Thread by @sindivanzyl

I see the TL is ready for this thread

I'll do a short medical thread over the weekend

https://twitter.com/sindivanzyl/status/947971872653791233

What is #cocaine ?

• potent stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant which is native to South America - mostly grown in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru

Nicknames: coke, blow, snow, powder

What does #cocaine look like?

• fine, white powder

• snorted, rubbed on gums, dissolved and injected into the body

What does #cocaine look like?

• rocks known as crack cocaine

• made by "cooking" cocaine powder with baking powder

• heated up and smoked

• very potent

What does #cocaine look like?

• freebase coke

• cocaine powder dissolved in water + base product + solvent

• very potent

• declined in use over the years

How does #cocaine work?

• #dopamine is one of four brain chemicals that are responsible for our happiness

• #dopamine helps to regulate movement, attention, learning, and emotional responses

How does #cocaine work?

• #dopamine enables us to see rewards

• #dopamine motivates us to take action in achieving happiness

Cocaine works by INCREASING the levels of dopamine in the brain

Cocaine FLOODS your brain with dopamine

So you're happy happy happy

What is the problem with the #cocaine happy?

• it is short-lived

• eventually you need stronger and more frequent doses to achieve the same high

• this leads to addiction and sadly sometimes overdose

What are the short-term effects of #cocaine on the body?

• extreme happiness

• lots of energy

• mental alertness

• you do everything quicker

HOWEVER the effects are short-lived hence you need more cocaine to "maintain" the effects ----> ADDICTION

What are the other effects of #cocaine on the body?

• depression as you come down from the #dopamine high

• loss of appetite leading to weight loss

• disturbed sleeping patterns

• irritability

• anxiety

• paranoia

• psychosis

• tactile hallucinations

#Cocaine also does the following:

• increases your heart rate

• raises your blood pressure

• raises your body temperature

• contracts your blood vessels

• increases your breathing rate

• reduces your decision-making ability

#Cocaine use places your life in danger because of the risk of overdose

Why?

Drug dealers "cut" cocaine to make a larger batch

Cutting = adding anything that comes in a white powder form e.g. laundry detergent

You take more cocaine to achieve the dopamine high ---> overdose

Some dealers cut #cocaine with other stimulants

Again, your life is in danger because of the risk of overdose

What do #cocaine users look like?

Like me and you

Many of the signs and symptoms of cocaine use can be hidden well and missed by others

Who doesn't want to be on call with an energetic doctor? Who doesn't want to work with an enthusiastic banker?

What about "functional" #cocaine use?

Unless your #dopamine neurotransmitters are special and different from everyone else's, you are going to walk the walk to addiction

How do you get help for #cocaine addiction?

I refer patients to Houghton House houghtonhouse.co.za

Another good resource is #SANCA

They have centres around the country

sancanational.info

@ThutontleJ