Cocaine is a stimulant extracted from the coca plant. Native to the Andean region of South America, the leaves of the coca plant can be chewed to create a mild stimulating effect and have been used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. In the late nineteenth century, cocaine was isolated by scientists and purified, its stimulating effects were used in medicines and tonics in the United States until it was banned in the early twentieth century.

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that may cause a person to feel alert, powerful, energetic, confident, and excited. Like other stimulants, it binds to the dopamine transporter, often called the “reward center” of the brain, giving the user a feeling of euphoria. The more a person uses cocaine, the more the body comes to associate cocaine with pleasure, and that’s how addiction starts.

There are a variety of ways to use cocaine. It can be snorted, rubbed onto the gums, dissolved in liquid and injected straight into the bloodstream, or smoked. Some methods produce effects more quickly than others, and the faster it is absorbed, the more intense the high will be. Cocaine typically comes in either a fine white power or in white rocks. In the latter case, it’s called crack cocaine.

Cocaine is an illegal drug, which means that any usage of the substance is considered abuse. Signs of cocaine addiction can include:

• Decreased need for food and sleep
• Increased excitability, talkativeness, and confidence
• Runny nose, nosebleeds, and frequent sniffing
• Extreme weight loss
• Engaging in risky behaviors
• Lack of hygiene
• Dilated pupils
• Losing interest in things that once brought joy
• Financial difficulties
• Disregard for obligations to family, friends, and employer
• Stealing from loved ones
• Increased need for privacy

Although the immediate effects of cocaine don’t last very long, frequent and heavy cocaine use can begin to negatively impact a person’s daily life. If you notice that you or a loved one are exhibiting these symptoms, it may be time to seek help for substance abuse.

Cocaine use creates a short high that leaves the user craving more. Some of the unpleasant short-term effects of cocaine use include:

• Loss of appetite
• Increased heart rate and body temperature
• Dilated pupils
• Nausea
• Hyperstimulation
• Violent behavior
• Anxiety and depression
• Convulsions
• Hallucinations, panic, and psychosis
• An intense craving for more cocaine

The long-term effects of cocaine can have a severe and permanent impact on a person’s health. These effects include:

• Brain and heart damage
• High blood pressure
• Auditory and visual hallucinations
• Malnutrition and weight loss
• Severe tooth decay
• Intense anxiety and depression
• Psychosis
• Emotional problems
• Organ failure
• Impotence

Depending on the method of use, cocaine can also cause damage to the tissues of the nose (if sniffed), lungs (if smoked), and mouth (if used on gums), as well as infections and sores (if injected). Regular cocaine usage will cause a user to develop a tolerance, needing even more frequent use and larger doses of cocaine to achieve the same effects as before. This makes overdose a dangerous possibility, and can result in coma or death.

As the body becomes used to the presence of abused substances, taking those substances away will cause the body to have to adjust. This can lead to a series of uncomfortable and even dangerous psychological and physiological withdrawal symptoms, including:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Slowed thinking and activity
• Restlessness and exhaustion
• Shaking
• Depression and anxiety
• Nightmares
• Muscle aches and nerve pain
• Confusion and disorientation
• Sensitive to touch, sound, light
• Intense craving for cocaine
• Suicidal thoughts and actions
• Coma and death

The length and severity of these symptoms will depend on how long a person has been abusing cocaine, how much they were using, and the method of abuse. Since withdrawal symptoms can manifest differently for every user, trying to stop using on your own can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening. If you are trying to detox from cocaine, seeking help from a team of trained addiction specialists can help you manage the side effects of withdrawal safely.