Cocaine is a highly addictive and powerful central nervous system stimulant drug derived from coca leaves. In the early 1900s, the purified chemical cocaine hydrochloride was isolated from the plant. It was used as a main active ingredient in many elixirs and tonics used for medical purposes. Today, cocaine is a schedule II drug. This means that it has a high potential for abuse and addiction. As a street drug, cocaine looks like a white, powdery substance.
What Does a Cocaine High Feel Like?
Because cocaine is a local anesthetic, it causes numbness to the throat, mouth, and tongue when it is snorted. It can be described as tasting and smelling very chemically or much like gasoline, depending on what the cocaine is mixed with. Since this is an illegal street drug, the smell and taste can vary. In its pure form, it should smell sweet and somewhat floral. Snorting cocaine also tends to burn your nose when first inhaled before becoming numb and will drip down your throat from your nasal cavity long after it is initially snorted.
When you snort cocaine, it is described as a feeling of alertness, energy, and power. The main cocaine high effect that a person who snorts cocaine feels is an intensely pleasurable feeling, known as euphoria. This feeling of euphoria is short-term and generally only lasts for about 30 minutes. This feeling happens because cocaine stimulates the brain by affecting how it processes dopamine, which is associated with regulating pleasure responses. People will also feel hyper-stimulated, have reduced fatigue, be more talkative than usual, have an increased libido, be numb to physical and mental pain, and cannot comprehend the danger,
On the flip side, it is also possible to experience anxiety, agitation, restlessness, mood swings, and paranoia. Also, when cocaine is taken over a long period of time, the user can experience these opposite effects during a cocaine high, including sadness and isolation from other people.
Immediately after snorting cocaine, the user will have the following physical symptoms:
- Dilated pupils
- Constricted blood vessels
- Increased heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Muscle tension
- High body temperature resulting in increased sweat
- Potentially diarrhea or increased bathroom use
Health Risks of Cocaine Abuse
Repeated cocaine use can cause a wide variety of health effects on the user’s body. The consequences of long-term cocaine use include:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Chest pains
- Hypertension
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Weight loss
- Impaired thinking and cerebral atrophy
- Bizarre or aggressive behavior
- Heart attack or stroke
Getting Clean From Cocaine
Addiction treatment requires a multi-layered approach for maximum success. The best and safest option to get off cocaine is using one of the many treatment programs we offer at Recreate Life Counseling. We provide partial care and outpatient treatment programs that provide therapeutic education and guidance for each individual to help them safely reintegrate into society. With the help of our team of therapists, we offer one-on-one group therapy and many other specialized options to fit each person’s needs.
Addiction isn’t easy to face, and the health risks are not worth a short high. You do not have to face getting sober from cocaine on your own. Our admissions counselors and addiction professionals are available around the clock. We are ready to help you or a loved one overcome the disease of addiction. Now is the time to change your life. Let us help you do it!