Of all the illegal drugs in our country, perhaps none is as well-known for its addiction and harmful effects on the user’s life as cocaine. According to a 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 35.3 million Americans aged 12 and older reported having used cocaine, and 8.5 million reported having used crack cocaine. There were an estimated 977,000 new users of cocaine in 2006—most were 18 or older when they first used cocaine. (1)

Cocaine addiction

Cocaine is a derivative of the leaves of the coca plant, which is either snorted, dissolved in water and injected, or smoked. While under the influence of cocaine, the user develops a “high”, which increases mental alertness and reduces fatigue. This high only lasts for a short time, and after as little as 5-15 minutes, the user may feel the need to administer the drug again in order to maintain the high feeling. In fact, this is one reason why cocaine is so addictive – the user is constantly trying to maintain that great feeling of euphoria.

Cocaine causes a high by increasing the level of dopamine in the brain, which in humans signals something pleasurable. In healthy people this signal is shut off after a short time, but in cocaine addicts, the dopamine is kept from being recycled and large amounts of it build up in the brain, causing the high. Tolerance to the high of dopamine is likely to occur, and more cocaine is needed to feel the good feeling. After a short time, the user is addicted and may need cocaine detox.

Cocaine’s Effects

Cocaine has many detrimental effects on the body, including headache, nausea, increased heart rate and blood pressure, decreased appetite, and problems with nosebleeds or with swallowing. Cocaine addicts are more likely to be irritable without their high, and suffer from anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations. Other serious risks are heart attack, stroke, respiratory arrest, and seizure.

Predisposition to addiction

A study done by Hans Breiter and his colleagues from Massachusetts General Hospital (2) found that in cocaine addicts, the area of the brain that deals with decision making and preference is actually altered with cocaine use. The thinning that occurs in this region of the brain may explain why cocaine users become so addicted; their brain no longer cares about things other than the drug, and they aren’t able to make coherent decisions to stay away from the drug.

This study also found, however, that in drug abusers the overall thickness in the brain is more uniform than in non-drug users. Because this symmetry of thickness does not seem to be a result of drug use, researchers are beginning to think that some people have a predisposition to drug use.

Whatever the cause of addiction to cocaine, it is a disease. If you or someone you know is addicted to cocaine, it is important to get help right away. The risks of using cocaine make it a very unsafe drug, and many people have died suddenly from its effects. Find a drug treatment center to help deal with the addiction.

Sources
(1) Cocaine: Abuse With Alcohol Increases Deadliness 9/22/2008

(2) Thinner Cortex In Cocaine Addicts May Reflect Drug Use And A Pre-existing Disposition To Drug Abuse ScienceDaily Oct. 13, 2008

Cocaine and the Brain Ivanhoe Newswire Oct. 10, 2008

There has been a push lately for research that shows whether or not exercise can help prevent substance abuse and/or aid in the recovery of addictions. Some say that there is new evidence showing that exercise can help prevent substance abuse. A study recently found that teens that exercised daily were 40% less likely to experiment with marijuana than those teens that didn’t exert physical activity. While the reasons behind these results are not fully known, it makes sense that teens that exercise and take care of their bodies may be too busy to get involved with drugs or alcohol. Exercise makes us feel good about ourselves, and helps people overcome the negative thoughts that can lead to substance abuse. Exercise is often a part of drug treatment programs, because of the distraction it provides, and the way it seems to give a boost of confidence while also relieving stress and depression.

But some of the studies now are showing what it is about exercise that helps in the struggle with addiction. Exercise stimulates endorphins, which are neurochemicals that help stabilize our mood. These neurochemicals are depleted in addicts, which leaves these individuals with negative thoughts to go along with their actions, leading them into a destructive downward cycle. With the benefits of exercise, an addict can bring positive behavior into their life to replace the substance abuse.
A study by Mark A. Smith from Davidson College suggests that physical activity can actually reduce the risk of becoming addicted to drugs. In his study, rats were less likely to ingest amphetamines if their cages had running wheels. According to Smith, exercise reduces the rewarding effects of drugs such as cocaine because it “alters the number of dopamine receptors in the brain, meaning that drugs then have less of a euphoric effect.”

Another study by Dr. Bess Marcus from Brown University found that smokers that exercised three times a week while trying to quit smoking were twice as likely to succeed as those that didn’t exercise.

However, the research in this area is minimal, and this has caused the NIDA to devote a two day conference this past summer to the topic. Scientists met in June to share their research on the connection between physical activity and the prevention of substance use. Some of the studies focused on neurobiological, developmental, and social effects of exercise and how this relates to substance abuse prevention. It was concluded at the conference that there are things scientists don’t yet understand about the role of physical activity in the prevention of addiction, but that there is some evidence that exercise aid in substance abuse prevention. However, the NIDA has plans to fund additional studies to discuss their questions about exercise. It is hoped that with further study on physical activity and its effects also on other health conditions, scientists will be more informed about the effects of exercise on substance addiction.

Sources

Neergaard, Lauran Can exercising exorcise addictions to drugs, alcohol? Associated Press Chicago Tribune September 2, 2008

Exercise May Prevent Drug Addiction Cocaine User Helping Hand July 11, 2008

Can Physical Activity and Exercise Prevent Substance Use:
Promoting a Full Range of Science to Inform Prevention NIDA Conference June 5-6. 2008