Psychoactive drugs like cocaine affect the brain in severe ways. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant and an addictive drug, often used for recreational use. People snort cocaine, also referred to as coke, blow or rock, through the nose or rub it into their gums; others inject it into their veins or smoke it as a rock crystal in “crack” form (“Cocaine”). Cocaine affects the brain and subsequent behavior and the mental state of the user in several ways. Different routes of cocaine administration also affect the body differently, such as leading to nosebleeds, trouble with swallowing, hoarseness, weak lungs, and scarred arms with “track marks.”

Cocaine increases dopamine levels in the brain, which is a chemical directly related to rewards, punishment and movement. The drug interferes with the dopamine control mechanism, which has now been built up, and it ties up the transporter and prevents it from regulating dopamine. Long-term, cocaine alters the amount of dopamine transporters and receptors and in the limbic system, changes gene expression and changes nerve cell structure. In the short term, it makes users hypersensitive, paranoid, irritable and highly mentally and physically alert. However, large amounts of cocaine can lead to violent behavior, dilated pupils, nausea, irregular heartbeat, tremors or restlessness. A cocaine addiction can also cause mental illness and movement disorders, like Parkinson’s disease.

Cognitive functions of the body are also negatively impacted such as a loss of attention span, a loss of impulse control, memory loss, risky behaviors and poor decision making and a loss of motor function. These all lead to an altered state of consciousness, especially marked by a sensitization to cocaine, thus increasing a risk of overdose when the body needs more to feel the same level of pleasure. Chronic cocaine use increases risks of strokes, heart attacks and aortic ruptures, each of which can lead to death.