[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ade from cocoa leaves, some people argue that cocaine is not extremely harmful. Over the years, doctors have experimented on this drug and found that it minimizes the risk of excessive bleeding when one is undergoing a nasal surgery. Others claim that it is an effective drug that increases numbness when a surgical blade is being used on you. Medicines such as topical cocaine contain this drug to numb your mouth or nose during operation. Back then, cocaine somehow found its way into coca cola bottles with people suggesting that it is not as risky as others portray it to be.
Though doctors may use it surgically, most young people who use it as a cool way to party do not put into consideration how much damage this drug causes on their bodies. Studies show that after cannabis, cocaine is the second most abused drug in the World. The percentage of people ranging from 5000 to 6000 who die every year in America leave us due to cocaine addiction. This number clearly shows that cocaine is not a drug that should be tolerated by any government.
Those 15 minutes of instant gratification may cause you to suffer for a lifetime as you try to fight cocaine withdrawal. This article aims at educating you on how risky cocaine is, the phases of withdrawing as well as efforts made to help addicts.
How is cocaine taken?
It is almost next to impossible to attend a teen’s party that is not dealing with cocaine. Dealers have come up with very creative ways of distributing this drug secretively without being caught as it is a serious crime. Some sell it in plastic bags in powder like form while others mix it with powders that look somehow similar. This may include sugar, detergents, baking flour as well as laxatives. By adding harmful substances on pure cocaine, your dealer is not only exposing you to higher health risks but also exploiting you financially so that you can keep on coming for more.
While others take cocaine powder orally, some use nasal insufflation which causes euphoric effects when the drug is absorbed easily into your system. Straws and specialized spoons are used to insufflate cocaine.The pros of using this drug prefer injecting it directly into the blood so as to reduce the amount of time for you to get high without waiting. At the moment, your friends may encourage you to share needles injecting the cocaine but how sure are you that one of them is not HIV infected?
Taking the bold step
When you have finally come to your senses and are ready to discontinue using it, withdrawing from the drug is where you start with the help of a rehab or a reputable clinic. The symptoms of stopping this habit may weigh you down but be sure it is better to get through this process than suffer addiction your whole life.
Cocaine withdrawal timeline refers to what exactly you may go through within the first days of quitting. It is divided into three stages namely:
The crash stage- first few days
If you have been using cocaine for a while, the first week of withdrawing is referred to as the crash. This may be tough to overcome depending on how much you have been taking as well as the quality that you have been using. The first 40 hours of withdrawal may leave you restless and sleepless. However, with every hour that passes in this stage, your craving for cocaine may decrease until the next stage kicks in.
Withdrawal (Week 1-4)
This stage is considered the most difficult if you have proper guidance. You will feel the need to have cocaine no matter how hard it may be to acquire it. Your sleep may return but anxiety and cravings will increase too. You may find yourself reminiscing on the good times you had, sniffing cocaine with friends and feel tempted to reach out. The first few weeks may leave you confused but you don’t have to succumb to the urge. Rather, find new friends who understand what you are going through as you spend more time in a rehab with people who keep you motivated so that you don’t relapse.
Extinction (from week 5 onwards)
If you have made it to week 5 without giving in to a sniff of cocaine, you are making good progress. Understanding the cycle of cravings will help you through this stage. You may still be experiencing symptoms that may last for long but you are moving forward. Avoid emotional triggers that influence you as well as environment that bring back memories of using cocaine. Detox will come in handy to help you completely recover.
Treatments
Abstinence
The best and most effective treatment known for cocaine addiction is abstaining from it. The more you say no to temptations, the faster you recover. This has no side effects compared to other remedies recommended to help you get better.
Medicines
Some of the medication that you will find include: diazepam, zolpidem, melatonin and desipramine. If you are having trouble sleep or controlling anxiety, you can use these medicines to help the chemicals in your brain balance. Though not a cure from the addiction, this will push you through tough times.
In as much as there is no specific cure to treat cocaine addiction completely, medical experts are not giving up. They have come with disulfiram which is proving to work on reducing the effects of cocaine addiction. Depending on your DBH genotype, your doctor evaluates if disulfiram will effectively get through cocaine withdrawal and finally heal your body.
Vaccines
Thanks to lots of research, doctors are trying on a new vaccine that could help you fight the symptoms of cocaine addiction to help you recover. According to National institute on drug abuse, this vaccine is designed to prevent cocaine from reaching your brain by creating antibodies which get linked with the drug in your bloodstream.
Final thoughts
The disadvantages of cocaine use clearly outweigh its benefits. This makes it a hazard to an entire society.As people keep on arguing whether cocaine should be allowed to be used in specific circumstances, looking for better alternatives will prevent harmful side effects of cocaine since it is better to be safe than sorry.
