Cocaine is often used as a recreational drug, whether casually or habitually, but many people underestimate its effects on your mental health. Any amount of cocaine abuse is unsafe, but abusing it for an extended period can have extremely adverse effects. Cocaine, which is made from the leaves of the coca plant from South America, is an addictive stimulant. Stimulants operate by speeding up the messages your brain sends to the rest of your body, and they can foster strong chemical dependencies. There are three primary forms that cocaine takes on the street level: cocaine hydrochloride, freebase, and crack, and people from all walks of life can find themselves with an addiction to the substance.
Getting treatment for cocaine addiction may seem like the most logical first step, but some people have trouble admitting that they have a problem with the substance. Cocaine addiction treatment in Laguna Beach is available, and professional assistance is the best way to achieve sobriety and make it stick. It’s easy for a social or casual habit to become more serious, even without your notice, but that doesn’t mean you’re alone. With the right treatment program, your relationship with cocaine won’t have to rule your life anymore.
Cocaine and Mental Health
Cocaine affects different people in different ways. Your experience with the substance will depend on several factors, including your general health, size, tolerance, and relationship to other substances. There are plenty of physical side effects to cocaine, but the mental side effects may take you by surprise and could cause lasting effects. When you’re high on cocaine, you may feel:
- More extroverted
- Incredibly confident
- More socially adept than when sober
- Anxious without a reason
- Irritable and quick to anger
- An increase in your sex drive
Some of these side effects may seem like good ones, but the come-down from cocaine is often reported as the inverse. You may feel confident while high, but people often feel a strong sense of isolation and loneliness once the drug wears off. Since cocaine is a stimulant, you receive extra dopamine when you’re high, and when your dopamine returns to normal, it doesn’t feel like enough. A substance abuse treatment program can help you get off of cocaine while addressing these feelings of depression.
Drug Abuse and Depression
Mental health disorders like depression often work in tandem with substance abuse disorders. One can feed on the other; depression may drive you to abuse a substance more, and abusing a substance can cause lasting damage to your mental health. For people battling depression, drugs or alcohol may seem like an easy way to feel better for a while. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, but it’s why drug abuse and mental illness should be treated in tandem.
Dual diagnosis rehab is on the rise, and for a good reason. When someone has a dual diagnosis, it means that they’ve been diagnosed with both a substance abuse disorder and another mental health disorder, such as depression. With this diagnosis, they can seek treatment for both at a reputable dual diagnosis provider. A dual diagnosis program will equip you with an addiction recovery program and access to a mental health treatment center.
Seeking Treatment
If you’re addicted to cocaine and struggling with your mental health, consider seeking help from a local dual diagnosis provider. You can learn coping mechanisms to manage your cravings and prevent future relapse with proper treatment. Fighting alone can only get you so far, and with a team of trained professionals at your side, you’ll be able to achieve sobriety faster and make it last longer.