Cocaine use disorder

ALSO KNOWN AS: Cocaine abuse; cocaine addiction; cocaine dependency

DEFINITION: Cocaine use disorder is diagnosed when the repeated use of cocaine harms a person’s health or social functioning, or when a person becomes physically dependent on cocaine. Powdered cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected, while crack, which is a rock crystal form, can be heated and its vapors smoked. Cocaine use disorder is treatable, but recovery is often difficult and may require professional treatment.

Causes

Cocaine is a potent central nervous system stimulant that causes the brain to release large amounts of the hormone dopamine. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure, floods the brain’s reward pathways and results in the euphoria commonly reported by cocaine users. As a person continues to use cocaine, a tolerance is developed. This means that more frequent use and higher doses are required to achieve the same feeling of euphoria. Repeated use of cocaine can result in long-term disruptions to the brain’s dopamine levels and reward circuitry.

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When a cocaine user stops using abruptly, they experience a crash or withdrawal. This results in an extremely strong craving for more cocaine. It also may result in fatigue, loss of pleasure in life, depression, anxiety, irritability, and paranoia. These withdrawal symptoms often prompt the user to seek more cocaine.

Risk Factors

Being male and being aged eighteen to twenty-five years are factors that increase one’s chances of developing cocaine use disorder. Genetic predisposition, pre-existing mental health conditions, the influence of certain social groups, past trauma, and lack of education access are also known risk factors. 

Symptoms

The short-term effects associated with cocaine use include euphoria, increased energy, mental alertness, decreased need for food and sleep, dilated pupils, increased temperature, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, erratic or violent behavior, vertigo, muscle twitches, paranoia, restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. A cocaine overdose can result in a dangerous elevation of blood pressure, leading to stroke, heart failure, or even sudden death.

The long-term effects include uncontrollable or unpredictable cravings; increased tolerance; increased dosing; increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia; paranoid psychosis; and auditory hallucinations.

Medical complications that may result from cocaine use disorder include heart rhythm abnormalities, heart attack, chest pain, respiratory failure, stroke, seizure, headache, abdominal pain, and nausea.

Screening and Diagnosis

A doctor who suspects cocaine use disorder will ask the patient about symptoms and medical history. They will also perform a physical examination. The doctor will ask specific questions about the cocaine use, such as how long the patient has been using the drug and how often.

Treatment and Therapy

A medical professional should be consulted to develop the best treatment plan for an individual with cocaine use disorder. Treatment programs may be inpatient or outpatient. Treatment programs may require the patient to have already stopped using cocaine before treatment, or they may involve a supervised detoxification program.

Medications can be used to help manage the symptoms of withdrawal, but there are no medications that have been approved to specifically treat cocaine use disorder. Medications that have shown some promise include modafinil (Provigil), N-acetylcysteine, topiramate (Topamax), disulfiram, agonist replacement therapy, and baclofen. Antidepressants may also be helpful for people in the early stages of cocaine abstinence. A 2015 study from the Yale School of Medicine also found that progesterone may be effective as a treatment for cocaine use disorder in women.

Behavioral therapies to help people quit using cocaine are often the only effective treatment for cocaine use disorder. These therapies use contingency management. With this program, people receive positive rewards for staying in treatment and remaining cocaine-free. Additionally, cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people to learn the skills needed to manage stress and prevent relapse.

Recovery programs such as Cocaine Anonymous provide community support for people seeking to recover from cocaine addiction. In rehabilitation programs, people with cocaine use disorder stay in a controlled environment for six to twelve months. During this time, they may receive vocational rehabilitation and other support to prepare them to return to society.

Prevention

The best way to prevent cocaine use disorder is never to use cocaine because the drug is highly addictive. Education programs on the dangers of cocaine use have helped to lower rates of cocaine use in the United States (US) since the 1990s. Research has indicated that casual cocaine use and cocaine use disorder remain on the rise in the US, as well as globally. One disturbing trend has shown an alarming increase in cocaine use among the young adult female population. 

Bibliography

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Fernandez-Castillo, Noelia, Judit Cabana-Dominguez, Roser Corominas, and Bru Cormand. "Molecular Genetics of Cocaine Use Disorders in Humans." Molecular Psychiatry, vol. 27, 2022, pp. 624-639, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01256-1. Accessed 22 Nov. 2022.

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Orndorff, Madelyn, et al. "Trends in Cocaine Use among United States Females of Reproductive Age, 2005–2019." The American Journal on Addictions, vol. 33, no. 3, 2024, pp. 313-319, doi.org/10.1111/ajad.13502. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.

Schwartz, Elizabeth K., et al. "Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD): Current Clinical Perspectives." Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, vol. 13, 2022, pp. 25-46, doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S337338. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.

Shorter, Daryl, Coreen B. Domingo, and Thomas R. Kosten. "Emerging Drugs for the Treatment of Cocaine Use Disorder: A Review of Neurobiological Targets and Pharmacotherapy." Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs, vol. 20, no. 1, 2015, pp. 15–29.

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