COCAINE By Angelique Rodrigues WHAT IS COCAINE • Cocaine is a stimulant; it is a white powdered drug that reacts with the body's central nervous system. • It produces energy and euphoria • Cocaine is usually snorted but it can also be smoked, dissolved in water and injected. • Cocaine is a strongly addictive drug and can alter the brain structure and function if used repeatedly. • Cocaine has many different nicknames people can refer to it as many different things such as Coke, C, Snow, Powder, and Blow. NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS • When using cocaine, it causes damage to your brain even when only used a few times • When you are using cocaine, you are triggering addiction in your brain which is involving reward circuits and dopamine • There are serious long-term effects that come with using cocaine to our cardiovascular system. • This leads to many other organs being damaged including the brain • The drug can also cause seizures and even cause a seizure disorder which requires long term treatment. BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS • When people are on cocaine, they are not themselves their connections with the brain's neurons are not strong because of the drug. • Some behavioral effects that people get are very talkative and confident. • Mood swings are also very common when being on the drug • A lot of people get very anxious or paranoid • Some even get very angry • Being on any drug changes how you are so these are very common. ABUSE AND ADDICTION • Cocaine is the second most addictive drug there is a better chance if you do cocaine you will become addicted then not. • When people come down from their cocaine high, they remember the psychological changes of their emotions which triggers addiction in the brain and makes them want to do it again. • Euphoria is the state of being extremely happy or excited when high on cocaine they say that is the state of mind that you become in • This causes people to abuse the drug and become addictive because they remember that feeling and want to be in that place again. OVERALL • Cocaine has very bad short- and long-term effects • It hurts you physically and emotionally when you are on the drug • It is the second most addictive drug and causes people to lose themselves • There are strong cravings for the drug and a lot of people feel like it is a need to take it, or they can not live which is where the addiction comes in • People on the drug need help it was a choice at first but if they are addicted it does not feel like a choice anymore it becomes a necessity to them WORKS CITED • https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/cocaine/ • https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/whatcocaine • https://americanaddictioncenters.org/cocaine-treatment/effects-on-the-brain • https://luxury.rehabs.com/cocaine-addiction/
