Sunday, November 28, 2010

Teen Cocaine Abuse and Addiction Treatment



Cocaine Street Names:Coca, Coke, Crack, Flake, Snow, Soda Cot, Blow, C, Marching powder, Nose candy

Cocaine is a strong addictive stimulant that produces an intense euphoria. Teens can abuse cocaine by snorting or injecting it into the veins after dissolving the powder in water. They can also abuse cocaine/crack by smoking it alone or mixing it with either marijuana or tobacco. Teens also abuse cocaine in combination with an opiate, like heroin, a practice known as "speedballing." Although injecting into veins or muscles, snorting, and smoking are the common ways of using cocaine, all mucous membranes readily absorb cocaine. Cocaine users typically binge on the drug until they are exhausted or run out of cocaine.


The intensity of cocaine’s euphoric effects depends on how quickly the drug reaches the brain, which depends on the dose and method of abuse. Following smoking or intravenous injection, cocaine reaches the brain in seconds, with a rapid buildup in levels. This results in a rapid-onset, intense euphoric effect known as a “rush.” By contrast, the euphoria caused by snorting cocaine is less intense and does not happen as quickly due to the slower build-up of the drug in the brain. Other effects include increased alertness and excitation, as well as restlessness, irritability, and anxiety in some users. Physiological effects of cocaine include increased blood pressure and heart rate, dilated pupils, insomnia and loss of appetite. The widespread abuse of highly pure street cocaine has led to many severe adverse health consequences such as cardiac arrhythmias, ischemic heart conditions, sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions, strokes and death. In some users, the long-term use of inhaled cocaine has led to a unique respiratory syndrome, and chronic snorting of cocaine has led to the erosion of the upper nasal cavity.

Tolerance to cocaine’s effects develops rapidly, causing users to take higher and higher doses. Taking high doses of cocaine or prolonged use, such as binging, usually causes paranoia. The crash that follows euphoria is characterized by mental and physical exhaustion, sleep, and depression lasting several days. Following the crash, users experience a craving to use cocaine again.

Overdose effects include agitation, increased body temperature, hallucinations, convulsions and possible death.

In the early stages of drug use/abuse it is difficult to separate typical adolescent behavior from chemically induced behavior. Some teens may not show obvious symptoms even in more advanced stages, and the parent may only sense something is wrong. Most teens, however, will exhibit many of the signs above, which can develop over a period of a few months or years. If you sense something is not right with your teen, we recommend that you take action to prevent a tragic outcome. Teen addiction and behavioral problems can be so severe that they can only be properly addressed with professional help in a controlled environment, such as our Teen Residential Addiction Treatment Center and Specialty School/Academy.

Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention you may contact us:



Addiction Treatment for Young Adults and Adults : 1-888-387-6237 http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com/

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