Why is cocaine so addictive?
Yesterday, we looked at the tragic death of Len Bias, an athlete who was just getting ready to start what most believed would be a promising career with the NBA, when he overdosed on cocaine.
What is it about cocaine that would make someone who, at least from the surface, had everything to live for indulge in this deadly drug? As we also discussed yesterday, Bias’ seemingly enviable life was not without its pressures. And really, a person does not have to be under the glare of cameras and lights to feel intense pressure and seek ways to relieve some of the strain. No matter who you are, you have felt overwhelmed by life at some time. When you are at a critical point, knowing how to handle stress is what will make all the difference.
The luring power of cocaine is that it is a stimulant. After hearing about the “highs” experienced by others, first-time users are convinced that they too will have an unbelievable experience. In the case of Len Bias, his experience ended with a heart attack after he consumed cocaine and alcohol at a party.
While a cocaine user is feeling “high” and feeling an extreme mental alertness and heightened senses of sight, sound and touch, they are also damaging their body. Immediately after taking cocaine a person’s heart rate, blood pressure and temperature all increase in unnatural ways. They also may experience constricted blood vessels, dilate pupils, tremor, vertigo, and dilated pupils. These and other symptoms contribute to paranoia and violent and unusual behavior.
As is the case with any high, the high from cocaine cannot last and the user must eventually come down from the high. This is when addiction begins because the user longs to experience what they thought was a state of euphoria again. This is why drug prevention programs are so important; if a person can avoid the exposure to an addictive substance, they can keep themselves from entering into the vicious cycle of abuse.
However, for those who already taken an addictive substance, all is not lost. In fact, at Transitions Recovery Program we work to gently and patiently guide our patients back to sobriety. We want you to be able to shake the addiction and work to give you the tools you will need to go forward without returning to a dependence on drugs or alcohol.
More on why cocaine is so addictive: Scientists Find that Cocaine Rewards the Brain’s Pleasure Center
