Cocaine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant that is often used by people with addictions. According to various data, about 42 million people in the United States have tried this drug at least once in their lives. It became very popular because it was “advertised” in books, movies and on TV. It is often used at parties as a bohemian drug that can be used to quickly achieve feelings of euphoria: cocaine does not need to be injected, just inhaled – the ease of use is a serious advantage for addicts. At the same time, cocaine has devastating effects on health. In addition to the addiction that regular use leads to, it negatively affects the cardiovascular, circulatory and respiratory systems. Another consequence often cited is that cocaine causes memory loss. In this article, we will discuss how this drug affects cognitive abilities. In this article, we will discuss how this drug affects cognitive abilities and whether it can lead to memory loss.
Are you or a loved one addicted to cocaine? If you feel that you are starting to lose control of your life, it is best to seek professional help as early as possible. New Breath Recovery has experienced doctors and medical staff to help you deal with your addiction. Treatment takes place in comfortable conditions: patients live in single or double rooms with everything they need, the rehab has recreational areas, and food is prepared by a chef.
How Cocaine Affects the Brain
To understand whether cocaine can cause memory loss, it is first worth explaining how it affects the human brain in general.
Cocaine is usually inhaled through the nose. The fine powder gets on the mucous membranes, through which it is quickly absorbed into the blood. The substance then travels throughout the body. When it reaches the brain, it has a stimulating effect on the production of dopamine, while preventing its removal.
Dopamine is constantly produced by our body as a response to anything that can give pleasure. For example, it is produced at times when we eat. Once released from one neuron, it travels through the synaptic cleft to the next neuron. Cocaine binds to the substances responsible for moving dopamine, so dopamine accumulates in the synaptic cleft in abnormal concentrations. This produces a multiplied euphoric effect.
But how can this cause memory loss?
Types of Memory Affected by Cocaine Use
One of the symptoms of cocaine abuse is forgetting events that happened to a person recently. As studies have shown, this is due to the fact that the drug does affect the cognitive abilities of people with addiction.
The main causes that lead to memory loss are:
- sleep problems. Cocaine is a stimulant and disrupts normal sleep patterns. One gets a feeling of limitless possibilities and can stay awake for a long time, but due to hyperstimulation, the brain is overworked, which can cause memory loss;
- vascular problems. Cocaine use causes the blood vessels in the brain to constrict and increase blood pressure. This can cause microstrokes, which lead to organic death of certain parts of the brain.
Short-Term Memory
Short-term memory loss is manifested by forgetting words, taking longer to complete daily tasks, and frequently asking the same thing over and over again. Because the connections between neurons are disrupted, a person with cocaine addiction may confuse words, form sentences incorrectly, and use inappropriate words.
Despite the stimulant effects, after cocaine, people have a harder time remembering new information. Memory loss makes a person confused, unable to effectively solve simple tasks.
Long-Term Memory
Long-term memory problems are caused by organic disorders that inevitably occur with long-term cocaine use: blood clots with subsequent microstrokes. In these cases, the symptoms are even more serious: inability to concentrate, slow reactions, difficulty in performing simple household tasks. A dangerous manifestation of long-term memory loss is the inability to remember the faces of loved ones, place of residence and other important information.
Other Cognitive Impairments Associated with Cocaine
Cocaine does not only impair memory. Its long-term use affects all cognitive functions:
- attention. Inability to focus on one task, constant change of focus;
- psychomotor coordination. Movements become unnatural, uncertain, reaction to stimuli slows down;
- speech. Surroundings have to make efforts to understand what a person with cocaine addiction is talking about: he confuses words, his thoughts are confused, he jumps from one idea to another;
- perception of information. It is expressed by misunderstanding and distorted interpretation of what is seen or heard;
- counting. Even elementary actions like verbal addition or subtraction are given with difficulty;
- thinking. The thoughts of cocaine addicts are centered around the idea of the next dose and the money needed to buy it.
Other functions also suffer: orientation in space, ability to plan (planning horizon is narrowed to one day) and control their behavior. On the background of a long history of drug addiction, mental disorders often appear or worsen. All of this together exacerbates the already serious problems with memory loss.
Can Memory Loss Be Reversed?
In cocaine withdrawal, the brain gradually recovers due to neuroplasticity. This is facilitated by taking nootropics and antidepressants, as well as ongoing therapies. All that is needed in such a case is systematic work with the attending physician and attending Narcotics Anonymous groups in order to get positive emotions without using substances. In such conditions, the brain gradually adapts to new conditions and restores its functions.
But this is not always the case – memory loss can be irreversible. This usually happens after long-term drug abuse. During this time, the brain can be affected by strokes: disorders of blood supply to certain parts of the brain, as a result of which the nerve tissue does not receive nutrition and oxygen, so it dies off.
From this we can conclude that earlier addiction treatment is not only more effective and less time-consuming, but also avoids irreversible health consequences.
Seeking Help for Cocaine Addiction: Take the First Step Today
An addicted person may not realize how much their condition has deteriorated since they first tried cocaine. Memory loss does not happen overnight: the brain is gradually affected by the drugs and its resources are depleted, which affects cognitive abilities.
This is why family and friends play an important role in recovery. Only they are able to notice changes in the behavior of a loved one and help him to make the right decision. The main thing is to do it gently and without coercion, otherwise you may encounter an insurmountable barrier.
The New Breath Recovery clinic uses effective cocaine addiction treatment programs. Each patient undergoes a full examination, based on the results of which the doctor draws up an individualized treatment plan. Depending on the severity of the disease, it includes detoxification and various types of therapies. Problems with memory loss and the desire to use drugs will gradually disappear during the first weeks of stay in the clinic.
We offer a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation, including all advanced techniques. Treatment is inpatient. This means that patients are safe in the clinic: vital signs are constantly monitored by medical staff and doctors can adjust the approach to recovery at any moment.
Together, we ensure that our patients learn to live sober lives, regain cognitive function, and return to their families healthy and optimistic.
All it takes is just one step toward help.