In recent studies about brain damage from cocaine, it has shown that the blood flow within a user’s brain is impaired, when compared to a non-cocaine user’s brain. This is because tests show that cocaine causes a constriction of the blood vessels. In similar studies it was even found that when a user was merely thinking of cocaine, it altered cerebral blood flow. It has also been found that when using cocaine with other substances, such as alcohol, heroin or tobacco, the decrease in blood flow was even more noticeable and could even lead to further brain damage, hemorrhaging or even death.
Prolonged usage, or excessive use of cocaine, or can cause hallucinations and paranoid delusions. It can also cause strokes, memory loss, learning disabilities and attention deficit problems, just to name a few. Every time a person uses cocaine they suffer some degree of brain damage, and by changing the dopamine neurons through use, a tolerance is built leaving the user feeling unfulfilled. Therefore, higher levels of cocaine are needed to achieve the “high” that the user is accustomed to experiencing. This leads to even more brain damage and further increases the possibility of developing one of the many conditions associated with continued cocaine usage as already mentioned.
There are also several physical side effects that a user can expect to experience with prolonged cocaine usage. By snorting cocaine, one can expect to eventually do permanent damage to their nasal passage, called cocaine nose, which degrades the nasal cartilage until a hole is burned through to the outside of the nose. One can also experience severe lung trauma from smoking cocaine. Tooth decay and loss of enamel is also often associated with cocaine use. Naturally there is always a chance of overdose when using cocaine, which can exhibit many outcomes from debilitation to coma or even death.
When one is trying to get treatment for a cocaine addiction, there are a variety of side effects which will happen in varying degrees. The user may experience increased appetite, unpleasant dreams, insomnia, and agitation. Though it is always advised that cocaine usage be stopped immediately, these withdrawal side effects are minimal in comparison to the cocaine brain damage which the user can potentially inflict upon himself or herself with further cocaine addiction.
It’s common knowledge that the continued use of cocaine has detrimental effects on the human body. It always alters the user’s mood, can cause a variety of long term health effects, and will often ruin the users personal relationships and professional opportunities.
Brain damage from cocaine use is probably the most alarming of its negative aspects, as it can lead to devastating results and irreversible consequences.
Cocaine brain damage is a life changing and devastating side effect of drug usage. Unchecked cocaine usage will alter the way its users interact with others and their ability to lead a long and productive life. Given the fact that over 2 million Americans are cocaine addicts, extreme measures must be taken to stop the harm that cocaine continues to inflict.
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