Can Cocaine Kill You? Yes, and Here’s How

cocaine or other drugs cut with razor blade on mirror. hand dividing white powder narcotic

Can Cocaine Kill You? Yes, and Here’s How

cocaine or other drugs cut with razor blade on mirror. hand dividing white powder narcoticAccording to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, some 478,000 new people try using cocaine each year. Most of those go on to be occasional users, turning to cocaine for social use and parties.

Cocaine is often seen as relatively safe, because of its light addiction profile and the fact that millions of people use it. But, this drug is listed as a Schedule II Drug under the Controlled Substances Act because it can be dangerous. Yet, about 5 million Americans, or 2% of the population, use cocaine.

Those dangers include addiction, health risks, and mental health risks – each of which can vary significantly depending on the individual, their genetics, their metabolism, and their existing health. Cocaine’s euphoric effects on the body can quickly turn to paranoia, anxiety, insomnia, sleeplessness, and heart problems – but few people talk about that when initiating use. Cocaine can kill you, and it will always be dangerous to use.

How Can Cocaine Kill You

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that takes just a few seconds to affect your brain. The drug also affects nearly every part of your body, from dopamine production to the amount of air in the cellular walls of the heart. This can result in significant side-effects to the body. 

Heart Attack

Cocaine usage elevates the heart rate and blood pressure, which puts stress on the heart. If you have a weak heart, even a small amount of cocaine can elevate your heart to the point of causing too much stress. Long-term cocaine usage can also cause the heart problems that result in having a heart attack after a small amount of cocaine usage. In addition, cocaine usage patterns result in continuing and ongoing stress to the heart. For example, short-term effects of cocaine mean that people are very likely to keep using throughout the night. This means the heart is under a large amount of stress for a longer amount of time, with continuous spikes of stress – rather than a single spike and then a plateau. This means you’re more likely to experience heart abnormalities with cocaine than with a stimulant that you only take once.  In addition, because cocaine has a half life of about 60 minutes, people typically increase the amount of cocaine in their system with each follow-up dose, even if they don’t intend to.

Stroke

Cocaine is a significant contributor to stroke, although the mechanism of how is poorly understood. However, it causes increased blood pressure and stimulates the central nervous system. This can result in a stroke which may result in partial paralysis or even death.

Overdose

Cocaine was involved in 1 in 5 overdose deaths in 2019. While it pales in comparison to heavier drugs like fentanyl, cocaine can be significantly dangerous. In fact, some 16,000 Americans died in 2019 with cocaine in their system. Often, those cocaine-related overdoses included either very large amounts of cocaine or a mixture of cocaine and another drug. Of these, cocaine and alcohol is the most common, as both of these drugs are common. However, mixing cocaine with another drug can increase the potency and the bad side effects of each, meaning it’s much more likely to suffer an overdose.

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Toxicity or Poisoning

Cocaine-induced cardiotoxicitywoman poisoned by cocaine overdose happens when too much cocaine collects in the heart and cardiovascular system. The result is quite-often sudden death. This happens because cocaine permeates the membrane tissues of the cardiovascular system, forcing oxygen out. If you use too much, it can result in reduced oxygen in the heart and sudden death. Most importantly, there is not a way to actually predict that happening before it does.

However, cocaine can also cause more traditional toxicity and poisoning if it is cut with toxic material. For example, some dealers will cut cocaine with baby powder or talc. Consuming small quantities of this won’t really harm you. However, in larger doses these and other substances can cause significant toxicity, which can result in shock and even poisoning.

Other Dangers of Cocaine

Cocaine can be significantly dangerous, even when it doesn’t kill you. This means it’s important to be careful with cocaine even in small doses. In addition, cocaine can cause significant and lasting damage to your mental and physical health, which can decrease your quality of life.

Addiction

An estimated 1.4 million people or almost 30% of all cocaine users have a cocaine use disorder. This means that they are mentally and physically addicted to the substance, show signs of withdrawal, and show seeking behavior – where they prioritize cocaine over responsibilities, family, friends, and other things they care about. That behavioral addiction often requires significant therapy intervention to treat and if left alone, can mean years of spiraling substance abuse.

Paranoia and Anxiety

Cocaine usage affects dopamine reuptake in the brain. This often means that dopamine production raises significantly in the short term and the body responds to this by producing less dopamine. As a result, long-term users may start to experience side-effects of anxiety, paranoia, anxiety attacks, and even panic attacks. These symptoms are often a result of chemistry changes in the brain, meaning they can be persistent and can last for years or permanently, even if you quit using cocaine.

Cardiac Complications

Cocaine usage can result in long-term side-effects and damage to the heart. Here, common cardiac complications include arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and coronary artery disease. Each of these diseases is not fatal on its own. However, they do increase chance of early death, decrease quality of life, and increase need for medical care over your lifetime. In addition, they increase the risks of further cocaine usage, because they weaken your heart, meaning you’re more likely to have heart problems.

Getting Help

Cocaine is never safe to use recreationally. The drug causes short-term euphoria and can make you feel good, energetic, and even powerful. Yet, it causes physical harm to your body, increases your risk of death, increases your risk of mental and physical health problems, and decreases your quality of life. If you are using anyway, you are putting yourself at risk, and knowingly. That often means you can benefit from therapy and help getting off the drug, treating the underlying reasons behind substance abuse, so you can recover and get your life back.

If you or your loved-one struggles from alcoholism or other substance abuse please contact us today and speak with one of our experienced and professional intake advisors about our detox, partial hospitalization, and residential treatment programs. 10 Acre Ranch also has specialty tracks like our pet friendly drug rehab and couples substance abuse treatment programs. We’re here to help you recover.

Can Couples Go to Rehab Together?

Can couples go to rehab together?

Deciding to get sober is the first step in a journey that can lead to a life better than you can imagine. However, it’s a decision that’s not always easy, and sometimes it’s complicated by your relationships. If you and your partner have been using drugs and alcohol together, you may wonder how to quit using drugs and alcohol while keeping the relationship. Your relationship may have problems that may have been caused or worsened by both of your drug use. It may all feel very overwhelming, and you may not even know if your partner has any interest in getting sober. The first step is to ask them, If your partner also wants to get sober, your next question may be can couples go to rehab together, and the answer is yes.  At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand a couple wanting to get sober and have the programs in place to help you beat addiction together. 

Can Couples Go to Rehab Together? 

Recovering from addiction while trying to repair relationships is hard enough. It might be more complicated when you and your partner are recovering at the same time. That is why couples can go to rehab together. Couples drug rehab allows each of you to get the individual treatment you need while also working on your relationship. You will both work through your individual treatment at your own pace, but there will be opportunities to come together to do the relationship work as well. Your addictions have harmed you both as individuals and within your relationship. Going to treatment together will allow you to understand better how your relationship has been affected and how to move forward. You can work together to support each other’s recovery plans while you mend your relationship. 

Pros of Couples Treatment

Successful relationships require commitment and attention. Like a neglected lawn that gets overrun by weeds, your relationship will be taken over by the issues you ignore. Adding addiction into the mix only serves to complicate the problems and create more unrest in your relationship. Going to treatment together enables you to start clearing away the debris while you are building a firm foundation for your sobriety. By attending treatment together, you will be able to work on your sobriety and your relationship in a safe, supportive environment. You will each understand the work that the other has done within rehab. Attending rehab together allows you to work on your relationship while progressing in your recovery rather than waiting until you have finished treatment. Together you can build firm foundations for your recovery and your revitalized relationship. While you are both responsible for your individual sobriety, you can support each other throughout. Couples who engage in therapy together report a significant reduction in substance use and increased satisfaction in their relationships.  

Cons of Couples Treatment

We understand the value that you place on your relationship. However, we also know it’s essential you put your recovery first. Going to rehab together can make that difficult, especially if your relationship is filled with unhealthy behaviors. Many relationships that revolve around addiction are also wrought with codependency, making it very challenging to focus on your own recovery. Completing rehab together is a possibility, but you have to evaluate if it’s the best decision for you as an individual. Sometimes you have to take a step back from your relationship to work on yourself alone. Our treatment staff can help you determine the best course for you. 

Get Help Today at 10 Acre Ranch

At 10 Acre Ranch, we’ve provided Southern California with expert and caring addiction treatment for over 25 years.  Our mission is to rebuild lives, restore families, and improve communities. We are one of the leading rehab facilities in California.  We provide a warm and welcoming environment where we tailor healing to the whole person. We are committed to helping you break the destructive cycle of isolation that many develop during active addiction. 

Contact us today and let us help you with your addiction!  

Empowering Your Partner With Couples Addiction Recovery

a couple having deep conversation during sunset

Struggling with addiction is hard enough. Add in being in a relationship with someone who is also struggling with addiction, and it’s even more challenging. Addiction complicates even the best of relationships. It’s hard to know what problems are tied to your addiction and what problems are just the relationship itself. If your partner has no interest in getting sober, you might be facing the end of your relationship. But, if you both realize that you have a problem with drugs and alcohol, you might wonder if there’s a way forward for you together. The short answer is yes. You can get sober and support each other through couples’ addiction recovery empowerment.  At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand your wanting to find your way to sobriety together, and we have programs in place to help you get on the road to recovery as partners. 

What Is Couples Addiction Recovery Empowerment?

Addiction recovery is challenging and complex work. Completing this work within a relationship adds another layer. Couples addiction recovery empowerment enables you both to recognize the work that each of you must do to recover as individuals so that you can continue in your relationship. Instead of going to different treatment centers, you can attend treatment at the same facility. With individualized treatment plans, you will each progress through treatment at your own pace. However, you will also have the opportunity to go to therapy together to examine how your addictions have affected your relationship. Doing this in a safe and therapeutic setting offers you the chance to heal as individuals and as a couple. 

Why Is Couples Addiction Recovery Empowerment Important?

Being in a romantic relationship can present challenges. Struggling with addiction and being in a relationship is a recipe for disaster.  Seeking treatment together can enable you to heal yourselves and build a solid foundation for your future in recovery. Couples addiction recovery empowerment allows you to experience rehab similarly by being in the same treatment center while you empower your partner to heal themselves at their own individual pace. At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand how meaningful your relationship is to you, but we also know how important you work through your individual addictions. While there may be overlap in your treatment plans, there will also be room for individual needs. 

You will likely both start by detoxing, and you may do this separately.  Detox is not a pleasant experience. It may not serve your relationship or your recovery to go through detox together. However, you will likely reunite after detox as you both begin to do the work of building a life and a stronger relationship in recovery. We know you’re in this together, and we’re here to empower you and your relationship with treatment plans that prepare you to move forward as a sober couple.  Instead of sharing your addiction, you can begin to share your recovery as a part of your relationship. Researchers have found that couples who participated in treatment and therapy together have a greater chance of remaining abstinent from using drugs. Additionally, couples who work together in recovery often have stronger and more satisfying relationships with each other and with their children.  Finding your way out of addiction is a positive move for you and everyone you love. 

Get Help Today With Addiction at 10 Acre Ranch

We’ve been providing Southern California with expert and caring addiction treatment for over twenty-five years. At 10 Acre Ranch, our mission is to rebuild lives, restore families, and improve communities. As one of the leading rehab facilities in California, we provide a welcoming environment for you to begin your recovery. We know how hard it is to break the destructive cycle of isolation that so often occurs in addiction. With a tailored treatment plan, we’ll partner with you to heal you holistically. Contact us today and let us help you with your addiction!  

The Truth About Meth Addiction Recovery

What is the truth about meth addiction recovery

The sad truth about methamphetamine is that it is a highly addictive drug that is difficult to recover from. Meth is so addictive because it produces a euphoric feeling, increased energy, and alertness. However, it also speeds up the body’s systems and changes how the brain functions. Chronic meth use can cause permanent damage to both the body and the brain. It is these changes to the brain that make meth addiction recovery so complex. Complex doesn’t have to mean impossible, though; people do recover from meth addiction.  At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand how hard it is to recover from meth addiction, but we also know how to set you up for success to do just that.  

Steps to Be Taken to Pursue Meth Addiction Recovery

The first step in recovering from any addiction is to admit that you have a problem. If you don’t think you are addicted to meth, it doesn’t matter if your parents, partner, or friends think you are. Accepting that you have an addiction and wanting help are the cornerstones of meth addiction recovery. You have to want it. 

Once you decide to get sober, the next step is finding a treatment center. Do some research and make sure that the facility you choose has expertise with meth addiction. Not all addictions are the same, and you want to know that those helping you are experienced with helping people break free from your drug of choice. Researchers have found that behavioral therapies are the most effective treatments for meth addiction recovery. You’ll want a treatment program that employs experienced, professional staff that relies on evidence-based strategies for treating your addiction. Researchers have also found that a combination of interventions is most effective. Interventions might include behavioral therapy, family education, individual counseling, peer support recovery groups, drug testing, and more. 

Meth addiction recovery isn’t just about taking away the meth; it’s also about adding new activities and new tools. Your life has likely become all about finding and using meth. Once you remove the drug use, you’ll find that you have a great deal of free time. Boredom is the enemy of the addict, especially in early recovery. Therefore, you’ll want to find things to do. Perhaps there is a hobby you had before you found meth or one you’ve always wanted to try. Maybe it’s time to find a part-time or full-time job. It may just be reconnecting with the family and friends that you lost while using. Whatever it is, look for things that keep you engaged with life without meth. 

Treatment for your addiction doesn’t necessarily end when you leave rehab. Attending peer support recovery groups is not only a way to continue doing the work of recovery. It is also another way to help keep yourself occupied. When your rehab treatment is complete, attending aftercare enables you to test out the skills you will have learned in rehab. The early days of recovery can be incredibly challenging, and you may feel more vulnerable when you first leave rehab. Aftercare allows you to have an additional layer of support while you are in the early days.  

Benefits of Going to 10 Acre Ranch for Rehab

At 10 Acre Ranch, we’ve been providing Southern California with expert addiction treatment for nearly three decades.  Our mission is to rebuild lives, restore families, and improve communities. We are one of the leading rehab facilities in California and offer a wide range of programs that will meet your needs.  We are experts in helping people safely detox and stop using meth.  We provide a warm and welcoming environment where we integrate the treatment to heal the whole person. We are committed to helping you break free from active addiction and build a life in recovery.  Contact us today and let us help you with your addiction!  

How Is Addiction a Disease?

How Is addiction a disease?

Views on drug and alcohol addiction have changed over time. While it was originally thought that addiction was a moral failing, much research has been done to disprove that theory. Later many thought it was purely a biological disease, but that view was also not complete. Today, many addiction experts view addiction through a biopsychosocial model that encompasses the biological, psychological, and social factors that lead to addiction. Using this model has allowed for new approaches for understanding and treating addiction. At 10 Acre Ranch, we understand that addiction cannot be viewed in a tunnel and we are here to help you break free from your addiction in a holistic way. 

The Science Behind Addiction

The biopsychosocial model of addiction recognizes that your addiction doesn’t happen in a vacuum.  It takes into account the potential genetic factors behind addiction and adds psychological and social factors. Social factors include things like the environment in which you were raised, the social norms, and your relationships. For example, if you were raised in an environment where using drugs was normalized as a way to cope, you will likely view using drugs in that way. Likewise, if your social circle relies on drug use as a way of socializing, you will see it in that way. Psychological factors include any co-occurring mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. It can also include a history of trauma and any resulting PTSD. Biological factors focus on the genetic component of addiction and brain changes that occur from things like trauma. Having relatives with a history of addiction or other mental health disorders increases your risk for the same. It is the coming together of these three areas that create the possibility of addiction.  Understanding these factors helps with the successful treatment of addiction. 

How Does One Become an Addict?

While no one truly knows why one person becomes an addict and another does not, there is enough research available to draw some conclusions. Being genetically predisposed to addiction puts you at a greater risk of becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol. However, it’s not a guarantee. Some individuals grow up around addicted family members and never use drugs and alcohol. Others begin using at an early age and never look back. Additionally, a genetic link is not a requirement. There are many who find themselves facing addiction who have no history of addiction within their family tree. The road to addiction can be viewed as a perfect storm between the different risk factors and the use of drugs and alcohol. If you never picked up a drug or a drink, it would not matter if you had all of the risk factors for addiction. 

What Is the Best Way to Get Help With Addiction?

Everyone’s path into addiction is a little bit different and the same is true of the road out. How your road out of addiction is paved will depend on the drugs you’ve used, your patterns of use, any co-occurring disorders, and more. At 10 Acre Ranch, we’ve been providing Southern California with expert and caring addiction treatment for over 25 years.  We understand addiction and we know how to treat it. Our mission is to rebuild lives, restore families, and improve communities. We are one of the leading rehab facilities in California and offer a wide range of programs that will meet your needs.  We provide a warm and welcoming environment where we tailor healing to the whole person. We are committed to helping you break free from active addiction.  Contact us today and let us help you with your addiction!  

What is Kratom? Cutting Edge Treatment, or Addictive Drug?

kratom-treatment-addiction

UPDATED APRIL 14TH, 2020

As the opioid epidemic rages in the United States, the Food & Drug Administration has issued new warnings about kratom. Many people have begun talking about this widely used, natural supplement and its benefits and potential risks. Native to Southeast Asia and a member of the coffee family, kratom is seen by many as an all-natural supplement to help in a myriad of physical and mental ailments. Some of the purported uses include treatment for:

  • Pain-management
  • Opioid withdrawal symptom relief
  • Depression
  • Obesity & high blood pressure
  • Anxiety
  • As an energy boost

kratom-herbal-supplement-FDA-warnings
Is kratom dangerous? Many scientists and government agencies say yes.

But many scientists and the FDA disagree with these claims. In a statement from September 11, 2018, FDA chairman Scott Gottlieb, M.D. claims:

Science and evidence matter in demonstrating medical benefit, especially when a product is being marketed to treat serious diseases like opioid use disorder (OUD). However, to date, there have been no adequate and well-controlled scientific studies involving the use of kratom as a treatment for opioid use withdrawal or other diseases in humans. Nor have there been studies on how kratom, when combined with other substances, may impact the body, its dangers, potential side effects, or interactions with other drugs.”

While there may have not been adequate study to substantiate either side of these claims, many leading scientists and addiction specialists are championing the concerns as expressed by the FDA.

To begin, the agency claims that kratom contains opioids, which is not entirely true, yet the relationship is virtually undeniable. Mitragyna speciosa is a tree related to the coffee plant, which is not from the poppy family, but according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), some compounds found in kratom affect opioid receptors in the brain. Perhaps this is why many sufferers of opiate addiction swear by its usefulness in helping manage their withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, the reasons for this are certainly indicative of the strong potential for addiction to kratom. Because kratom affects the same brain receptors as opioids do, it is essentially like substituting one opioid addiction for another one.

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Kratom exhibits a high potential for abuse and can lead to further opioid addiction.

In a study published by Addiction Biology in June of 2018, one of the two psychoactive compounds in Kratom, 7-hydroxymitragynine (or 7-HMG) has a “high abuse potential that may also increase the intake of other opiates”. The study showed that the other of the 2 psychoactive constituents, Mitragynine (MG) does not have a high potential for abuse and can actually decrease subsequent opiate intake. Since kratom is a plant, certain strains can be bred to intentionally have more 7-HMG than occurs naturally, so someone that uses kratom should be warned. The harvesting and extraction of the plant before it is packaged can also be adulterated to some extent. This could pose dangerous consequences to unsuspecting users of kratom extracts and supplements.

The safety of kratom is a major concern that has been taken into account by the FDA. In November 2017 the FDA claimed that kratom was responsible for 44 deaths since 2011. These reports hold true the assessment that kratom is an addictive drug, with a high potential for abuse that can create various health problems, including death.

These same government agencies are also warning that kratom can deter people from seeking medication-assisted treatment (MAT) such as buprenorphine, naloxone and methadone. These substance abuse treatment medications are scientifically proven to reduce opioid dependence in addicts:

“Patients who were using opioid agonist medications at the 18-month interview were more than twice as likely to report abstinence as those who were not (80.0 percent versus 36.6 percent).”National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

With this evidence aside, many people are currently using kratom as a self-administered, step-down treatment for opioid dependence. They might think this will help them steer away from opioid drugs like heroin, yet there is no research-based evidence to back up these claims.

kratom-benefits-addiction-withdrawal-symptoms-drug-treatment
Many people claim an array of benefits from kratom, yet the research is limited.

Kratom is fairly unregulated in the US and as a result potential dangers associated with the product certainly do exist. For instance, nine of the 44 kratom-related deaths the FDA claims in their report, were from a string of overdoses in Sweden, where a mixture of kratom and tramadol (4) was the culprit.

While the FDA tries to classify kratom as an opiate, they may be only partially right. Compounds in the plant affect the same areas of the brain as poppy-based opiates do. The compounds in the plant have been shown to trigger respiratory depression, much like opioids do. This affects the brains’ ability to tell the lungs to breathe and is ultimately how many people die from opioid overdoses. They simply quit breathing, which can result in their untimely death.

Withdrawal symptoms associated with kratom further prove its addictive properties.

Just like most other drugs, kratom can result in a chemical dependency, when taken over a period of time. When a person quits using kratom, they can experience painful withdrawal symptoms. The side effects of kratom withdrawal can include: anxiety, aggression, nausea, vomiting, irritability, depression and even seizures.

Kratom is an absolutely harmful drug whose dangerous risks far outweigh any perceived benefits. Poison control center calls concerning kratom increased ten fold from 2010 to 2015. Just like other drugs, kratom must be taken in higher and higher doses to produce the desired effects over any period of use. Your body can develop a tolerance to kratom much like it can for opioids.

Since the market is relatively unregulated, different batches of kratom can be wildly different from the next, even when it comes from the same brand. This is why many kratom consumers themselves, actually advocate for better regulation of the supplement. They want whole, pure leaf supplements that are not adulterated with other compounds, as these mixtures can be extremely dangerous.

While kratom exhibits a potential for abuse and addiction, many people still make illegitimate claims on the benefits of the plant. Some people are led to believe that it can help treat opioid addiction, then they find themselves addicted to kratom. Hopefully with more research being done, we can fully understand the potential dangers of this natural supplement.