Cocaine dependence (or addiction) is a psychological desire to use cocaine regularly. Cocaine use can result in cardiovascular and brain damage such as constricting blood vessels in the brain, causing strokes and constricting arteries in the heart, causing heart attacks specifically in the central nervous system.
The use of cocaine can cause mood swings, paranoia, insomnia, psychosis, high blood pressure, tachycardia, panic attacks, cognitive impairments and drastic changes in the personality that can lead to aggressive, compulsive, criminal and/or erratic behaviors.
The symptoms of cocaine withdrawal (also known as comedown or crash) range from moderate to severe: dysphoria, depression, anxiety, psychological and physical weakness, pain and compulsive craving.
Historically, the addiction was known as cocainism.
Read more about Cocaine Dependence: Risk, Presentation, Mechanism of Dependence, Treatment
Famous quotes containing the words cocaine and/or dependence:
“In my day, we didn’t have the cocaine, so we went out and knocked somebody over the head and took the money. But today, all this cocaine and crack, it doesn’t give kids a chance.”
—Barry White (b. 1944)
“... dependence upon material possessions inevitably results in the destruction of human character.”
—Agnes E. Meyer (1887–1970)