Cocaine is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. This drug has powerful negative effects on the heart, the brain, and emotions. However, many of those who abuse cocaine are eventually addicted with time. Consequently, they result into long-term and consequences that are mostly life threatening. It needs not to be addicted to falling victim to this because occasional users run this risk of sudden death following cocaine use. This drug can be taken in different ways ranging from injection, smoking to snorting (Monette 526). It occurs in either powdered or crack form both of which when injected they result into immediate effects. When it enters the bloodstream, it finds an easy way to the brain. This is because it is capable of crossing the blood brain barrier, which is supposed to be the sieve of components inflowing the brain. This is because of its high efficient lipophilic and hydrophilic regions that flout the balance that should exist between these two regions (Gabowski 79). Therefore, it stimulates the nervous system, in addition to, suppressing appetite. Its effects are not long lasting but results into immense pleasure to the user for that sort time. This paper will delve into the whole issue of abuse of cocaine by focusing on its effects.
The cocaine components interfere with the chemical messengers in the brain that coordinate relay messages to the relevant hormones of the body. Blockage of these chemical messengers results into aggregation of chemicals between nerves. This situation leads to someone feeling high. When somebody is high, there is a tendency of an increase in alertness and an elevated mood (Pfaff 717). However, in the event of this high moment, restlessness and irritability have also been reported. One would think that intake of cocaine only affects the brain; however, this is not true, for as it travels through blood it gets to affect the whole body. Therefore, it results into physiological and emotional effects.
Physiological effects
According to Monette (526), most visits to emergency rooms in US hospitals result from cocaine use than any other illegal substance drugs that are being abused. Its effects are mostly directed towards the heart, brain, blood vessels, and the heart with extreme cases resulting into death (Pfaff 717). When the blood containing cocaine enters the heart, it increases the heart rate and consequently results into an increased blood pressure. The high blood pressure leads to a heart attack even in the absence of a heart disease. This shows how its effects are immense. In addition, cocaine can trigger the deadly arrhythmia (Paredes 717). When blood-containing cocaine enters the vessels in the brain, it causes stroke by narrowing these vessels. This constriction results into difficult flow of blood. Besides, its effects to the brain can lead to seizures and at the sometimes-violent behaviour.
To the respiratory system such as the lungs and nose, it leads to damage of sinuses and perforation of the epithelial lining of the nose. This is because of the hydrochloric acid that remains after cocaine has been absorbed from cocaine hydrochloride. Therefore, this acid eats the cartilage that separates the nostrils with an eventuality of its complete disappearance (Monette 526). Abuse of cocaine also results into narrowing of blood vessels supplying blood to the gastrointestinal tract. This results into the shortage of blood supply to this region leading to the development of ulcers in the stomach lining of the drug abuser (Monette 526). In extreme cases, it leads to perforation of the intestines or even the stomach.
Psychological effects
Given that cocaine acts in the deep areas of the brain that are responsible for proper behaviour, any anomaly in their functioning disturbs the user psychologically. These areas determine pleasure for food, sex and health (Breiter, et al. 597). Therefore, when the brain is stimulated by the use of cocaine, it leads to someone feeling happy. This results into a person wanting more of cocaine to sustain this pleasure for a considerable time. It is this repeat of cocaine use that results into tolerance (Gabowski 73). This means that when a person uses cocaine for a long time, subsequent use to attain the same effect will require progressively higher doses. This dependence consequently leads to addiction.
When the body physically depends on cocaine, an effort to stop it suddenly leads to withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms are more of psychological, and they range from exhaustion to tremors and chills. Even, though, these symptoms resulting from withdrawal may be not serious, some may result into suicidal feelings (Gabowski 73). The amusing thing is that, these symptoms may fade away even after two weeks but there is possible return of craving for cocaine years after its last use (Paredes et al. 9).
Therefore, cocaine is a drug that its effects are too immense for even thinking of trying it. This is in the way it acts, for what duration and its addictive effects that are disastrous. The short-term effects are majorly psychology that gives way to physical damage to the body (Gabowski 79). However, it also has effects on learning. It affects learning by resulting into lower grades in school. This is because of the effect it has on the brain and especially the memory part. In addition, when one is high, she may miss a class, and this has a negative impact on her learning process. This is because of the reduced coverage.
Works Cited
Breiter, Hans C. et al. “Acute Effects of Cocaine on Human Activity and Emotion.” Neuron. 19. 3(1997): 591-611. Print.
Gabowski, John. Cocaine: Pharmacology, Effects, and Treatment of Abuse. Darby: DIANE Publishing, 1994. Print.
Monette, George N. “Cocaine and Its Effects.” The Journal of the American Medical Association. 9.17(2007): 526. Print.
Paredes, Alfonso, Gorelick, David A. and Barry Stimmel. Cocaine: Physiological and Physiopathological Effects. London: Routledge, 1993. Print.
Pfaff, Donald W. (Ed.) Hormones, Brain, and Behaviour, Volume 5. London: Elsevier, 2002. Print.