Effects of Cocaine Abuse – What Is the Long-Term Mental Health Implications?
Effects of Cocaine Abuse
The cocaine high, also called drug-induced euphoria, is among the most well known cocaine effects among those who abuse cocaine. The high is usually the primary cause for using cocaine. For those who have a problem with it, the high can lead to dangerous side effects such as hallucinations, profuse sweating, heart palpitations, feelings of impending death, confusion, and even suicide. For those who are new to cocaine use, this is yet the most common of all cocaine effects, especially those who abuse it on a regular basis.
Cocaine has a number of different effects upon different individuals. Although many of these effects are similar to feelings associated with euphoria, there are also effects that are unrelated to pleasure and become harmful when abused. These include but are not limited to:
When you have a cocaine high you will most likely be irritable and impatient. You will also be moody and be constantly agitated. You will likely experience intense anger, possessive desires, anxiety, tremors, nausea, and even fits and attacks. If you start feeling these kinds of effects you should seek medical help from a licensed professional right away, before the situation escalates out of control.
What Is the Long-Term Mental Health Implications?
Since cocaine includes a high amount of serotonin, which is responsible for feelings of euphoria, feelings that last throughout the day, and even insomnia, you will also experience feelings of fatigue and sleepiness. One of the side effects of cocaine that is not as well known is a severe decrease in the heart rate of individuals who abuse it on a regular basis. The decrease in heart rate is associated with the heart not pumping blood efficiently which is detrimental to your health. While the decrease in heart rate is temporary, you should still seek medical attention for yourself and receive some sort of medication that can reduce your heart rate.
The short-term effects of cocaine abuse include trembling, shaking, sweating, cramps, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, headaches, irritability, depression, suicidal thoughts, and feelings of detachment from others. These are all short-term effects, however, the long-term effects of cocaine abuse can actually have a very devastating effect on a person’s long-term mental health. If a person uses cocaine on a regular basis, he or she can develop severe depression, lack of concentration and focus, loss of appetite, inability to focus at work, problems with the law, substance abuse, and even addiction to drugs or alcohol. These long-term mental health issues can be avoided if an individual stops using cocaine on a consistent basis. In addition, if you use cocaine to feel good, you will continue to feel good, which can lead to a relapse of your addiction and can lead to serious consequences in your life.
When you use cocaine, you can expect to experience the same feelings you would experience if you were inebriated. However, when you become dependent upon it, these feelings become much more intense. Cocaine usually induces feelings of euphoria or elation, as well as feelings of paranoia, anxiety, and nerves. This can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and even feelings of schizophrenia. The short-term effects of cocaine use may include feelings of anxiety or frustration, a temporary increase in sexual drive, insomnia, dizziness, headaches, irritability, anxiety, depression, and irritability. However, if a person uses cocaine on a regular basis, he or she can eventually develop serious physical effects, such as heart disease, nerve damage, stroke, dehydration, liver failure, bone deterioration, and even death.