Uppers or downers –these are street or slang names used to group different drugs according to the effect they have on the body. Stimulants are uppers while depressants are downers. In this article, we will answer the question is cocaine an upper or a downer?
Cocaine is one of the most well-known and widely abused stimulant drugs out there. This makes it an upper. Derived from the coca plant, cocaine is a powerful stimulant that directly affects the brain and the central nervous system, making it also highly addictive.
As soon as it’s taken, it speeds up the central nervous system, giving the user a euphoric high while increasing their energy and alertness. This is why it’s classed as an upper. Cocaine’s stimulating effect is so effective that it can cause notable personality changes in users. Someone who is normally shy and retiring can become more talkative and confident after a hit.
Cocaine’s Stimulant Effect
What makes cocaine an upper?
Almost as soon as you take cocaine, a flood of dopamine is released in the brain, giving you an energizing high. Dopamine is a “feel good” chemical and it amps up the body’s physical and mental processes leading to increased excitement and activity in the body. As a result, your heart rate and blood pressure speed up, your body temperature increases, breathing becomes more rapid and you may experience increased mental alertness and energy levels. The drug also inhibits tiredness so you may find it difficult to sleep or rest.
Since cocaine can suppress your appetite while speeding up your metabolism, long-term use may lead to malnutrition and weight loss.
Unfortunately, the euphoric feeling fades away after a while, and as you start coming down from the high, you may experience some unpleasant symptoms. These include loss of energy, sluggishness, and fatigue as well as paranoia, anxiety, and depression. Some people even experience suicidal thoughts. Along with all these is a severe craving for the drug and most users end up abusing cocaine in what’s known as a crash-and-bingeing pattern. They take a hit, get high then crash and use it again to avoid crashing.
Seek Treatment Today
It is important to seek professional help if you’re worried about a loved one’s addiction to cocaine.
At Evolve Indy drug rehab center in Indiana, we offer a range of treatment programs that can help you or your loved one break free of cocaine addiction. Our drug treatment professionals have years of experience and will work with you every step of your treatment journey.
Our Partial Hospitalization Program is ideal for those seeking intensive cocaine addiction treatment without staying overnight at the rehab center. We also have Intensive Outpatient as well as regular Outpatient Programs for those who want to receive treatment while still living at home. Additionally, we offer a Family Therapy Program to help reconnect families that have been torn apart by addiction
Get in touch with us today to find out more about our drug addiction treatment programs.