Can Cocaine Make You Tired and Sleepy

April 13, 2022
Uncategorized

What Is Cocaine?

Cocaine is a widely-used illegal drug known for its burst of energy and alertness. Presented in the form of white powder, cocaine is derived from the dried leaves of coca plants. This plant is indigenous to South America, which is also the world’s biggest supplier of cocaine. ¹

Powder Cocaine vs. Crack Cocaine

There are two primary forms of cocaine: powder and crack. Powder cocaine can be injected, snorted (sniffed), or smoked. Crack cocaine comes in the form of tiny rocks, which are generally smoked but can also be injected using additional substances like vinegar.

Either form of cocaine is highly potent, extremely addictive, and potentially dangerous.

How Does Cocaine Work?

Cocaine works as a powerful stimulant by binding to dopamine receptors. Prolonged use can lead to a severe dependency on the drug, damaging normal communications of dopamine in the brain.

Instead of dopamine getting removed from the synapse as usual, cocaine works to block its removal, resulting in immediate feelings of euphoria. ²

Can Cocaine Make You Tired and Sleepy?

While cocaine itself isn’t responsible for or capable of causing tiredness and sleepiness, it can indirectly cause feelings of tiredness and fatigue.

How Can Cocaine Make You Tired?

After ingesting cocaine, tiredness can result from “crashing” or “coming down”—when the effects of the drug begin to wear off. So, while the high of cocaine provides a euphoric and energized feeling, coming down gives the opposite effect.

The other culprit behind feelings of tiredness is cocaine withdrawal. When repeated cocaine use ceases, the body will enter a period of intense exhaustion.

Can Cocaine Make You Sleepy?

Sleeping and cocaine don’t exactly go together. While fatigue and tiredness may be a common result of crashing or coming down from cocaine’s high, the body may not be able to get to a level calm enough for sleep. In other words, due to cocaine’s stimulating effects, the body and mind usually face difficulties falling asleep.

Studies have shown that cocaine use is associated with sleep disturbances, hypersomnia, and bad dreams. ³

What Does Cocaine Do to Your Brain?

Many experts argue that cocaine use is more damaging to the brain than to the body. Cocaine use disrupts the brain’s natural production of neurotransmitters, thereby causing dopamine transmission to be off-balance and highly irregular. ⁴

Moreover, it doesn’t take long for the brain to get used to the influx of dopamine. When this happens, it’s harder for people to feel excitement and euphoria in a natural setting. So, the brain needs more cocaine to provide the high that it became accustomed to.

What’s more, even the brain’s structure is at risk of damage when people abuse cocaine. This is due to the diminishing function of the OFC (orbitofrontal cortex), the area of the brain responsible for decision-making.

Cocaine Side Effects, Overdose, and Withdrawal

Cocaine presents many dangers, including severe bouts of depression, paranoia, and hallucinations, among many others. Many uses suffer from loss of appetite which can be part of the drugs appeal. It is very dangerous to use cocaine as a crash dieting technique, weight loss management should be done without the use of any hard substances. As such, it’s important to seek treatment for cocaine addiction. The effects of cocaine can be long-lasting if left untreated, so don’t delay seeking help.

Cocaine Side Effects

Cocaine side effects take many different forms, depending on how often the drug is abused. For example, short-term effects can include:

Conversely, long-term effects of cocaine can include:

Anxiety
Paranoia
Vertigo
Muscle spasms
Tremors
Strokes
Seizures
Heart attacks

Cocaine Overdose Symptoms

The symptoms of cocaine overdose can include:

Cocaine Withdrawal

The dangers of cocaine withdrawal can be severe due to its intense nature. Some of the symptoms include:

Extreme physical fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Suicidal thoughts
Slowed thinking
Lack of arousal
Restlessness
Depression
Exhaustion
Anxiety
Chills

If you or someone you know is experiencing these sensations, especially depression and suicidal ideations, it’s important to seek professional care right away. With the right treatment plan and medications, withdrawal symptoms can be reduced. ⁵

Treatment for Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine withdrawal can be intense and potentially dangerous to the patient. As such, tailored care is needed to ensure the patient gets the proper attention. Cocaine rehab can save lives, so it’s important to seek cocaine addiction treatment if you or someone you know has a problem.

Cocaine Addiction Treatment Options

Various treatment options are available to help with cocaine addiction.

Cocaine Detox

Cocaine detoxification is an essential step in the treatment process. Here, the patient receives medications designed to reduce the severity of cocaine withdrawal, which can be quite intense. Detoxing at a medical facility ensures the safety and protection of each patient while providing care to help make the process as comfortable as possible.

Therapy

Therapy is a vital component of recovery. Patients are assigned counselors who oversee their care throughout treatment and determine the best therapy tailored to their needs. Therapy helps patients learn essential life skills and coping mechanisms to overcome their addiction. Effective therapies include contingency management (CM) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Residential Living

Here, the patient undergoes treatment in a safe facility, where they stay and receive twenty-four-seven care needed to successfully recover from withdrawal symptoms, addiction, and dependency. Patients will also develop important skills before re-entering the real world.

Finding Help at Stillwater Behavioral Health

Stillwater Behavioral Health specializes in a personalized approach to addiction recovery. At our location in Montecito, we offer a wide variety of treatment options to ensure high-quality care and long-lasting sobriety. Right now we have programs and partnerships with a variety of providers including GEHA and NYSHIP should you be located outside of California but are looking for an extended stay on the west coast.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact us today to begin the process of achieving a substance-free lifestyle.

Resources

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine “{“>

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