Drug abuse is one of the burning issues of the world society in the modern times. The youth of the world is threatened by the jeopardy of drug abuse, and there has to be immediacy in action on the part of the state machineries and governments to curb the abuse of the harmful substances. Cocaine is one of the most dangerous forms of drug that has found its way to impede the future of the younger generations of the society.
Cocaine is a very powerful addictive stimulant drug that gets made from the leaves of the plant named coca. This is a native plant of South America. The drug goes on to produce a short-term euphoria, talkativeness, energy. Moreover, it has certain potentially dangerous physical effects that raise the blood pressure and heart rate of the individual who consumes the substance.
Cocaine comes in the form of a powder or crystal. This powdered form of the dug gets mixed with various substances like talcum powder, corn starch and some other drugs like procaine or amphetamines.
This drug was originally developed before to serve as a painkiller. Cocaine is consumed by sniffing as the powdered form gets absorbed into the bloodstream of the person via the nasal tissues. Apart from this, the drug can be rubbed into the gums or ingested. Apart from this, for the purpose of more rapid consumption into the body, the substance abusers also take injections, although that enhances the chances of being overdosed. Another form of consumption by abusers is by inhalation of cocaine as a vapor or smoke- something that is of lesser risk that injections.
There are many ill-effects of using the drug. Firstly, any abuser would show specific symptoms of cocaine abuse that are related to his mood. The person would feel anxious and restless. Such an abuser would have a perspective that he or she is superior to others. Moreover, there would be feelings of euphoria as well as panic. Irritation and fearfulness are other telltale signs of cocaine abuse.
The behavioral symptoms of such an abuser would include extreme talkativeness and a show of enhanced energy level. The person might indulge in borrowing or stealing money for sufficing his or her needs to obtain the drug from the peddler. Apart from showing signs of bizarre and erratic behavior, the person can become violent at times. Moreover, abandonment of actions once he or she has enjoyed is another behavioral sign of drug abuse. All of this gets supplemented by the impediment of his or her risky and reckless behavior.
While the above-mentioned ones are the mental symptoms of cocaine abuse, there are other physical symptoms that can be the telltale sign of drug abuse in this form. A person who is involved in cocaine consumption would have a diminished need for sleep. However, there would be an enhancement in the need for sleep after consumption of the drug.
Moreover, the person would face headaches and muscle twitches. An abuser of cocaine would suffer from malnutrition. Cocaine also works massively to give rise to abnormal rhythms of the heart of the abuser. Constriction of the blood vessels is also caused by the abuse of this drug. The nose of the abuser would run chronically, apart from bleeding from the nose.
Nasal perforation and hoarseness are other two common symptoms of cocaine consumption. The body temperature of the person involved would rise considerably. The appetite of the person would be hampered by the drug abuse- something that adds to the problems. The pupils of such a person would remain dilated.
Sexual dysfunction is another telltale sign of such abuse. The bowel of the human body gets afflicted by gangrene due to drug abuse of cocaine. Apart from this, the person’s risk of getting affected by hepatitis and various other blood borne pathogens gets enhanced. Cravings and tremors are also very common in such persons. The psychological symptoms of cocaine abuse involve psychosis, intense paranoia, hallucination, break from reality, rationalization of use of drug, inability to exert good judgment, lack of motivation, and so on.
On the other hand, if a person is facing withdrawal symptoms of cocaine abuse, the individual would have specific symptoms. Such a person would go into depression. He or she would also show signs of anxiety. There would be chills and body aches, apart from the shakiness and tremors. The person would feel immense pain during the withdrawal, and he or she would not be able to feel pleasure at all. Exhaustion is another symptom that is very common during withdrawals from cocaine. The person would not be able to concentrate, and there would be an intense craving for the drug.
Unfortunately, there are no such FDA-approved medicines that can be used to treat the people who are involved in cocaine abuse. However, the various behavioral treatments that have been used to treat the abusers are quite effective for soothing the abusers. Contingency management or motivational incentives are found to be effective for treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is also used to treat the patients.
The youngsters are more prone to getting addicted to cocaine. The teenagers or people in their early twenties are more prone to drug abuse of this kind. Drug abuse can be seen as a result of peer pressure or the will to explore in the youngsters. There has to be proper awareness among one and all about the negative effects of drug abuse. While cocaine can be seen to be very euphoric and useful by the abusers, they have to be conditioned to understand the cons of such abuses. Legal steps cannot be the only way to prevent drug abuse. There has to be holistic understanding of the problem that threatens the society and the citizens. Only then the problem can be countered to the utmost degree.
References
Cocaine Abuse & Addiction Signs, Effects & Symptoms. In Acadania Addication Center.
Retrieved from http://www.acadianaaddiction.com/addiction/cocaine/symptoms-signs-effects
DrugFacts: Cocaine. In National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine
What is Cocaine? In Foundation for a Drug-free World. Retrieved from
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/cocaine.html
What treatments are effective for cocaine abusers? In National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-treatments-are-effective-cocaine-abusers
