Cocaine Addiction and Effects Cocaine May Not

Cocaine Addiction and Effects

Cocaine may not be a problem in itself but its overdose and consistent abuse leads to numerous behavioral and psychological changes, which are often undesirable. Cocaine alters chemical processes in the brain giving the person an illusion of happiness and well-being. This is dangerous since a person needs to maintain a proper perspective on things in his life but cocaine can hide the pain, keeping the person in a state of elation. However this effect doesn't last very long and there comes a stage when cocaine stops producing this effect on brain but by then it is impossible to quit since one becomes addicted to it. National Institute on Drug Abuse states:

"As cocaine abuse continues, tolerance often develops. This means that higher doses and more frequent use of cocaine are required for the brain to register the same level of pleasure experienced during initial use. Recent studies have shown that, during periods of abstinence from cocaine use, the memory of the euphoria associated with cocaine use, or mere exposure to cues associated with drug use, can trigger tremendous craving ... "

In short, while it may relax people and help them unwind due to its psychoactive properties. People may experience initial elation that results in mental alertness and more outgoing behavior but as the use continues, the same effects turn into irritability, restlessness and even psychosis. A drug addict may find cocaine less of a stimulant and more of a necessity. There is no way one can control the usage since the drug is addictive and people cannot predict when they will quit using it. Cocaine addiction often makes people do strange things which are uncharacteristic of them. Prolonged abuse of cocaine can result in hallucinations. "Use of cocaine in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, leads to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. This may result in a full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations." (Cocaine abuse and addiction)