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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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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Dangers of Using Crystal Meth: 10 Facts and Statistics

1) Crystal methamphetamine, otherwise known as "Crystal Meth" is an odorless, colorless form of d-methamphetamine. It is a crystallized version of methamphetamine and is considered much more pure than powdered form of the drug.

2) Crystal Meth is considered to be longer lasting than methamphetamine. It can be smoked using a glass pipe similar to crack cocaine or can be injected intravenously.

3) Those who use Crystal Meth experience a high that can last 12 hours or more, longer than any other drug. For comparison, the longest a high from cocaine will last is 30 minutes.

4) Approximately five percent of the nation's high school seniors have reported using meth at some point in their lifetime, with three percent reporting they've used the drug within the last year. This compared to two percent who have used Heroin and six percent who have tried Cocaine.

5) Crystal meth is an illegal drug classified as "Schedule II" which means it is in the same category as Cocaine and PHP. These drugs have no medicinal use and a high potential for abuse.

6) Crystal meth goes by many nicknames including Crank, Speed, Chalk, Blade, Cristy, Crystal Glass, Hot Ice, L.A. Ice, L.A. Glass, Quartz, Tina, Shards, and Super Ice.

7) Crystal meth is considered one of the most devastating illegal drugs because of its physically devastating effects on the human body, which include developing chicken-pox like markings on the face from users spending hours at the mirror picking at themselves.

8) Meth is a very dangerous drug not only because of its physical effects on the body but because of the process of making the drug. The ingredients used to make this drug are highly explosive and can seriously harm, even kill people not only in the home but in nearby homes and buildings. This is why law enforcement remains so committed to busting "meth labs," as they're called.

9) Users have a very low quality of life and cannot typically keep jobs because of the lengthy duration of their highs, their violent, erratic behavior, and their incessant desire to find the drug to get their fix. Because of this, you should seek professional help when staging an intervention with a crystal meth user. Intervening without professional help can be very dangerous as users can seriously harm themselves and other people.

10) Meth labs are most commonly found in rural areas throughout the United States, particularly the Midwest.

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

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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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