Cocaine has destructive effects on the brain, and one recent study has shown that it rewires the brain after only one use. Cocaine is an extremely popular street drug that serves as a twisted status symbol on the streets.
Known for being more expensive, celebrities and others with money often use it as their drug of choice. However, the drug that often seems so glamorous is also responsible for destroying lives physically and emotionally.
Simple Cocaine Fact
The simple fact that people can start getting addicted after using cocaine one time shows how dangerous this drug can be, especially for those already prone to addiction.
Cocaine Creates Heightened Feelings Of Euphoria
Cocaine is made from the leaves of a South American bush named the coca bush. It is is mainly taken by snorting it or injecting it for an instant reaction when it enters the bloodstream or the brain. The allure of cocaine, despite all the risks, is generally described as the feeling of euphoria it creates in the user. Some of the feelings people describe when using cocaine are:
- Feelings of invincibility
- Abundance of energy
- Increased sociability
- Heightened self-confidence
Due to these feelings, it’s been estimated that about fourteen percent of all adults in the United States have used cocaine at least once. This is unfortunate, because of the risk of fatalities.
The Destructive Effects of Cocaine
Recently, UC San Francisco did a study on how cocaine changes the brain by using mice as test subjects. What it showed was that after using cocaine one time, the mice’s frontal lobe appeared to have changed.
The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that guides decision-making. After administering one dosage of cocaine, the frontal lobe had new growths on it that appeared like spinal growths when examined.
The Need To Use Cocaine Became A Dominant Thought
The scientists claim that these growths rewired the users brain, so that when it came to decision-making, their need to use more cocaine became a dominant thought. This would help explain why drug addicts find it so hard to stop themselves from procuring more drugs.
Cocaine is so powerful that after one time usage, it can affect the wiring of the frontal lobe. And this also shows how repeated drug abuse can continue to alter the brain, so that drugs become top priority over everything else when it comes to decision-making.
The Good News
However, despite what the scientists claim are shocking findings, there is some good news. The brain is fluid and malleable, so that after stopping the use of cocaine, the brain can revert back to its normal state. This means that it’s possible for an addict to rehabilitate him or herself even after repeated drug usage, especially with the help of a drug recovery center such as the SOBA Recovery Center.
Once the addict detoxes from drugs, the brain can eventually revert back to its original state. Cocaine usage can cause a person to lose his or her career, family, and financial stability. Not surprising, considering how even using cocaine once can rewire the brain. For more information, consult a brain abundance review.