Effects of extended use of cocaine

Extended Use of Cocaine

Gene Tierney the American Actress once said “I admire anyone who rids himself of an addiction” ( Addiction Recovery). A stimulant called cocaine is one of the most addicting drugs, and the hardest to quit. “Pure cocaine was first extracted from the leaf of the Erythroxylon coca bush in the mid-19th century” ( Psychology Today). According to government research in 2008 at least 15% of Americans had tried cocaine ( National Institue on Drug Abuse). Lets say someone got addicted to cocaine though and was strong enough to kick the habbit, there are many physical, pyhological, and finacal effects this person will have to deal with in their everyday life.

The physical damage a person is left with after years of dealing with a serious cocaine addiction can be very damaging and distracting from one's every day life. “ In severe cases of long-term use, cocaine will erode the mucous membrane on either side of the septum and create a hole in the cartilage that divides the nostrils. This can lead to lifelong problems with nose whistling, secretions, crusting and nosebleeds.” ( Orchid Discovery Center). Long Term use of cocaine can also have serious effects on the respiratory system, causing one death in most extreme cases, shortness of breath, lung failure, difficulty breathing , uncontrollable coughing, and chest pain. From extended use of cociane the nervous system is also effect and heart attacks are common, along with high blood pressure. ( National Drug Instiute)

Cocaine is also known to have extreme effects on the phyological well being of an indivual. Cocaine creates a euphoric feeling for a person, often a high tolerance to sleep, food, and pain. Indivuals using cociane are prone to “feeling of paranoia in addition to hallucinations and chronic depression” after use. ( Adiction Recovery Guide). After long term use “cocaine psychosis, a condition that is similar to paranoid schizophrenia.” (National Drug Instute) may set in. A person can completely lose touch with reality according to psychology today and have have auidtury hallucinations.

Along with the psychological and phsycial effects extended use of the dangerous and illegal stimulant that cociane brings comes the financil issues those recovered from addiction often face. Those who have used drugs often have more medical problems in the long run and will have higher medical bills. Because of the lifestyle addicts lead there is a loss of productivty and income and they rarely have insurance to fully cover these medical bills. “In addition to increased insurance rates, DUI’s, arrest warrants and other legal problems are common among those that abuse drugs or alcohol.” (Cost of Addiction). According to the Eurostats 47.4% of those in drug treatment are unemployed and 9.6% and “economically inactive).

In American right now cocaine is one of the most abused drugs on the streets (emedicine cabinet). It is an extremley powerfull stimulant that was brought over to the United States from Mexico . Cocaine can be snorted, smoked, or injected into the body. Anyway a person does this drug it is highly addictive. Not only is there a feeling of physical addiction to the stimulant but also pyhcological addiction. Even when one breaks the habit of addiction the effects of cocaine can still be seen in their life, physhically, phyologically, and in their personal fiances. It is best to just never start.

Essay 2

Caitlin Matifas

Professer Kerr

English 101-23

Essay 2

      When it is discovered one has a serious drug or alochol addiction the hardest desicon for them, and their loved ones to make is wether or not rehab is required. Once that is decided there is another question at hand. Inpatient treatment, a live-in facility providing twenty-four care. Or outpatient treatment, meetings with a doctor a few times a week and educational classes. Whichever treatment plan is choosen it has to be most effective for the patient.

     Inpatient rehabs are hospitals where patients with drug or alchol addictions stay for extended periods of times (it differs on the patients and the level of the addiction, or drug). This takes the patient aways from there normal surrondings, people they used to abuse drugs or alochol with (staying around people they used to use with is the number one reason for relapse), and gives them time to make a full recovery (IDR). Inpatient rehab is very scheduled and has many activities to keep the patients busy and produtive. There is many group therapys that include things such as music therapy. ( Start the Healing) Inpaitent rehab also focuses on teaching patients life skills, and family system workshops. Along with the group therapy patients aslo underago individual therapy. (Start the Healing) Inpatient rehabs do try to make the stay enjoyable thought, sometimes they even have pools and basketball courts. Rehabs can be expensive though but often times insurance will pick up most of the cost. Every Inpatient rehab facilty is different and may have different focuses and credintails , so it is important to check into the faciltiy before actually checking into it to make sure you get the indivdual care you need (Drug Rehab Drug Rehabilitation Drug Addiction Treatment Programs and Alcohol Rehab Centers). Inpatient rehab does have a higher success rate than out patient rehab due to the fact that a few hours a day with a doctor is just not enough to break an addict from using, they need to be taken away from their surrondings and temptations completely ( Drug Rehab – Inpatient or Outpatient?).

     Much different from inpatient rehab is out patient rehab. Out patient rehab means that you create your own treatment plan. You will be expected to attened NA ( Narcotics anyomous), AA ( Alcoholics anyomous), along with support groups, educational classes on the effects of drugs and alcohol, and therapy. Often times for people with addictions this is too much structure to stay commited too on their own and they relapse. ( Drug Rehab – Inpatient or Outpatient?) Also those who choose out patient rehab are still in the surroundings they started in. They still have all the same temtations to use as they did in the first place. This is why outpatient treatment alone does not normally work. Finding drugs in NA is probably easier than finding drugs in the streets.

    It is important after making the hard decision that rehab is nesicary, to take some time and research both inpaitent and out paitent facility's for treatment. Both are very different and effective in seperate ways. They have different costs, different time schedules, and rates of succuess.

Works Cited

Inpatient Drug Rehab. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://inpatientdrugrehab.org/>.

Start the Healing - Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers, Alcohol Drug Detox, Alcohol Detox rteatment | The Treatment Center. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://www.thetreatmentcenter.com/>.

Drug Rehab Drug Rehabilitation Drug Addiction Treatment Programs and Alcohol Rehab Centers. Web. 29 Sept. 2011. <http://www.drug-rehabs.com/>.

"Drug Rehab – Inpatient or Outpatient?"  Alcoholism Recovery Addiction Alcoholics Anonymous Drug Treatment Center. Web. 30 Sept. 2011. <http://www.recoveryzone.org/docs/articles/drug-rehab-inpatient-or-outpatient.html>.