts may occur such as murder, robbery, or extortion.
- Insanity or Death
After the first time use of cocaine, it takes more and more of the drug to impart the same euphoric and stimulatory effects. And because the brain perceives cocaine as being highly pleasurable, it causes cravings for more. Thus, addiction occurs, and the person is caught in a vicious cycle of cocaine abuse, increasing tolerance, and a never-ending desire to repeat the first-time exhilarating experience.
Even first-time cocaine users can have cardiovascular and/or respiratory failure. Cocaine causes blood vessels to constrict, heart rate to increase or become arrhythmic, and breathing to become rapid and shallow; all of which can contribute to a heart attack, stroke, or lung failure. Repeated use increases the risk.
As tolerance for the drug increases, cocaine addicts need more and more of the drug to mimic the feeling of their first high. The problem is that the first experience can never be repeated. Therefore, more cocaine more often means more risk of catastrophic side effects. Without treatment, a cocaine addict is at constant risk of psychological and physiological damage resulting in insanity or death.
Narconon can provide answers and help now!
Narconon is a non-profit organization that provides drug information, education about the effects of drugs and effective drug rehabilitation programs for those already in the grip of addiction. The drug rehabilitation program provides a drug free withdrawal and gives the tools to live a successful drug-free life.
The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez and it is based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. In the early 1960’s, Mr. Hubbard was one of the first to see the long-term consequences of the accelerating drug culture.
"One has the choice of being dead with drugs or being alive without them. Drugs rob life of the sensations and joys which are the only reason for living anyhow," said L. Ron Hubbard
The Narconon program is a treatment method consisting of 8 phases of treatment that when combined achieve full physical detoxification, self-realized root causes of the individual’s addiction, and a reformed ability to identify and solve problems and change unwanted conditions for the bettering of his/her life. This unique program addresses as well the three main causes of relapse after treatment: physical cravings, lingering depression and/or guilt from past misconduct connected to drug or alcohol addiction.
Even long-term addicts are brought through the standard steps of the program to the same result; a drug free life. It is just a matter of helping the crack addict to arrive at a Narconon rehabilitation center. Narconon intervention staff can assist with that process as well.
If you or someone you know is struggling with crack or cocaine addiction, the sooner they get help the better. Contact Narconon East U.S. at 877-237-3307 and any questions you have in the matter can be addressed in confidence.
Call today 877-237-3307.