Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine is a powerful central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that heightens alertness, inhibits appetite and the need for sleep, and provides intense feelings of pleasure.  It is prepared from the leaf of the Erythroxylon coca bush, which grows primarily in Peru and Bolivia.

The effects of cocaine are immediate, extremely pleasurable, and brief.  Cocaine and crack cocaine both produce intense but short-lived euphoria and can make users feel more energetic.  Like caffeine, cocaine produces wakefulness and reduces hunger.  Psychological effects include feelings of well-being and a grandiose sense of power and ability mixed with anxiety and restlessness.  As the drug wears off, these temporary sensations of mastery are replaced by an intense depression, and the drug abuser will then "crash", becoming lethargic and typically sleeping for several days.

Cocaine addiction can occur very quickly and be very difficult to break.  Animal studies have shown that animals will work very hard (press a bar over 10,000 times) for a single injection of cocaine, choose cocaine over food and water, and take cocaine even when this behavior is punished.  Animals must have their access to cocaine limited in order not to take toxic or even lethal doses.  People addicted to cocaine behave similarly.  They will go to great lengths to get cocaine and continue to take it even when it hurts their school or job performance and their relationships with loved ones.

Incidence

Cocaine abuse and addiction continues to be a problem that plagues many countries.  In 1997, for example, an estimated 1.5 million Americans age 12 and older were chronic cocaine users.  Although this is an improvement over the 1985 estimate of 5.7 million users, there is still a lot to be done.

The initial resurgence of cocaine use in the 1960s was largely confined to the affluent, for it was at that time quite expensive.  Part of the drug's mystique was its association with celebrities in the music, sports, and show business worlds.  Today, people from all walks of life use cocaine.  Young single people are the most frequent users, with male users outnumbering female users two to one.  There are no clear connections between cocaine use and education, occupation, or socioeconomic status.

Prognosis

Attempts to stop using the drugs can fail simply because the resulting depression can be overwhelming, causing the addict to use more cocaine in an attempt to overcome his depression.  This overpowering addiction can cause the addict to do anything to get cocaine.