The Effect Cocaine Has on Your Health

Chronic use of cocaine has a very stark effect on the human body. It can catalyse complications with the major organs – such as the brain and the heart – as well as other types of organ injury. It can potentially impact our psychological health, leading to significant changes in how we behave. Over time, cocaine has the power to make structural changes to our brains. The effects of this can be very wide-ranging.

Cocaine abuse is one of the riskiest types of substance use. Whilst all kinds of drug use come with complications, cocaine’s influence can be especially insidious. Longitudinal studies on cocaine use have painted a clearer picture of the third type of drug addiction. This allows us to understand the genuine consequences of this popular stimulant drug.

Cocaine and addiction

How are addictions developed?

When we take cocaine, it stimulates certain receptors in our brains. These receptors are linked to important neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. One of the ways that addiction builds is through the rewiring of the reward circuits in the brain. By taking cocaine repeatedly, we begin to build specific connections. These connections are described as a dopaminergic reward pathway. Essentially, over time, our brain links cocaine with pleasure. This stimulates the dopamine in our brains and reinforces repeat use.

Maintaining addiction

As time passes and we use cocaine more, it is common to need more of the substance to stimulate the same pleasure response. This leads to an escalation of use. With increased use comes increased stimulation of the reward systems. This stimulation leads to dependency on cocaine. It can also lead us to struggle to feel pleasure in other areas of our lives. We may find that previously enjoyable and rewarding activities no longer make us feel good. This is because cocaine use has altered our reward systems. This adds another motivating factor for returning to cocaine.

Stopping cocaine use can lead to withdrawal-like symptoms. This is because your body becomes so used to the presence of cocaine that it can struggle to function without it. A detox phase happens when your body adjusts to this change.

Cocaine and the body

Cocaine is a toxic substance. This means that a high enough dose of cocaine can lead to death. In 2023, deaths linked to cocaine were 10 times higher than those recorded in 2013. Government spokespeople have described such deaths as being ‘tragically at record highs.’

Some of these deaths are linked to acute drug poisoning – a cocaine overdose. Others are linked to slower, chronic cocaine-related conditions that have developed over time. In both cases, it is evident that cocaine carries massive risk to health.

Cardiovascular complications

Perhaps the biggest risk comes from cardiovascular complications. Disruption to our heart health can lead to significant cardiac events such as a heart attack. It is also possible to experience seizures and strokes following heavy cocaine use. All of these are serious, life-threatening health events. They can lead to loss of life or significant disability.

For a lot of people, heart-related symptoms can build overtime. Symptoms of cardiovascular issues include:

• Hypertension
• Irregular heartbeat
• Increased heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• High temperature

Effectively, cocaine puts a very big strain on our hearts. This can threaten the integrity of our cardiovascular health and risk our lives. Cardiovascular complications are, therefore, notorious for their devastating effects.

Organ damage

Cocaine influences more than just our hearts. Most of our body is exposed to any drugs we use. This can lead to impaired function of one or more major organs, such as:

• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Gastrointestinal damage
• Respiratory issues

In acute cases, this can lead to discomfort and long-term symptoms that need to be managed through medical treatment. In particularly serious cases this can lead to organ failure. In some instances, this may necessitate invasive surgery.

 

Cocaine and the mind

Cocaine can alter the ways we think (our cognition) as well as our mental health. This means that its effects on the brain are especially invasive.

Cognitive changes

Scanning and imaging technology have identified that over time, cocaine use leads to a reduction in the brain’s grey matter. The grey matter is linked with essential functions such as processing, emotion and memory. Reduced grey matter is therefore linked to potential shifts in cognitive abilities in specific areas of life.

Cocaine also interacts with several key structures in the brain, such as:

• The limbic system
• The ventral tegmental area
• The nucleus accumbens
• The amygdala
• The hippocampus

Changes in these areas can lead to a range of complications, such as:

• Issues with impulsivity
• Memory problems
• Concentration issues
• Emotional regulation difficulties
• Aggression

This can change our functional capacity on a cognitive level. It can also act to even ‘change’ our personality in some ways.

Mental health

Cocaine use disorder is linked with the onset of a handful of psychiatric symptoms. These include:

• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Depression
• Paranoia
• Suicidal thoughts
• Psychosis

Cocaine-induced psychosis is especially difficult to deal with. When this happens, individuals can experience hallucinations and pervasive delusions. This can lead to a ‘loss of touch with reality,’ that can be very difficult to live with. These symptoms are described as being quite similar to those experienced in paranoid schizophrenia. For some people, these symptoms are very short-lived. For others, they can be present for longer.

Cocaine induced mental health problems can increase the risk of longer-term distress. This suggests that the likelihood of a crisis can be higher. A crisis could look like:

• A very deep bout of depression
• Intense paranoia
• Prolonged periods of psychosis
• Experiencing flashbacks
• Self-harm
• Social withdrawal
• Disturbed sleep
• Being ‘at risk of harm to self or others’
• Suicidal ideation and behaviour

Making healthier lifestyle choices

The aftereffects of heavy cocaine use can be gruelling. No one deserves to experience these difficulties alone, regardless of their history. The biggest step towards recovery is accepting the need for positive change.

Some small ways you can initiate change include:

• Speaking to your GP
• Speaking to a loved one
• Contacting an addiction specialist
• Attending a support group
• Contacting a mental health charity
• Implementing positive routine
• Writing a list of reasons for going clean
• Identifying what has led you to use in the past
• Identify your stress warning signs
• Have a key contact for times of need
• Design a relapse prevention plan
• Make positive choices around sleep and nutrition
• Practice mindfulness

Taking the steps towards support shows great strength and resilience. Whilst cocaine is a powerful substance, it does not need to control you forever. With the appropriate help in place, relying on cocaine can become a thing of the past.

Get help for cocaine addiction

If you are concerned that your cocaine use is spiralling out of control, then it may be time to access support. From outpatient programmes to supported detoxes and residential care, rehab for drug addiction comes in all forms. At UKAT, there is an appropriate route to recovery for everyone. Contact us today to seek judgment-free, specialist advice from a member of our admissions team.