Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug. Thus, it is unlikely that an individual will be able to reliably predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to want or use the drug. And, if addiction takes hold, the risk for relapse is high even following long periods of abstinence. Recent studies have shown that during periods of abstinence, the memory of the cocaine experience or exposure to cues associated with drug use can trigger tremendous craving and relapse to drug use.
With repeated exposure to cocaine, the brain starts to adapt, and the reward pathway becomes less sensitive to natural reinforcers and to the drug itself. Tolerance may develop—this means that higher doses and/or more frequent use of cocaine is needed to register the same level of pleasure experienced during initial use. At the same time, users can also become more sensitive (sensitization) to cocaine's anxiety-producing, convulsant, and other toxic effects.
Users take cocaine in "binges," during which the cocaine is used repeatedly and at increasingly higher doses. This can lead to increased irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, and paranoia—even a full-blown psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations. With increasing dosages or frequency of use, the risk of adverse psychological or physiological effects increases.
Different routes of cocaine administration can produce different adverse effects. Regularly snorting cocaine, for example, can lead to loss of sense of smell; nosebleeds; problems with swallowing; hoarseness; and an overall irritation of the nasal septum, which could result in a chronically inflamed, runny nose. Ingested cocaine can cause severe bowel gangrene, due to reduced blood flow. Persons who inject cocaine have puncture marks called "tracks," most commonly in their forearms, and may experience allergic reactions, either to the drug or to some additive in street cocaine, which in severe cases can result in death. Many chronic cocaine users lose their appetite and experience significant weight loss and malnourishment.
SOURCE: DrugAbuse.gov
Top Searched Cocaine and Crack Abuse and Addiction Terms:
Cocaine, also called coke, nose candy, snow or toot, is a substance that is
derived from the coca plant. Crack cocaine, also called rock cocaine, refers to
cocaine when it is in solid form.
Approximately 25 million people in the U.S. use cocaine at least once in their lifetime.
Cocaine intoxication tends to cause intense euphoria and pleasure, highly
intensifying every pleasure. Then the person tends to become hyperactive and
excessively alert.
Once the high associated with cocaine wears off, the individual often
becomes agitated, irritable, and uncomfortable.
Cocaine intoxication tends to dramatically increase the release of the
neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
Cocaine abuse and addiction have no single cause but are rather the result
of a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.
Withdrawal symptoms and signs for cocaine include irritability, suppressed
appetite, problems with sleep, and craving the substance.
Symptoms of cocaine abuse include recurrent use of the drug that results in
legal problems, occurs in potentially dangerous situations, interferes with
important obligations, or results in social or relationship problems.
Symptoms of cocaine dependence include tolerance, withdrawal, using a lot
of the drug or for a long period of time, a persistent desire to use it,
unsuccessful efforts to stop using cocaine, neglecting other aspects of life
because of the drug use, and spending inordinate amounts of time or energy
getting, using, or recovering from the effects of the substance.
Individuals who are addicted to cocaine are at increased risk for risky
sexual behaviors and their consequences, as well as increased risk of suicide,
homicide, domestic violence, other forms of violence.
Medical risks of cocaine abuse, particularly when in crack form, include
tearing of the major artery in the body (aortic dissection) or stroke associated
with extremely high blood pressure. It is also a risk factor for heart attack.
For children exposed to cocaine prenatally, the problems it can cause have
been found as early as infancy.
Since there is no one test that definitively indicates that someone has
cocaine abuse or addiction, health-care practitioners diagnose these disorders
by gathering comprehensive medical, family, and mental-health information, as
well as securing a physical examination and lab tests to assess the sufferer's
medical state.
Treatment services for cocaine abuse and addiction remain largely
unutilized by most sufferers of these conditions.
The primary goals of recovery are abstinence, relapse prevention, and
rehabilitation.
During the initial stage of abstinence, an individual who suffers from
cocaine or other chemical dependency may need detoxification to help avoid or
lessen the effects of withdrawal.
Often, much more challenging and time consuming than recovery from the
physical aspects of cocaine addiction is psychological addiction.
The treatment of dual diagnosis seems to be more effective when treatment
of the individual's mental illness is integrated with the treatment of the
individual's chemical dependency.
Recovery from cocaine abuse is usually characterized by episodes of
remission and relapse.
What is cocaine? What is crack?
Cocaine, also called coke, nose candy, snow, or toot, is a substance that is
derived from the coca plant. When mixed and heated with ether, a highly
flammable substance (freebase), its gas is released in its pure form, which can
be inhaled. Crack cocaine, also called rock cocaine, refers to cocaine when it
is in solid form. It is made by mixing powder cocaine with baking soda and
water, making it a highly concentrated and therefore highly addictive form of
the drug. This form of cocaine is taken in by smoking.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a repeatedly
elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg -- a systolic pressure above
140 with a diastolic pressure above 90. There are two causes of high blood pressure, primary and secondary. Primary high blood pressure is much more common that secondary and its basic causes or underlying defects are not always known. It is known that a diet high in salt increases the risk for high blood pressure, as well as high cholesterol. Genetic factors are also a primary cause. Secondary high blood pressure is generally caused by another condition such as renal hypertension, tumors, and other conditions. Treatment for high blood pressure is generally lifestyle changes and if necessary, diet.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
There are many symptoms involved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The first early pregnancy symptom is typically a missed period, but others include breast swelling and tenderness, nausea and sometimes vomiting, fatigue and bloating. Second trimester symptoms include backache, weight gain, itching, and possible stretch marks. Third trimester symptoms are additional weight gain, heartburn, hemorrhoids, swelling of the ankles, fingers, and face, breast tenderness, and trouble sleeping. Read more to learn about recommended procedures and tests for each stage of a healthy pregnancy.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Nosebleed is common in dry climates during winter months, and in hot dry climates with low humidity. Individual taking blood clotting medications, aspirin, or antiinflammatory medications may be more prone to nose bleeding. Other factors that contribute to nosebleed are trauma (including nose picking), rhinitis, and high blood pressure. Treatment depends on the severity of the condition.
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, which infects humans when it comes in contact with a break in the skin or tissues such as those that line the vagina, anal area, mouth, or eyes.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
Compulsive gambling is a disorder that affects millions in the U.S. Symptoms and signs include a preoccupation with gambling, lying to family or loved ones to hide gambling, committing crimes to finance gambling, and risking importance relationships and employment due to gambling. Treatment may incorporate participation in Gamblers' Anonymous, psychotherapy, and medications like carbamazepine, topiramate, lithium, naltrexone, antidepressants, clomipramine, and fluvoxamine.
Domestic violence, or intimate partner abuse, is when one person in an intimate relationship uses any means to control the other person. It may take many forms, including emotional, psychological, physical, sexual, or economic abuse. Risk factors for domestic violence include drug and alcohol abuse, unemployment, and having a relationship with the victim. Part of treating domestic violence involves keeping the victim safe and developing a safety plan for home and the workplace.
Ecstasy (MDMA), Rohypnol, ketamine and GHB are a few of the different types of drugs abused at bars, raves and parties. Rohypnol may produce amnesia, GHB may result in sleep, coma, or death, and ketamine can cause dreamlike states and hallucinations. Treatment of club drug addiction focuses on monitoring and managing withdrawal symptoms.
Gambling addiction is a mental-health problem that is understood to be one of
many kinds of impulse-control problems a person may suffer from. The types of
gambling that people with this disorder might engage in are as variable as the
games available. Betting on sports, buying lotto tickets, playing poker, slot
machines, or roulette are only a few of the activities in which compulsive
gamblers engage. The venue of choice for individuals with gambling addiction
varies as well. While many prefer gambling in a casino, the rate of online/Internet
gambling addiction continues to increase with increased use of the Internet. Gambling addiction is also called compulsive gambling or pathological
gambling.
Estimates of the number of people who gamble socially qualify for being
diagnosed with a gambling addiction range from 2%-5%, thereby
affecting millions of people in the United States alone. Although more men than
women ...
Mental Health RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the