Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug known for the negative impact it can have on the body, especially on the central nervous system.
Those struggling with cocaine abuse should seek a team of professionals that specialize in treating stimulant addiction.
Available in many forms, cocaine can be injected, snorted, rubbed into the gums, or smoked. As a stimulant, it increases alertness and energy so users tend to be hyperactive and aggressive while high. This illegal street drug is often cut with additional substances like fentanyl so dealers can make more profit with less product. This can prove particularly dangerous as these additional substances can worsen symptoms and increase the potential for abuse and overdose.
Our Massachusetts drug treatment center examines how cocaine affects the nervous system.
Understanding cocaine use disorder is the first step — our drug and alcohol rehab in Cathedral City, CA offers cocaine addiction treatment to help individuals begin their recovery journey.
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Our admissions coordinators are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have as you consider whether treatment at Banyan is right for you or your loved one.
What Is the Central Nervous System?
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Combined, the brain and spinal cord control bodily functions like alertness, movement, memory, thoughts, speech, and learning. The spinal cord is also responsible for certain reflexes and movements without direction from the brain.
If the nervous system is compromised, a person may experience:
- Numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Paralysis
- Severe headaches
- Confusion
- Inability to think clearly
- Loss of consciousness
- Vision problems
- Trouble talking
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Inability to walk or stand
In more extreme cases, damage to the central nervous system can cause serious health concerns such as seizures, which are related to brain function. Introducing cocaine into the nervous system can increase the individual’s chances of seizures or other severe issues.
Cocaine addiction is dangerous and can be life-threatening. People with this substance abuse disorder often require substance-specific treatment in order to fully recover. At Banyan Massachusetts, we offer a cocaine addiction program that targets the specific problems associated with cocaine abuse.
At our cocaine addiction treatment facility in Gilman, IL, individuals dealing with cocaine dependence have access to medically supervised detox and a multidisciplinary team of treatment professionals.
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What Effect Does Cocaine Have on the Nervous System?
How cocaine affects the nervous system is largely related to neurotransmitter production. When cocaine is ingested, it increases the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of euphoria and pleasure. This feeling is what draws people into a cycle of substance abuse. Cocaine disrupts the body’s natural dopamine production, flooding the brain cells. The brain’s reward system is then activated, which can lead a person to seek more cocaine in order to feel that euphoria and pleasure again. As a person’s tolerance grows, larger doses are required to achieve the same high, therefore increasing the risk of overdosing.
Different parts of the central nervous system – such as the limbic system, cerebral cortex, and brain stem – are directly impacted by this increase in dopamine levels. As the addiction progresses, basic brain functions are warped and the body begins to suffer as a result.
Cocaine effects on the central nervous system include:
- Sleeping problems
- Seizures
- Breathing problems
- Change in heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Loss of smell
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Movement disorders (Parkinson’s disease)
- Loss in gray matter
- Loss in white matter
- Changes related to neurons and synapses in the brain
The effects of long-term drug use on the brain, central nervous system, and the body as a whole can be incredibly detrimental. The brain is a delicate and vital part of the body; any form of substance abuse can cause irreversible damage.
If you or someone you know needs addiction treatment addiction treatment, call Banyan Treatment Center Massachusetts at 888-280-4763 to learn how our dedicated and trained staff of professionals can help.
Sources
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (n.d.). Chapter 2—How Stimulants Affect the Brain and Behavior - NCBI - NIH.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (n.d.). Chapter 3—Medical Aspects of Stimulant Use Disorders - NCBI.
- American Academy of Family Physicians. (1997). Cocaine and Psychiatric Symptoms - PMC - NIH.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2016). Furanyl-Fentanyl Overdose Events Caused by Smoking Furanyl-Fentanyl-Laced Crack Cocaine — Fayette County, Indiana, September 2015.
- StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. (2023). Anatomy, Central Nervous System - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - NIH.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (n.d.). Basic Mechanisms Underlying Seizures and Epilepsy.
- Epilepsia. (1996). Relation of cocaine use to seizures and epilepsy.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (n.d.). Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Cocaine - NIDA - NIH.
- National Institutes of Health / PMC. (n.d.). The Neurobiology of Cocaine Addiction.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (n.d.). Cocaine | National Institute on Drug Abuse - NIDA.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (n.d.). Cocaine (Research Report Series).
