How Cocaine Affects the Brain and the Body

By: Scott Alexander

Cocaine is a drug that many people smoke, inject into their

body or snort. Regardless of how the drug is taken, cocaine is

an extremely strong stimulant. It stimulates the body’s central

nervous system. The effects of cocaine on the brain include

how the brain processes dopamine.

Short-Term Cocaine Effects

Cocaine affects how the brain and the body absorb dopamine.

This is how the drug produces the effect of euphoria that

makes the drug so popular. Dopamine is a chemical that is

produced by the brain and is commonly associated with the

body’s movement and pleasure. Not long after someone ingests cocaine, that person will begin to

experience higher blood pressure, an increased heart rate, a higher body temperature, dilated pupils

and constricted blood vessels.

The feeling of euphoria that is associated with cocaine normally lasts up to thirty minutes. During this

feeling of euphoria, the cocaine user will also experience mental alertness, reduced weariness and hyper

stimulation. Other cocaine users also experience restlessness, anxiety and irritability. When the drug is

taken repeatedly in a short amount of time users may also begin to experience paranoia and auditory

hallucinations.

How Cocaine Affects the Body and the Brain in the Long Run

After repeated uses of cocaine, users will deal with various health problems. These health problems

include respiratory failure, chest pain, heart attack and an irregular heartbeat. Other health problems

might include nausea, abdominal pain, headaches, seizures and strokes. Those who are addicted to the

drug and have been using it for a long time might also be malnourished. This is because cocaine is

notorious for decreasing the user’s appetite.

Men and women who snort cocaine might have problems swallowing. Other problems include a loss of

smell, common nosebleeds and a continuing runny nose. Those who ingest this drug will also have to

suffer from extremely severe bowel gangrene. This is because cocaine reduced the amount of blood that

flows to the body’s intestines.

Injecting this drug is almost more dangerous than other forms of taking the drug. This is because men

and women might suffer from severe allergic reactions. Taking this drug by injection also increases the

risk of contracting Hepatitis, HIV or other diseases that are blood borne. This is because many users of

the drug share needles. Men and women might not be thinking clearly while injecting the drug and may

never realize how dangerous sharing needles can really be.

Cocaine Overdose

Although overdosing on cocaine is not common and many people believe that it cannot happen, the sad

truth is that it can. When men and women overdose on cocaine, the result is fatal. Cocaine affects the

body’s respiratory system and the heart. Since it affects these major parts of the body, the result of

cocaine overdose can be death.