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Tag: Cocaine

Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and stimulant drug obtained primarily from the leaves of two coca species native to South America, Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense. It is most commonly used as a recreational drug and euphoriant.

Can You Potentiate Xanax?

Xanax, or alprazolam, is a very powerful benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorders and can even be used as a muscle relaxant during medical procedures. It was created to take the place of barbiturates believing benzos would be less addictive. However, this is far from the truth. It is extremely addictive when used long term. Xanax is the most commonly prescribed Benzodiazepine in the United States. According to the NIH:

Between 1996 and 2013, the number of adults who filled a benzodiazepine prescription increased by 67%, from 8.1 million to 13.5 million. In 2015, 23 percent of people who died of an opioid overdose also tested positive for benzodiazepines.

Benzodiazepines such as Xanax are not typically primary drugs that are abused. This means they are commonly used in combination with other drugs. They are commonly mixed with narcotic pain medications, alcohol, stimulants, and illegal opiates such as heroin.

Can You Potentiate Xanax?

Potentiation of Xanax

When a user mixes two or more different drugs at the same time, they heighten the risk of experiencing effects that are different than what they would feel taking a drug individually. There are different kinds of reactions a person will have depending on what is mixed together. The four major groups are:

  • Antagonism: This happens when one drug reduces the effect of another drug. For example, taking Xanax while taking cocaine at the same time will reduce the effects of both the cocaine and the Xanax taken.
  • Synergism: This happens when two or more drugs work jointly to produce a therapeutic effect.
  • Interactions: With a person, metabolism will occur in multiple places in the body and can either facilitate or slow down the elimination of the drug from one’s system.
  • Potentiation: Happens when the effects of one drug strengthen the effects of another drug. For instance, taking Xanax with alcohol will produce and enhancement of the depressant effects in both things that are taken.

The potentiation of Xanax occurs when a person abuses Xanax with other central nervous system depressants mixed in for a synergetic effect. This can include drugs like narcotic pain medications, alcohol, sedatives, cannabis, and other benzo products. When taken on their own, central nervous system depressants result in reduced blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and reaction time that will result in effects such as poor coordination, poor balance, impaired reflexes, and impaired judgment. When taking central nervous system depressants with other depressants, you will potentiate these effects. Different potentiating effects are depending on the doses of each drug. It is important to know that the amount of a drug that can produce an overdose is decreased when combined with other central nervous system depressants.

Get Help Now With Xanax Addiction

If you or someone you love are ready to take the necessary steps to get sober, the best way to start is with a medically assisted detox process. Due to the brains rewiring after prolonged use, withdrawal symptoms can be extremely intense and even deadly when you abruptly stop. These symptoms include seizures, coma, hallucinations, muscle pain, and cramping, and even suicidal thoughts, to name a few. Medical detox is always recommended and your doctors will come up with the best plan for you to safely detox the benzos from your system.

Once you have detoxed, the best and safest option to get off of and stay off Benzodiazepines is by the use of one of the many treatment programs we offer at Recreate Life Counseling We offer many different treatment programs that provide therapeutic education and guidance for each individual to help them safely reintegrate into society. With the help of our team of therapists, we offer one on one, group therapy, as well as many other specialized options to fit each person’s needs. Benzodiazepine treatment requires a multi-layered approach for maximum success. We want to make sure you have the tools you need to avoid relapse in the real world.

Addiction isn’t an easy thing to face. Luckily you do not have to face it on your own. Our admissions counselors and professionals are available around the clock. We are ready to help you or a loved one overcome the disease of addiction. Now is the time to change your life. Let us help you do it.

FAQ

  • What potentiate’s Xanax?
  • What chemicals potentiate benzodiazepines, antagonize them or have an adverse reaction when mixed?
  • What can cause a Xanax overdose?

Published on: 2020-04-25
Updated on: 2024-04-18

What Does Snorting Cocaine Feel Like?

Cocaine, a potent central nervous system stimulant derived from coca leaves, has a long and tumultuous history. Originally utilized in the early 1900s for its anesthetic properties, it wasn’t long before its addictive nature became apparent. Today, despite its Schedule II classification indicating its high potential for abuse, cocaine remains a prevalent street drug, typically appearing as a white, powdery substance.

what does coke feel like

One of the most common methods of consuming cocaine is through snorting. This involves inhaling the powdered form through the nasal passages, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. For many users, the experience of snorting cocaine or substance use is intense and immediate.

So, what does it really feel like? What are its side effects? 

What Does a Cocaine High Feel Like?

Because cocaine is a local anesthetic, it causes numbness to the throat, mouth, and tongue when it is snorted. It can be described as tasting and smelling very chemically or much like gasoline, depending on what the cocaine is mixed with. Since this is an illegal street drug, the smell and taste can vary. In its pure form, it should smell sweet and somewhat floral. Snorting cocaine also tends to burn your nose when first inhaled before becoming numb and will drip down your throat from your nasal cavity long after it is initially snorted.

When you snort cocaine, it is described as a feeling of alertness, energy, and power. One of the main effects of cocaine use is that a person who snorts cocaine feels an intensely pleasurable feeling known as euphoria. This feeling of euphoria is short-term and generally only lasts for about 30 minutes. This feeling happens because cocaine stimulates the brain by affecting how it processes dopamine, which is associated with regulating pleasure responses. People will also feel hyper-stimulated, have reduced fatigue, be more talkative than usual, have an increased libido, be numb to physical and mental pain, and cannot comprehend the danger,

On the flip side, it is also possible to experience anxiety, agitation, restlessness, mood swings, and paranoia. Also, when cocaine is taken over a long period of time, the user can experience these opposite effects during a cocaine high, including sadness and isolation from other people.

Immediately after snorting cocaine, the user will have the following physical symptoms:

  • Dilated pupils
  • Nosebleeds 
  • Runny nose that might lead to sinus infections affecting the sense of smell
  • Constricted blood vessels
  • Increased heart rate
  • High blood pressure
  • Muscle tension
  • High body temperature resulting in increased sweat
  • Potentially diarrhea or increased bathroom use

Health Risks of Cocaine Abuse

Repeated cocaine use or other form of stimulant drug use can cause a wide variety of health effects or health problems in the user’s body and could have long-term effects. The consequences of long-term cocaine use include:

  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Chest pains
  • Hypertension
  • Headaches
  • Seizures
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Paranoia
  • Weight loss
  • Impaired thinking and cerebral atrophy
  • Bizarre or aggressive behavior
  • Heart attack or stroke

Getting Clean From Cocaine

For those struggling with cocaine addiction or cocaine users, seeking treatment is crucial. Detoxification (detox) programs can help individuals safely withdraw from cocaine and manage withdrawal symptoms, while rehabilitation programs offer therapy and support to address the underlying issues driving substance abuse. Additionally, medications, medical advice, and behavioral health therapies tailored to cocaine addiction can aid in long-term recovery and reduce the risk of relapse.

In addition to powdered cocaine, crack cocaine, a crystallized form of the drug, is also widely abused. Smoking crack delivers a rapid and intense high, often leading to compulsive use and addiction. The impact on physical and mental health can be severe, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare interventions to address the complex challenges of cocaine addiction and drug abuse.

Furthermore, addiction treatment requires a multi-layered approach for maximum success. The best and safest option to get off cocaine is using one of the many treatment programs we offer at Recreate Life Counseling, a treatment center. We provide partial care and outpatient treatment options that provide therapeutic education and guidance for each individual to help them safely reintegrate into society. With the help of our team of therapists, we offer one-on-one group therapy and many other specialized options to fit each person’s needs.

Addiction isn’t easy to face, and the health risks are not worth a short high. You do not have to face getting sober from cocaine on your own. Our admissions counselors and addiction professionals are available around the clock. We are ready to help you or a loved one overcome the disease of addiction. Now is the time to change your life. Let us help you do it!

Published on: 2020-01-13
Updated on: 2024-04-02

Do Large Doses of Imodium Get You High?

TL;DR – No, large doses of Imodium (loperamide) do not produce a “high.” Imodium is an anti-diarrheal medication and, when taken in large doses, can be dangerous and lead to serious heart problems and other adverse effects, but it does not cause euphoria like some other substances.

Loperamide also referred to by it’s over the counter brand drug name Imodium A-D is being abused by opiate addicts to counter physical withdrawal symptoms from opiate addiction. Imodium A-D is an OTC medication that helps relieve diarrhea and other abnormal gastrointestinal symptoms.

Opiate addicts are taking loperamide to lessen opioid addiction withdrawal symptoms. Although loperamide is not an opioid drug, when used in very high doses it acts on mu-opioid receptors, which are the same receptors that initiate addiction to opiates, like heroin, morphine, and fentanyl.

Loperamide has become known as the poor man’s methadone. Loperamide is taken by opiate addicts when they cannot get heroin or other opioid drugs the same way an alcoholic may drink mouthwash when they don’t have access to alcohol.

The amount of loperamide that is needed to help relieve opiate withdrawal symptoms is extremely dangerous. A normal dose of Imodium is 2 milligrams to be taken up to four times a day. A person who is attempting to take Imodium to get high is taking up to 500 milligrams a day.

What are the Effects of Imodium in High Doses?

The euphoric effects that high doses of loperamide have for an opiate addict is at best minimal. Opiate addicts have reported that taking Imodium at large doses does decrease the withdrawal symptoms but does not get them high.

At dangerous doses, loperamide crosses the blood-brain barrier, which will allow the opioid receptors to produce endorphins and other neurotransmitter reactions that cause a person to feel better. The effects of loperamide only minimize withdrawal symptoms; it does not compare to the euphoria that heroin, Fentanyl, or other opiate drugs cause.

When a person increases the dose past, what is recommended for any type of OTC drug or prescription drug, they risk enduring serious medical problems and death. The history of persons taking Imodium to get high began as early as the 1990s. The Federal Drug Administration did not class Imodium as an over the counter drug until 1988.

Do Large Doses of Imodium Get You High

Before that, it was in fact, classed as a controlled substance, not unlike cocaine or and other illegal drugs. Now that there is a greater awareness of people abusing Imodium the FDA drug safety communications announced to the public this September 2019, that they will require limits on the amounts that can be sold in the packaging of loperamide.

 9/20/2019 Update

To help address loperamide abuse and misuse, FDA approved changes to the packaging for tablet and capsule forms of the brand-name over the counter (OTC) anti-diarrheal medicines Imodium A-D, Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief, and Be Health Loperamide HCl Capsules. These changes limit each carton to no more than 48 mg of loperamide and require the tablets and capsules to be packaged in individual doses. Some individuals are taking high doses of loperamide to treat symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Loperamide acts on opioid receptors in the gut to slow the movement in the intestines and decrease the number of bowel movements. It is safe at approved doses, but when much higher than recommended doses are taken, it can lead to serious problems, including severe heart rhythm problems and death. (FDA)

What are the Imodium Abuse Side Effects?

There have been numerous reports and documentation about people damaging their hearts and bodies as a result of taking loperamide in very high doses. Numerous deaths have been documented from all over the United States from emergency rooms to poison control centers. Heart problems arise quickly for people who are taking loperamide in large doses as Loperamide affects the amount of calcium that is delivered to the heart, which regulates the functions of the heart muscle.

The greatest scare of people turning to an anti-diarrhea drug to prevent experiencing opiate addiction withdrawal symptoms is that it can kill them. They may temporarily relieve some withdrawal symptoms but will pay for it with their lives. Another tragedy of this growing trend is the misinformation about Imodium available on the internet. Websites dedicated to drug-seeking cultures are promoting Imodium, as a quick fix, but not providing all the facts that it can kill them.

Most importantly,  is that addiction is a deadly disease that causes addicts to do and take anything to get high.

The safest way to help someone with their addiction to opiates like heroin, prescription pain killers, fentanyl, and others is to have them admitted into a medically supervised detox followed by opiate addiction treatment. The programs that we offer provide very effective medications that will eliminate withdrawal symptoms and help opiate addicts recover from their addictions.

Published on: 2019-10-04
Updated on: 2024-04-18

Can You Vape Crack Cocaine?

A pressing topic circling around surrounding vaping products is the alarming inquiry into whether these devices can be utilized for the consumption of illegal substances such as crack cocaine. Vape devices, encompassing e-cigarettes, vape pens, and vaporizers or MODS, share common components, including a cartridge for containing e-liquid or e-juice, a mouthpiece, a battery, and a heating element powered by said battery. It‘s crucial to note that none of these components were designed for the inhalation of substances other than liquid nicotine or CBD oils.

Can you vape crack cocaine

Despite this, concerns have arisen regarding the potential for repurposing vape devices for the consumption of illicit drugs or crack use. With the proliferation of alternative substances, including fentanyl-laced products and THC-infused liquids, the landscape of substance abuse has become increasingly complex. This raises questions about the adaptability of vaping technology to accommodate a broader range of substances, including crack cocaine.

This emerging concern intersects with broader issues surrounding addiction treatment, harm reduction, and public health. As healthcare professionals grapple with the opioid epidemic and the rise of synthetic drugs, the potential for repurposing vaping devices for illicit drug use adds a new dimension to the crisis. Moreover, the prevalence of vaping products among high school students has raised alarms about the accessibility of such devices to vulnerable populations.

The concept of vaping crack cocaine or other illicit substances introduces a host of health risks and side effects. Beyond the immediate dangers associated with the consumption of these substances, there are also concerns about the long-term impact on mental health and cognitive function. Furthermore, the lack of regulation and oversight in the production and distribution of illicit substances exacerbates these risks, leaving users vulnerable to unpredictable concentrations and adulterants.

Vaping Crack Cocaine is a Growing Concern

The concern is that more and more young people are altering their vape devices to try and attempt to make them compatible with vaping crack and other drugs. The research that has been completed about this potentially dangerous trend is sparse. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) recently conducted a study on the ‘Use of Substances Other Than Nicotine in Electronic Cigarettes Among College Students’. A total of 1,542 undergraduate college student e-cigarette users were asked if they had ever vaped anything other than nicotine in their vape device, and the 7% of the participants said yes.

Although the results of the study were not hugely alarming, what was worrisome is that because vaping nicotine is perceived as safer than smoking tobacco, the same presumption may cross over towards hard drugs like crack, heroin, and meth.

Regarding the potential dangers of this young population using substances more dangerous than cannabis in e-cigarettes. Knowledge is limited regarding the public health impact of vaping cannabis or other illicit substances among college student populations. This study stresses the need for continued research regarding the vaping of cannabis and other illicit substances among college students… Among college-aged adults, the perception of e-cigarettes is generally favorable, and many of these young individuals are willing to experiment with e-cigarettes. This favorable perception and willingness to experiment is linked to beliefs that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Furthermore, studies have found that individuals also perceive the use of substances such as cannabis to be safer when vaporized versus combusted (NCBI).

As the drug addiction epidemic continues, we expect more research to be done in this area. The vaping trend is exploding in popularity and now is a multi-billion dollar industry. Analysts expect the growth in interest to continue for years to come as fewer young adults are smoking traditional cigarettes.

vape

Vape Devices and Other Illegal Drugs

Other less formal polls have been conducted and confirm the findings of the NCBI that young people are experimenting with illegal drugs in their vape devices. The United Kingdom’s media publication ‘The Sun’ published an article about the results of a poll conducted at Kings College in London. A solid 39% of the people polled admitted to vaping drugs other than nicotine in their vape devices.

Dr. Matthew Blundell and colleagues at King’s College London polled 861 people, e-cig users. Some 39 percent admitted vaping illegal drugs. Up to 2.6million Brits use e-cigs, so about a million may have used them illegally. Rogue substances can be added to water and then vaporized, or e-cig liquids containing drugs can be bought online. Other drugs reported as being vaped include ketamine, GHB, and LSD. (The Sun).

A vape devices do not heat crack, heroin, or meth to a high enough temperature to vaporize them. Documented attempts report that the filters in the vape devices clog and, therefore, ruin the drugs altogether. Vaping nicotine has become one the most addictive pastimes, masked as an improvement in health or lifestyle. Younger generations have been fooled into believing that vaping is less harmful and, therefore, less addictive than smoking cigarettes, but this is simply a lie. The nicotine content in vape liquids is 3-4 times higher than in a regular tobacco cigarette.

Vaping Drugs is Very Dangerous

The biggest concern about the issue of vaping and illegal drug use is developing an addiction. Crack cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs because of its instant and powerful high. Crack cocaine addicts go on binges that last for months and years at a time. The overwhelming feelings of euphoria that crack-cocaine causes are extreme, and this is why crack addicts continuously smoke crack once they start, they are forever chasing the high.

Attempting to vape anything other than what a vape device was developed for is extremely dangerous. By altering a vape device, a person risks poisoning themselves, causing irreversible lung and brain damage as well as causing permanent damage to their health. If you or someone you know is attempting to vape crack or other drugs, there is help available. Recreate Life Counseling has crack cocaine drug programs that have helped people quit and remain off crack for good.

Our programs are successful because they utilize evidence-based forms of therapy to treat crack addiction. Our cross-disciplinary team of psychiatric, medical doctors ns addiction recovery counselors works together to design an individualized treatment plan tailored to each client’s needs.

Published on: 2019-08-16
Updated on: 2024-04-23

“Calvin Klein” Drug Craze

The New York Post reported recently how there is a new cocktail drug killing our youth, and that it tragically took the life of a young violinist who was a musical prodigy. The drug has come to be known as the ‘Calvin Klein’ drug because it goes by the initials ‘CK,’ that reference the brand. CK is a cocktail drug that is a mixture of cocaine and ketamine. The young violinist died from an accidental overdose of the drug in London on Thursday, July 11th, 2019. It’s often used in the club scene by young adults that want to party longer and harder. Unfortunately, the consequences of mixing these two dangerous narcotics can be fatal.

Calvin Klein Drug Craze

Dangerous Calvin Klein Drug Craze

Per the New York Post, “Katya Tsukanova, 17, a leading musician in the UK, died of an apparent overdose from a cocaine and ketamine drug cocktail — just days after performing at the Royal Opera House in the city”. This news has prompted further investigation of how dangerous this drug is. Although more evidence is needed in how cocaine and ketamine combined affects a person’s brain, there is research on the two drugs separately.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA, classifies ketamine as a dissociative drug similar to hallucinogens. NIDA states that the reason people take dissociative drugs is to “enable them to enter into what they perceive as a more enlightened sense of thinking or being” (NIDA). Additionally, from NIDA, “Ketamine—also known as K, Special K, or cat Valium—is a dissociative currently used as an anesthetic for humans as well as animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the street has been diverted from veterinary offices. Although it is manufactured as an injectable liquid, ketamine is generally evaporated to form a powder that is snorted or compressed into pills for illicit use…” (NIDA).

Cocaine is considered a stimulant drug, and when added to ketamine, likely increases the effect of the Ketamine. Historically, cocaine has been mixed with many other drugs to enhance their effects. It is commonly mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol. Tsukanova was a victim of the lethal effects of both drugs. The New York Post reported that her father, Igor Tsukanova, said his daughter was a “smart girl, and she made one bad choice.” (NY Post).

Raising Awareness About the Calvin Klein Drug

The CK drug is a popular club drug, and like other club drugs, may continue to take lives as it continues to be sold. The DEA currently does not acknowledge the drug cocktail CK as a specific drug type but does reference cocaine and ketamine in their drug schedules. The DEA schedules drugs according to how dangerous they are “Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to make drugs are classified into five (5) distinct categories or schedules depending upon the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential… the abuse rate is a determinate factor in the scheduling of the drug; for example, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and physical dependence.” (DEA). Currently, Cocaine is listed with the DEA as a schedule II drug and Ketamine a schedule III.

The fact that a young violinist died accidentally from the mixture of cocaine and ketamine is tragic. Although most experiences with dangerous drugs do not end well, cases like this are very saddening and force us to examine what our younger generations are doing when they get together. Becoming involved and educated about the types of drugs that are available in clubs and on the street is a starting point. Additionally, adults must look for warning signs and behaviors that indicate drug use and abuse, as well as supporting laws that will limit the accessibility of these drugs to be bought over the web and by illegal prescription as in the case of Ketamine.

Published on: 2019-07-15
Updated on: 2024-04-18

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