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Cocaine is a highly addictive drug. It works in the
same way as heroin and nicotine by tapping in the brain's natural reward (dopamine)
pathways. You experience pleasure every time
you take it and a distinct lack of pleasure once it wears of, thus reinforcing
the compulsion to take more. And more. And more.
Cocaine is a captivating drug that makes you feel confident,
talkative, alert, quite a draw for those who find it difficult to feel that way
normally. But, as the drug wears off, they are quickly replaced with the depression,
anxiety and irritability of the come-down.
You will not become instantly addicted. Some
people can take the same amount over extended periods and not become addicted.
Availability, life style and personality are all factors.
But like occasional cigarette smoking, occasional
"harmless" recreational cocaine use can slip easily into
regular nasty long term abuse.
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coke problem?
Ask yourself: if there's some coke in the house
and you can't resist taking it, or you spend all your time looking
forward to taking it. If yes, then you should be thinking about
where your coke use is going.
When coke becomes central to your thoughts and emotions,
when you start planning your evenings around the drug, then you're entering the
danger zone.
See our drug
links section for information on organisations which
can advise you if you are worried about your drug use.
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cocaine psychosis
In the worst-case scenario, you may end up with
cocaine psychosis - a none-too-nice state of craving, insomnia,
paranoia, restlessness, mood swings, lack of sexual appetite and
weight loss.
Some anti-drug organisations will list cocaine psychosis as the
inevitable side-effect of casual use. It's not. You have to work to get there,
but it's easy not to notice how close you're getting.
Good news: stop the coke, if you can, and you will revert back
to normal.
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