Cocaine addiction is has been a problem for society for over a hundred years. Cocaine was synthesized by a powerful European pharmaceutical company back in 1860. One of the worlds leading psychiatrist Sigmund Freud promoted its use and is thought to suffer cocaine addiction. Freud described cocaine as a magical drug and wrote a song of praise in its honor and practiced extensive self-experimentation. The infamous Sherlock Holmes, purported cocaine as "so transcendentally stimulating and clarifying to the mind that its secondary action is a matter of small moment".
As with other drugs it is really unknown how long the human race has had problems with cocaine addiction. The use of coca leaves has been around for over 1,000 years. In traditional Indian cultures, Mama Coca was considered a compassionate goddess. She was regarded as a sacred deity who could bless humans with her power. Prior to the coca leaf harvest, the harvester would sleep with a woman to make sure Mama Coca would be in a good mood. It was also used as a sexual aid, a decoction of coca and saliva was rubbed onto the male organ to prolong erotic ecstasy. Customarily, the leaves have been chewed for social, mystical, medicinal and religious purposes. Obviously during those times those addicts with cocaine addiction probably went unnoticed.
Early on signs of cocaine addiction were somewhat apparent as many Hollywood type moguls used cocaine with disregard. Cocaine as actually the drug responsible the coined phrase “dope fiend” as the addictive effects of the drug became more apparent. As cocaine addiction ran rampant across the U.S., laws were passed to prohibit sale of cocaine without prescription. As time went on, cocaine addiction continued to pose a threat and laws were passed to prohibit the distribution altogether.
Cocaine addiction and abuse has several forms of cocaine use. Cocaine is a powerfully addictive central nervous system stimulant that is snorted, injected, or smoked. Crack is cocaine hydrochloride powder that has been processed to form a rock crystal that is then usually smoked.
Cocaine addiction begins innocently enough as many think that addiction could not possibly happen to them. The use of cocaine typically makes the cocaine abuser feel euphoric and energetic, but also increases body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Users risk heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, abdominal pain, and nausea. Cocaine abuse can result in sudden death with first time use.
Cocaine addiction has many effects on the body. Cocaine addiction research on cocaine illustrates that many dimensions may be involved in a single drug's interaction with the activity of a single neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are chemicals produced by the body that sends messages from one nerve cell to another. Cocaine causes the pleasurable feelings that motivate drug abuse by raising dopamine which is the pleasure chemical in the brain. This tells the brain not to produce any more dopamine as the brain thinks it has something better, called cocaine.
Cocaine addiction has been known to occur with first time use. After using cocaine, the user then comes down into a state of depression and mood swings that make wanting the drug that much more powerful. Progressed cocaine addiction is significantly difficult to solve with the physical and psychological addiction involved.
