Cocaine
is a powerfully addictive stimulant that directly affects the brain. The
pure chemical, cocaine hydrochloride, has been an abused substance for more than
100 years, and coca leaves, the source of cocaine, have been ingested for
thousands of years.
Cocaine
is generally sold on the street as a fine, white, crystalline powder, known as
"coke," "C," "snow," "flake," or
"blow." Street dealers generally dilute it with such inert substances
as cornstarch, talcum powder, and/or sugar, or with such active drugs as
procaine (a chemically-related local anesthetic) or with such other stimulants
as amphetamines.
Cocaine
can be snorted through the nose, smoked, or injected. Injecting cocaine--or
injecting any drug--carries the added risk of infection with HIV, the virus that
causes AIDS, if the user shares a needle with a person already infected with the
virus. The drug can also be rubbed onto mucous tissues. Some users combine
cocaine powder or crack with heroin in a
"speedball."
"Freebase"
is a form of cocaine that is smoked and is extremely dangerous. It appears that
compulsive cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked
rather than snorted.
cocaine reaches the brain within seconds, resulting in a sudden and intense
high. However, the euphoria quickly disappears, leaving the user with an
enormous craving to freebase again and again. The user usually increases the
dose and the frequency to satisfy this craving, resulting in addiction and
physical debilitation.
 Crack
is the street name given to one form of freebase cocaine that comes in the form
of small lumps or shavings. The term "crack" refers to the crackling
sound made when the mixture is smoked (heated).
Smoking
crack is very dangerous since it produces the same debilitating effects as
freebasing cocaine. Crack has become a major problem in many American cities
because it is inexpensive--selling for between $5 and $10 for one or two
doses--and easily transportable--sold in small vials, folding paper, or tinfoil.
Cocaine's
effects appear almost immediately after a single dose, and disappear within a
few minutes or hours. Taken in small amounts (up to 100 mg), cocaine usually
makes the user feel euphoric, energetic, talkative, and mentally alert,
especially to the sensations of sight, sound, and touch. It can also temporarily
decrease the need for food and sleep. Some users find that the drug helps them
to perform simple physical and intellectual tasks more quickly, while others can
experience the opposite effect.
Users
often report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety,
and cocaine can trigger paranoia. Users also report being depressed when they
are not using the drug and often resume use to alleviate further depression.
In addition, cocaine users frequently find that they need more and more cocaine
more often to generate the same level of stimulation. Therefore, any use can
lead to addiction.
|
Short-Term
Effects of Cocaine
|
Long-Term
Effects of Cocaine |
|
Increased
energy
Decreased appetite
Mental alertness
Increased heart rate
Increased blood
pressure
Constricted blood vessels
Increased temperature
Dilated pupils
|
Addiction
Irritability
Mood
disturbances
Restlessness
Paranoia
Auditory hallucinations |
Once
having tried cocaine, an individual may have difficulty predicting or
controlling the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug.
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.
|
Medical
Consequences of Cocaine Abuse
|
|
Cardiovascular
effects
Respiratory
effects
-
chest
pain
-
respiratory
failure
Neurological
effects
-
strokes
-
seizures
and headaches
Gastrointestinal
complications
|
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 can lead to a chronically inflamed, runny nose.
Ingested
cocaine can cause severe bowel gangrene, due to reduced blood flow.
Persons
who inject cocaine have puncture marks and "tracks," most commonly in
their forearms. Intravenous cocaine users may also experience an allergic
reaction, either to the drug, or to some additive in street cocaine, which can
result, in severe cases, in death.
Because
cocaine has a tendency to decrease food intake, many chronic cocaine users lose
their appetites and can experience significant weight loss and malnourishment.
Researchers
have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol
and manufactures a third substance, cocaethylene, that intensifies cocaine's
euphoric effects. The mixture of cocaine and alcohol is the most common two-drug
combination that results in drug-related death.
In order to give yourself the best chance to "quit the pipe" or snorting cocaine both self help and professional help are recommended. In the meantime, we suggest that you, your spouse or your family member participate in the "Overcomers Outreach" Christian addiction recovery support group.
In association with "Overcomers Outreach" The Good Shepherd Restoration Ministries has established a Christian, addiction recovery support group to help those that are compulsive Gamblers. "Overcomers Outreach" program model is very similar to "Twelve Step" programs such as "A.A." and "Narcotics Annonymous." Distinctively, "Overcomers Outreach" encourages its participants to confront their issues in light of their Christian faith.
Traditional "Twelve-Step" groups discipline themselves to remain neutral of any religious beliefs or doctrine, and they refrain from communicating any religious references during their meetings. In contrast, Overcomers Outreach acknowledges Jesus Christ as their only source of strength and that He is the "highest power." Overcomers Outreach also reaffirms that He is the source of all serenity. The group also recognizes that it is in His power and His strength only that the addict is able to make his/her journey down the road of recovery "one day at a time" and maintain a state of sustained sobriety.
The success of Overcomers Outreach is greatly attributed to the servant's heart and the qualifications of the group facilitator. Every group facilitator is a committed Christian who has gone through the recovery process and are advanced students of the Bible. In the group setting the facilitator identifies prescribed scriptures in the Bible, which reinforce the principle of the featured step for that group session. Subsequently, the participants share their feelings in relation to their current issues in light of what they have learned from the scriptures.
This group model fosters an exchange of views between participants and allows them to view their situation with a fresh perspective, in a sense, allowing them to step out of their situation and examine it with some objectivity. Moreover, this interaction fosters spiritual growth among the participants resulting in their desire to take responsibility for their life choices. As the participants broaden their understanding of addictive behaviors and their consequences, hopefully, they'll come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
The Good Shepherd Restoration Ministries has compiled a national database of churches, ministries, and community organizations that provide "Overcomers Outreach" support group meetings or similar support group meetings in various communities across the country.
If you or someone you know need the assistance of a support group in order to overcome substance abuse, compulsive gambling or any other addictive behavior, please email us, and we'll assist you in identifying a Christian, support group similar to "Overcomers Outreach" in your community.
|
Home
