Cocaine Addiction - Signs and Symptoms

The cocaine is an addictive drug producing a lot of physical and mental aberration. As the addiction becomes a continuous process the mental faculty is affected to such an extent that the patient is unable to cope with the side effect of drug abuse. The cocaine addiction is a cause of concern as it takes a strong hold on the mental sphere by altering the thought, feeling and action. The mind is affected in such a way that an obsession to the drug makes the person to do illegal activities which he/ she would never have attempted otherwise. As the exhilaration after cocaine intake lasts only for 15-30 minutes the desire to maintain it for a longer span of time is so great that the addict commits criminal activities.

The drug cocaine interferes with the neurotransmitter, dopamine and serotonin to produce the symptoms like increased heart and respiratory rate. As the drug has an effect on the chemical receptors of the brain, the repeated stimulation of the nerve tracts comes out with violent symptoms which may be harmful to the body.

Some of the red line symptoms to identify the addicted person - The physical symptoms produced during the course of addiction make the person dependent on drugs. The cocaine detoxification process with the help of the licensed medical personnel must be conducted at the earliest. This procedure requires medication to counter the physical illness produced by the drug abuse. Initially there is exhibition of withdrawal symptoms, but to tide over the problem the addict should be strong willed.

-The symptoms may range from nose bleed in cocaine inhalers to severe cardiac and respiratory distress. The intake of cocaine initially produces euphoria, excitement, increased mental alertness and hallucination.

-Once the person gets addicted symptoms of nose bleed, loss of smell due to sensory nerve disintegration, rapid heart beat, chest pain, dilated pupils, stomach cramps, fever, blurred vision, vertigo, seizure, nervousness, insomnia, difficulty in thinking and concentration, loss of interest in sex, weight loss, mood swings and paranoid thoughts start exhibiting.

-The over dosage of cocaine can produce restlessness, seizure, hallucination, respiratory and cardiac failure and eventually death.

-As the patient tries to stop the drug the withdrawal symptoms like sweating, trembling, muscular aches, lack of interest and energy, depression sets in which makes the journey to freedom from the drug habit difficult.

-Cocaine users may suffer from complication due to associated disease like HIV, eczema and Hepatitis. The symptoms of this condition may complicate the nature of illness for the addict and make the treatment a tedious process.

It is difficult to break the habit of cocaine drug intake because it produces a sense of satisfaction which every individual yearns. The physical and psychological dependence prolongs the treatment for the patient.