Is Cocaine a Stimulant or Depressant? Myths and Differences

Is cocaine a stimulant or depressant? This is a common question considering the serious effects cocaine has on the brain and the body. While some drugs induce sleep and slow the nervous system down, others increase its activity, producing high alertness and energy. In this article we will discuss whether cocaine is classified as a stimulant or depressant, how it works, and how it affects mental and physical health. 

Forms of Cocaine: 

The demand for cocaine is increasing day by day, generating billions of dollars of revenue for cartels. Cocaine has a global market run by illegal networks originating in South American countries like Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia. This increased demand is met with the availability of different forms of cocaine. But most of the cocaine smuggled into the United States comes in the form of a white powder. This powdered cocaine can be smoked, snorted, or injected into the bloodstream. Cocaine also comes in the form of a rock crystal termed ‘crack cocaine.’  

• Powdered Cocaine: This form of cocaine produces a slower but long-lasting high. It is typically snorted or injected using syringes. Some dealers mix cocaine with other white powders like flour, baking powder, or cornstarch to increase its quantity and their profits

• Crack Cocaine: It is heated to produce a smoke, which in turn is inhaled, unlike cocaine, which is snorted. Some addicts use the crushed rock as an addition to other drugs like marijuana or tobacco. The name crack cocaine comes from the crack sound it makes when heated.  

Why is cocaine highly addictive? 

Cocaine directly affects our central nervous system. It blocks the uptake of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure and motivation, which results in a sudden increase in energy levels and alertness. Unlike other drugs that slow down the nervous system, cocaine works oppositely, increasing the activity and motivation. The high usually comes with a rush of energy and a state of euphoria, leaving the body craving for more.  

Cocaine addicts are distraught by the transient effects of it and compensate for this by increasing the amount of cocaine snorted to extend its timing. This results in their body developing a tolerance against cocaine, so they have to increase the frequency, resulting in a vicious cycle of cocaine abuse, sometimes leading to cocaine overdose. 

What’s the Difference Between Stimulant and Depressant Drugs?

Drugs are generally divided into three distinct categories, namely stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. Before you start using one, it is very important to know their effects on overall health because abusing drugs can have serious ramifications. Almost seven to nine thousand Americans die due to wrong medication doses or prescriptions. It doesn’t matter if the drug is prescribed or not; one should be aware of its effects on the human body. 

Before we get into the debate about whether cocaine is a stimulant or depressant, it’s important to understand the difference between the two. Here’s a short but detailed difference between them.

Stimulant Drugs:

This category includes the drugs that increase the CNS activity, therefore producing the effects of high energy and alertness. This results in an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. A feeling of euphoria has also been reported after a dose of a stimulant drug. This is followed by  feelings of anxiety and aggression. The stimulant drugs can sometimes also improve cognitive function and keep the mind focused.

Common stimulants include:

• Caffeine
• Meth
• Nicotine

Depressant Drugs:

Depressants, sometimes called downers, work as antagonists to stimulants. These reduce brain activity and slow down activity of the central nervous system. They decrease mental and physical activity, therefore producing the effects of calmness, relaxation, and sleepiness. Long-term abuse of depressants can cause reduced breathing rate, cognitive malfunction, and respiratory disorders. 

Common depressants include:

• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines
• Heroin

Is Cocaine a Stimulant or Depressant?

Cocaine is categorized as a stimulant, which are the drugs that increase the central nervous system activity. As a stimulant, cocaine is often used to make the mood better and increase alertness and energy.

Cocaine works by entering the bloodstream quickly and passing the blood-brain barrier. As it reaches the brain, it stimulates the release of dopamine. It replicates the dopamine receptor in the reward center of the brain, which results in an intense state of euphoria.

Cocaine’s ability to increase energy levels and central nervous system activity places it in the stimulant drug category. Cocaine belongs to the stimulant group for a number of reasons; some of them are:

Effects: Dopamine, a neurotransmitter found in the reward and pleasure center of the brain, is increased in response to cocaine. The feeling of euphoria and high energy levels linked to cocaine are caused by this dopamine spike.

Mechanism: Cocaine stops the brain from reabsorbing the dopamine by blocking its reuptake. The dopamine amount in the blood is increased as a result, giving cocaine, a stimulant, the characteristic high levels of energy and alertness.

Comparison: Cocaine’s position as a stimulant is further supported by the similar mode of actions and effects to other stimulants, such as amphetamines and caffeine.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that although cocaine initially has energizing effects, it also has long-term depressing effects. The immediate crash phase that follows the first high is a testament to this.

Cocaine addiction also interferes with the brain’s natural reward system, making it harder to find pleasure in routine tasks and exacerbating depressive symptoms. All of this concludes that cocaine is a stimulant, not a depressant.

Why Some People Think Cocaine is a Depressant:

There is significant evidence to suggest that cocaine is a stimulant, yet there’s a popular misconception about it being a depressant. There are multiple reasons for this, but some of them are listed below: 

The After-High Crash:

During its active period, cocaine forms strong feelings of elation and energy, but these effects are transient as they fade away after some time. After it wears off, users suffer a severe crash that includes sadness, depression, and exhaustion. Many people believe cocaine has comparable qualities to depressive substances because of this abrupt emotional and physical decline.

Emotional Burden:

After the coke leaves the system, cocaine addicts feel mood shifts, including melancholy, despair, or anxiety. These depressed symptoms might seem like the ones caused by depressant drugs like alcohol or benzodiazepines.

Confusing Withdrawal Symptoms: 

The fact that many individuals mistakenly believe that the drug’s pharmacological classification is the same as its withdrawal symptoms is another reason contributing to the misconception. Sleep pattern changes, low energy, and emotional distress are common withdrawal symptoms of cocaine. Although they are also frequently associated with depressant drugs.

Mental Breakdown due to Cocaine:

Cocaine can occasionally cause psychosis, violent behavior, hallucinations, or paranoia. This misperception is promoted by the fact that these effects are misinterpreted as indications of emotional distress. In reality, cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant during its active phase, even though it causes depressed symptoms following its use.

Health Risks of Cocaine Use:

Cocaine addiction seriously affects your physical and mental health. The longer someone abuses cocaine, the more severe and dangerous the effects are. Regular cocaine abuse alters  the brain chemistry of an individual. The following are a few possible health risks of cocaine use:

• Anxiety
• Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
• Muscle tremors and Twitches
• Fear and suspicion
• Convulsions
• Stroke
• Cognitive Impairment

Significant health problems and even overdose can result from cocaine use. The fact that the drug can be combined with other drugs is another factor contributing to the dangers and increasing risks. Combining cocaine with alcohol or heroin increases the chance of overdosing and serious implications. The common misperception that taking a stimulant and a depressant together might balance each other out and lower the dangers is totally wrong. This is untrue, and it can have fatal consequences in addition to irreversible damage to the brain and body.

All of this is preventable if you can join a rehab center for addiction treatment. Our rehab center in Florida provides a comprehensive treatment program tailored to your needs. Join now and start your journey towards an addiction-free, healthy life.  

What are the Short Term and Long Term Effects of cocaine?

Short-Term Effects:

When cocaine enters the bloodstream, it attaches to dopamine receptors in the brain, causing them to produce an unusual amount of dopamine, according to research published in the National Library of Medicine. This creates an intense euphoric effect or pleasure feeling, which is why people develop cocaine addiction. Additional short-term consequences include the increased heart rate and blood pressure, anxiety, and irritability. 

 Long-Term Effects:

Long-term cocaine use can alter the structure of decision centers of brain areas, leading to intense cravings. This results in difficulty in making rational decisions and thus flawed judgments. The feeling of euphoria caused by the cocaine is followed by a sudden crash of mood leading to depressive and suicidal thoughts. Frequent cocaine usage can also cause auditory hallucinations and nosebleeds. Some people have reported permanent loss of sense of smell due to cocaine snorting. 

Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms:

Cocaine withdrawal occurs when a chronic cocaine misuser stops doing cocaine and tries to decrease the frequency of usage. This can happen to both regular and episodic cocaine users. Withdrawal shows the physical dependence the brain and body have developed for the drug. The symptoms and their intensity vary by individual and several other factors. 

Cocaine dependence develops at different rates for every individual. It depends on the genetics of each person how quickly they become physically dependent on it.   

Although these symptoms are generally not fatal or medically dangerous, they can be unsettling. A few of these symptoms are:

• Fatigue and Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Increased Appetite 
• Depression
• Slowed Physical and Mental Functioning

Cocaine Addiction Treatment:

You can recover from cocaine addiction, and appropriate treatment can help a person get better while managing the withdrawal symptoms. Our cocaine addiction treatment in Florida offers inpatient and outpatient programs, including behavioral therapies. If a person doesn’t receive treatment at the right time, cocaine addiction can result in serious health implications. But with the right treatment any type of addiction, including cocaine addiction, is treatable.