Lubbock Cocaine Addiction Rehab Help (877) 804-1531

Cocaine is a stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. The drug is often sold as a white powder. Street dealers also mix the powder with household substances, such as flour, cornstarch, or talc to sell more of the drug. People may either snort or inject cocaine while others smoke a form of cocaine known as crack, which is named for the noise it makes when smoked. The substance is highly addictive, and can be subject to cocaine addiction in Lubbock.

When a person struggles with cocaine addiction, their brain and body crave the substance, even though they know it isn't good for them. The person will experience withdrawal symptoms when not using it and strong cravings that are difficult to overcome. Professional medical help from a cocaine addiction treatment center can help a person receive the treatment they need to become sober.

Dangers of Cocaine Use and Addiction

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an estimated 1.4 percent of the Texas population older than age 12 has used cocaine in the past year. This number is slightly lower than the national average, which is 1.7 percent. However, admission to cocaine addiction rehabilitation programs is increasing. An estimated 11 percent of all admissions to state-funded drug treatment programs in 2013 were for cocaine addiction. Many people who enter our cocaine addiction drug rehab in Lubbock have used cocaine for a long time period. Of those who snort cocaine in Texas, the average time from when they first used it to when they sought treatment is 12 years while those who inject cocaine had an average time of 18 years from when they first entered treatment to when they sought treatment.

Using cocaine for an extended time period -- or even once -- has the possibility to cause dangers to a person's health. Cocaine causes changes to a person's brain, particularly the areas associated with memory, thinking, and cravings in the body. Using the drug floods the brain with the compound dopamine, which is responsible for pleasurable sensations and giving off a "high." The subsequent withdrawal of these high levels of dopamine can cause a person to experience strong cravings when they aren't using cocaine.

There are a number of serious long-term effects associated with continued cocaine addiction in Lubbock. These include:

Severe bowel decay: Consuming cocaine by mouth can cause massive vasoconstriction, or a tightening of the body's blood vessels. As a result, blood doesn't flow as well to key parts of the body, especially the intestines. Those who abuse cocaine are more likely to experience severe bowel decay, which can lead to bowel obstruction and other medical emergencies.

Higher risk for needle-associated illnesses: Those who inject cocaine are at increased risk for contracting the HIV or hepatitis C viruses.

Movement disorders: The brain changes that cocaine abuse can cause can lead to increased risks for movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.

Malnourishment: Those who abuse cocaine are less likely to eat healthy and nourishing foods due to decreased appetite. Without property nutrients, the body cannot heal as well or produce immune system cells.

Some people who abuse cocaine can even experience severe paranoia as well as hallucinations or sensations of seeing and hearing things that aren't real. Our treatment programs in Lubbock can reverse or diminish some of these effects.

Cocaine Addiction Signs and Symptoms

Cocaine addiction in Lubbock can cause the following symptoms:

behavioral changes, such as aggressiveness, paranoia, or poor judgment

burned fingers or lips that can occur when a person smokes crack

dilated pupils

appearing in a euphoric and/or sped-up, manic state

seeing or hearing things that aren't there

runny nose and/or nosebleeds due to cocaine abuse

track marks or areas where a person injected cocaine into their veins

refraining from sleeping longer than a normal person not on drugs could

A person who abuses cocaine may have drug abuse paraphernalia in their home. Examples include glass pipes, syringes, small plastic bags, and rubber items that may double as a tourniquet to help a person who injects the drug find a vein.

Cocaine addiction not only causes problems in a person's daily life, it can prove deadly. A person who abuses cocaine can experience a heart attack or stroke at any age due to the effects of the drug. Seeking cocaine addiction recovery can help a person overcome their addiction to this dangerous substance.

Through medication support as well as counseling and group therapies at a cocaine addiction treatment center, a person can learn how to overcome their cocaine addiction and prevent the potentially fatal complications that occur with repeated cocaine abuse. Call Lubbock Drug Rehab Centers for more cocaine addiction information (877) 804-1531.