Cocaine - Facts About a Highly Addictive Drug, Life Threatening Side Effects and Recovery Challenges

Cocaine comes from the coca plant and has been used by the natives of South America for over a thousand years. This plant, erythroxylon coca, is common to many parts of South America. Cocaine use is common in much of the world and has been for centuries. Coca leaves were used by native populations to alleviate the rigors of high altitude and to diminish fatigue (1).

Cocaine causes addiction or dependency in the brain in a dramatic fashion. This drug increases several neurotransmitters in the pleasure center of the brain. The most important of these neurotransmitters are norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine. Dopamine is the major neurotransmitter providing the feeling of euphoria, which centers in a part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens in the prefrontal cortex. This area is rich in dopamine receptor sites and is the main site for euphoria and pleasure. Cocaine also gives the user significant energy and flight of ideas. Pressured speech and paranoid behavior are also common. The euphoria is frequently the dominant effect and responsible for ongoing cocaine use, abuse, addiction or dependence.

"Crack cocaine" is obtained by mixing cocaine powder with baking soda. This "cocaine bicarb" got its name from the crackling sound it makes as it is smoked. Crack cocaine has a lower vaporization temperature and can be smoked easily. This explains why these "rocks" are so addicting. Approximately 25 million people in the United States use cocaine at least once in their lifetime (2).

Detox, withdrawal and cravings from cocaine are not dangerous or life threatening. Individuals go into a "crash phase" once stopping cocaine after prolonged use. This crash phase is characterized by extreme fatigue, lack of pleasure and increased appetite. The crash phase lasts for a few days to a week. These symptoms are related to decreased levels of various neurotransmitters or chemical agents in the brain that were depleted during cocaine binging. The withdrawal symptoms from cocaine use generally depend on the individual, frequency and amount of cocaine that was used. Withdrawal, detox and cravings from cocaine are usually diminished over a few weeks.

Cocaine dramatically increases blood pressure and heart rate. This can cause varied health problems: strokes, heart attacks, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias and possibly things we do not know about as yet. Cocaine, when mixed with alcohol, forms the compound cocaethylene. This is toxic to the heart muscle and may seriously damage the liver.

Cocaine can cause a multitude of psychological effects. Paranoia, hallucinations, anxiety, panic attacks, confusion and psychotic behavior are some of the possible effects. Cocaine is particularly destructive to family and social relationships. Individuals who use become addicted or dependent and may go to extremes to support their addiction. The potential legal ramifications with cocaine use, dependency or addiction are dreadfully serious. There are many individuals doing life prison sentences due to cocaine usage. Keep in mind that, in the United States, the Courts have historically taken a fervent stance against cocaine offenses.

This drug stays in the urine for about 3 - 5 days. Heavy users test positive for longer than that. Treatment or therapy for cocaine use, dependency, addiction, detox, withdrawal and cravings is wide-ranging. The majority of medications used to help with cocaine treatment/therapy provide symptomatic relief. Inpatient care is ideal for individuals strung out on cocaine; but it is, unfortunately, very costly. Probably every antidepressant known to man has been used to treat cocaine addicts with varying degrees of success.

Home treatment, including therapy for detox, withdrawal and cravings for cocaine, is an affordable option to inpatient treatment. Individuals frequently seek alternative treatment for cocaine addiction. There are herbal formulations and supplements available to help addicts. These non-addicting, natural treatments provide individuals with a confidential alternative recovery option. Herbal/supplement home treatment for cocaine addiction should be continued for at least 2 years. It can take that long to normalize the electrical and chemical changes that occurred in the brain during the course of addiction.

Cognitive and behavioral therapies are very important in recovery from cocaine addiction or dependency. Support groups are necessary, especially in early recovery. Relapse is common with cocaine addiction/dependency and the recovering addict must be aware of multiple relapse triggers. Certain people, places and things can cause immense problems for an individual in recovery from cocaine addiction/dependency.

References:
1. PinkyAgarwal, M.D. etal., Mar8, 2011. medscapereference, 9/10/11, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1174408-overview

2. Roxane Dryden-Edwards MD., 2011, WebMD Newsletter, 9/14/11, http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm

Tom Jarvis is the creator of the all-natural and non-addictive Addiction Buster® formulas and an expert in the field of addiction. He was a chemist prior to attending medical school, where he graduated with honors. He has spent over 20 years treating over 20,000 patients addicted to alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviors. Tom Jarvis is also a recovering alcoholic & drug addict.

Visit our site http://www.addictionbuster.org/ to get FREE access to our 4 Step Recovery Plan for Alcohol, Drug & Addictive Behaviors.

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A Couple Of Things Every Parent Should Know About Teenage Drug Use

Teenage drug abuse for teenagers has become ever more prevalent in the United States in the past couple of years. It is an issue that every parent has to worry about today. Fifty years ago the thought of children using drugs was almost unheard of;however, in today's day and age innocence is taken early and kids are subject to the influence of the media.

If you are reading this, you are probably a parent that is concerned about your teenagers addiction and substance abuse problems or you may be trying to find out if they are on drugs and are looking for signs that you should be aware of. In this article, I will cover all of this.

Teenage Drug Use Symptoms

Here are a couple of indicators that your child may be using drugs.

Indicators of Marijuana usage:

- Red Eyes

- Forgetfulness

- dilated pupils

- Noticeable change in motivation

Indicators of Cocaine usage:

-Nose bleeds

-Frequent mood swings

-Irritability

-Reoccurring anxiety attacks

- Rapid heartbeat

-Insomnia

- Eyes bloodshot and wide open

- Speech is faster than normal

Indicators of Heroin Usage:

- Seem to give a lost look to the consumer

- Shallow breathing

- Apathetic and lethargic behavior

- Losing interest in friends and hobbies

- Engaging in criminal activities or reckless behavior to support their habit.

-Constricted pupils

Indicators of Crystal Meth Usage:

- Euphoric State

-Paranoia

-Increased Nervousness

- Loss of Appetite

- Dry itchy skin

- Picking at skin

- Sweating without physical activity

-Increased body temperature

Indicators of Steroid Usage:

- Discoloration of urine or blood in urine

- Rapid Muscle Growth

- Bloating and Night Sweating

- Joint Pain

- Extreme appetite shift

- Yellowing of the skin

- Hair loss

- Acne breakouts on back and shoulders

-Extreme mood swings

- Aggression

-Very Irritable

Teenage Drug Use Effects

The effects of teenage drug use consist of physical, social, and phycological elements. One of the most notable physical aspects of drug use is the change of appearance. A lot of drugs cause the loss of weight. They also tend to increase irritability in a lot of people. The continuous use of drugs over a long period of time also create the increased likelihood of disease to come about. A good example of this comes from drug abusers that share needles and end up contracting HIV. Aside from the increased probability of being diagnosed with diseases created from external factors such as needles, there is also an increased probability of being diagnosed of many diseases that start within. Some of these diseases include heart disease, dementia, liver disease, and many different types of cancer.

Furthermore, a lot of teens get started with drugs due to peer pressure and the need to be cool, popular, and fit in with the rest of their friends. It is rather ironic, but once someone gets addicted to these drugs, they often find that the drug itself is the only friend they have. They isolate themselves from family and friends and spend all of their time with the drug. This is why it is crucially important for parents to talk to their children about drugs and the consequences that can result from using them.

By definition, drugs are a chemical compound that are used to alter ones state of mind. People use them to forget about their problems and to feel happy, after a while, the need to use them to feel happy is replaced by the need to feel normal. Long term phycological effects of drug use result in a complete change of personality, and sometimes result in mental breakdowns and schizophrenia.

If you are a parent that is looking for teenage drug treatment and teenage rehab centers there are many options available. You can look into detoxification, residential rehabilitation, an intensive outpatient program, or an aftercare/continuing care program.

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The Truth About a Drug Rehab Center

There are not too many people who have experience with a drug rehab center, and thus they have a pretty inaccurate picture of what is actually happening inside of one on a day to day basis.

You see, it is no surprise that Hollywood has tried to exploit the idea of a drug rehab center incorrectly, just as they have tried to exploit the premise of doing a lot of drugs and nothing going wrong.

Sure, there are exceptions in a lot of films where people die of a drug overdose, or their life trails away and fades due to the risk of drugs. But, more often than naught, audiences are treated to depictions of drug and debauchery where everything turns up okay, and the crazy individual still gets praised no matter who they hurt.

The truth of a drug addict often looks more like this: Lose your possessions, lose your friends, lose your mind. It's just that the painful attributes of addiction, if repeated over and over on screen do not sell tickets so well.

Well, what does go on then, if movies are so far off base?

To be honest, it is not the difference of what as it is the difference of how.

For instance, during the detox stage of rehab, one spends painstaking hours in sweats, feeling as if their heart is about to burst. They throw up repeatedly until there is nothing left inside themselves but hollow hunger pangs. This last for hours on end, and a movie generally shows a thirty second clip of the viscera and moves on. It is far more intense, and appears far more life threatening in real life. On top of that movies always show therapy in stages, the entertaining ones, and, again, not the hours on end that people spend awkwardly admitting what they have done and working at relationships. A lot of times in rehab, movies make it seem like everyone is instantly one big family. We are sorry to say that is just not accurate to what happens.

The truth of the matter is that addiction to drugs or alcohol is a disease and should not be seen otherwise. Sure, someone who has lived through an addiction is certain to have made their fair share of enemies, and having projected a lot of wrong doing onto others. However, if those others do not come to terms with the fact that individual was battling a demon they couldn't control and living a life they could not realize, they may miss out on the recovery of a dear friend. That is the true aim of most every drug rehab center. Not just to get someone a second chance, or to get them free of their drug, but to reacquaint them to the people who they wronged. It is to give friends and family members their loved one back. Each and every patient turned successfully out of a drug rehab center is a testament to such a cause.

Alice is a nurse for a drug rehab center with a passion for treating alcohol addiction. Visit milestonesranch.com to learn more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Tanston

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Facts About Prescription Drug Addiction

1) Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller first introduced to the market in 1995. Within just a couple of years since it first came out, it spread like wildfire and gained a reputation for being highly addictive and even deadly.

2) The drug's reported side effects include shallow breathing, slowed heartbeat, muscle weakness, dizziness, and cold, clammy skin. Some patients taking oxycontin may also experience sweating, itchy, constipation, and nausea.

3) The majority of Oxycontin-related deaths have come from individuals ingesting Oxycontin with other central nervous system suppressants like alcohol or benzodiazepines.

4) Oxycontin is designed to have a controlled release, but people who abuse it will either chew or crush the tablets, then snort them for a quick high. Users can also inject the drug intravenously with a syringe.

5) People who inject oxycodone or any other drug intravenously are at high risk for contracting Hepatitis and HIV because of sharing needles.

6) Approximately 1 million U.S. residents 12 years old and up have used Oxycontin at least once in their lifetime for non-medicinal purposes

7) People who frequently use the drug and abuse it will develop a tolerance to it, meaning they will have to consume larger quantities to get the same high as before. This is one of the tell-tale signs of dependence.

8) People that develop an addiction to Oxycontin will go around and partake in "doctor shopping," meaning they'll visit multiple doctors for the same prescription. Many of these doctors knowingly enable their patients to get ahold of these drugs without helping them.

9) In the last few years, several Florida laws have been passed designed to curtail prescription drug abuse, including busting doctors operating "pill mills," limiting the number of prescriptions that doctors can write for the drug, and limiting the number of prescriptions pharmacies can fill.

10) Chronic use of opiates like Oxycodone can interfere with the body's ability to produce hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.

11) People who are attempting to detox from opiates like Oxycodone often have to seek medical detox treatment because the physical effects of drug withdrawal can be very difficult to deal with. They can also be dangerous. If you are attempting to detox from opiates, especially substances like morphine, you should contact a medical doctor who specializes in treating addiction.

12) Think those using prescription drugs are purchasing drugs out on street corners? Think again. In a recent survey of people age 12 and older who reported using painkillers for non-medicinal purposes, the most common way of obtaining Oxycontin or Oxycodone was through a friend or relative for free.

Do you or does a loved one need Tampa Prescription Drug Abuse treatment? True Path Recovery offers Tampa Residential Drug Treatment and an outpatient treatment program.

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Facts You May Not Know About Painkiller Addiction

1) One in ten high school seniors in the United States has admitted to misusing prescription painkillers.

2) Prescription painkiller addiction costs our society an estimated $484 billion annually. This includes the cost of rehabilitation programs, lost productivity at work, and accidents caused by persons impaired by painkillers.

3) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 10 to 22 percent of car crashes involve drivers who have been using some type of drugs, both prescription and street drugs.

4) Nearly two-thirds of people in prescription drug rehabilitation programs say they were physically or sexually abused as children. Studies are finding more and more people who are suffering from painkiller addiction are actually using these drugs to numb a "different" kind of pain, that of emotional turmoil.

5) In 2006, over 10 million people 12 or older reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the past year.

6) Of the seven million-plus people ages 12 and older who reported using prescription drugs non-medically, 5.2 million of those people used pain killers.

7) Prescription drug use has been linked to over half of the major crimes committed in our country - these crimes include assault, rape, and murder.

8) Prescription pain killers, when mixed with alcohol and other depressants such as sleeping aids, can be deadly. In fact, many coroners for prescription drug fatalities report several drugs in their autopsy reports, stating that a mix of drugs magnified the effects of all the drugs.

9) While there is a certain stigma associated with street drugs, many of the people who abuse prescription drugs and develop addictions are working professionals who never intended to abuse drugs. Their addiction started out as getting a simple prescription or two written up by a doctor and progressed from there.

10) The withdrawal side effects from oxycodone and other prescription drugs can be just as debilitating as those coming off heroin or crystal meth highs. In many cases, those withdrawing from prescription painkillers actually need medical treatment to monitor their bodies rid the drug from their systems. They also need medical support to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal.

11) There are over 250 self-help recovery groups nation-wide modeled after the Alcoholics Anonymous famous "Twelve Step Program." This does not include residential drug treatment programs and medical detox programs.

12) As pain pill clinics around the country continue to get busted by law enforcement, emergency rooms around the country are receiving an influx of patients who have nothing physically wrong with them but are suffering physically from prescription painkiller addiction.

Do you or does a loved one need Tampa Prescription Drug Abuse treatment? True Path Recovery offers Tampa Residential Drug Treatment and outpatient treatment programs.

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