Drug Abuse Issues

October 26 2020

Cocaine and Memory Loss (Links)

Cocaine use is a critical health issue due to its high addiction potential and harmful consequences. Cocaine has various effects on the physical and mental health of users, but the relationship between cocaine and memory loss is particularly significant.

Numerous studies have shown that cocaine inflicts damage on areas of the brain essential for many cognitive functions. Compared to non-users, cocaine-users often demonstrate poor memory, attention, and decision-making skills.

However, some research has also shown that brain functions tend to improve after long-term abstinence. Quitting cocaine use and continuing to abstain can be extremely difficult.

If you or a loved one is struggling with cocaine abuse, help is out there, and we can guide you toward it. Call 480-378-0660 to discuss addiction treatment in your area and begin your journey to an addiction-free life today.

Content

Long-term cocaine abuse can affect several brain functions, including memory. The harm can be lasting, but with proper treatment, may be reversible.

How Cocaine Affects Memory
Cocaine Ages Your Brain
Is the Damage Permanent?
Further Effects on the Brain
Reversing the Damage

How Cocaine Affects Memory

Research on both animals and humans consistently demonstrates a strong relationship between the decline of cognitive functions and cocaine use. These studies suggest that regular use of the drug can affect several areas of cognitive functioning. Most significantly, short-term (or “working”) memory.

Long-term cocaine users show they lose the ability to remember even simple items.

What the Research Says

One study that demonstrated this compared the working memory of cocaine users and people who had never used cocaine. All participants had to memorize a list of letters, then indicate when presented with a letter that wasn’t on the list. MRI scans analyzed the participants’ brain activity while they completed the task.

Again, the cocaine users were much less accurate in their responses than the non-users. Their brain scans also demonstrated decreased activity in the areas responsible for memory and decision-making.

Research conducted on monkeys has also examined the memory-impairing effects of cocaine. Ultimately, it further confirms the direct relationship between cocaine use and weakened brain function.

In this study, a group of monkeys learned to self-administer cocaine based on a reward system. After just one week of regular use, researchers found the cognitive skills of the monkeys had weakened compared to a group of healthy monkeys.

Several monkeys in the cocaine-using group were unable to choose correct answers during a simple cognitive task. Additionally, the cocaine group had a harder time adapting to changes in the rules of the task. The results suggest that cocaine creates difficulties maintaining focus and attention.

Although this research did not involve humans, it still strengthens the existing research which suggests a direct link between cocaine and memory loss. Importantly, the monkeys were free of many additional outside influences that might lead a person to addiction.

Cocaine Ages Your Brain

Prolonged cocaine use mainly affects areas of the brain involved in memory and decision making. But how exactly does it achieve that? What do MRI scans tell us about the long-term effects of cocaine on the brain?

For one, prolonged cocaine use may speed up the brain’s aging process, which can significantly affect memory. Cocaine abuse is typically thought of as a young people’s problem, but it can have serious effects on older adults too. Studies show that people who abuse cocaine in their 30s and 40s display brain changes more commonly associated with people over 60. These changes also mean increased memory loss and decreased attention and reaction time.

This aging may be sped up due to accelerated shrinking of the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is involved in many important functions, including memory. Cocaine users and the elderly alike have issues with tasks requiring working memory and attention. These similarities are what led researchers to suggest that cocaine possibly ages the brain.

Evidence shows that the brains of cocaine users experience shrinkage at a rate nearly twice that of non-users. Some brain shrinkage ordinarily occurs as people grow older. But if a younger person’s brain ages too quickly, it can cause additional problems when they reach an advanced age. When older adults abuse cocaine, it speeds up the changes already being made to their brains and amplifies negative effects.

Is the Damage Permanent?

While cocaine abuse can severely affect a person’s memory, it may be possible to regain cognitive functions if use is stopped for a significant amount of time.

However, research also suggests that the earlier in life a person starts using cocaine and the longer use persists, the harder it may be to regain cognitive functions later on.

One study examined the mental issues in different phases of abstinence from cocaine. Researchers wanted to determine if short–term abstinence had any impact on the cognitive changes caused by cocaine use.

They looked at the cognitive performance of people with cocaine dependence during early abstinence and after four weeks, and compared them with healthy individuals. The cocaine dependent group displayed more cognitive weaknesses than the non-dependent group in areas like attention, verbal memory, and learning. Poor cognitive functioning remained even after four weeks of abstinence.

However, another study, conducted over a longer period of time, resulted in a different outcome.

This study examined the relationship between cocaine and memory loss over the course of a full year. It determined if changing the amount of cocaine intake had any effect on brain function. The participants who increased their cocaine use within the year showed reduced cognitive ability, particularly working memory.

Those who had decreased their use did show slight improvement, but those who had completely stopped use almost fully recovered normal cognitive functions.

Participants who had stopped using were on a similar cognitive level with people who had never used cocaine. Recovery of memory abilities also appeared related to the age that participants had started their cocaine use. Those who had started using cocaine earlier in life had less success regaining full cognitive function.

Sobriety is Key

The results of this study might seem intimidating. It may take a long time recover memory and other abilities, but it is possible.

With treatment and continued sobriety, brain health can be restored. Waiting for improvement can certainly be discouraging, though, which is why getting proper addiction treatment is so vital to recovery. Those in addiction recovery often have more success staying abstinent when they have support along the way.

Further Effects on the Brain

Impairments to memory may be caused by a variety of changes made to the brain.

Along with increasing aging and lowering brain volume, cocaine can also damage the brain’s dopamine system. Cocaine reacts with dopamine receptors to inhibit brain cells from reusing any unused dopamine. The build-up of dopamine is what causes the “high,” because dopamine stimulates the reward centers of the brain. When the brain’s reward system gets used to this excess of dopamine, it loses the ability to function normally.

This is significant because regions of the brain involved in higher thinking and decision-making contain high levels of dopamine receptors. These effects of cocaine on the brain may help explain why cocaine users continue to use the drug or return to it after a period of abstinence despite the negative consequences. Ultimately, the over-stimulation of the reward centers reinforces drug-taking habits.

Such research further demonstrates the benefit of behavioral therapies during addiction recovery. Successful recovery involves much more than stopping drug use. Those in recovery must also work on changing their behavior going forward or it might be easier to relapse into old habits associated with drug use.

Reversing the Damage

Ample research has explored cocaine’s effects on the brain. The results have consistently shown a strong link between cocaine and memory loss.

Cocaine makes significant changes to the brain which can include sped-up aging, shrinkage of certain parts of the brain, and malfunction of the brain’s dopamine system. Even short-term use can have lasting effects.

Although these results may seem discouraging, research has also shown that damage to the brain can generally be repaired with long-term abstinence.

When your brain’s reward system has adapted to habitual cocaine use, abstinence can be easier said than done. Recovery is not always simply a matter of willpower. This is why proper treatment tends to be so much more successful than quitting on your own.

Addiction treatment involves educational resources and behavioral therapy, which help you understand the changes in your brain and give you strategies to reverse them. Treatment may also include participating in support groups, which can provide you with encouragement to keep going when you face challenges. Whatever your needs, there are treatment options for you.

Beginning recovery can often be the hardest part. It may be difficult or uncomfortable to reach out for help, but there is no shame in needing assistance. Many people struggle without it.

That is why we are here to ease the recovery process for you. There is support out there for everyone, and we are committed to helping you find the option that suits you. If you are ready to take the first steps toward recovery and regain your mental health, call us today.

Written by Alina Gonzalez

To speak with someone about your situation and get a free consultation, call Addiction Care Treatment Program at 480-378-0660 today!

Addiction Care Treatment Program – Call 480-378-0660 to Find Help Immediately!

Resources

October 12 2020

Can Exercise Help Me Pass A Drug Test?

admin Drug Abuse Issues drug test

When it’s time to begin a new career, there’s one part of the hiring process that has become more common than ever: The drug test. Almost all large employers will ask new employees to take a drug test to prove that they are not using illegal drugs. Does exercise help you pass drug tests? Does exercise help detox drugs? Some online forums say that they can. Throughout this article, we’ll answer that question and look at other things people believe about passing drug tests. However, if you are addicted to drugs, your best solution is to overcome your addiction.

There are addiction treatment centers across the country that can help you do this. We can direct you to them if you want to live a life free from drugs. It benefits everyone – your friends, your loved ones, and especially you. Please contact us at 480-378-0660.

Jump To Sections

Continue reading below for further insight into the correlation between drug tests and exercising. If you require additional assistance, please reach out to our experts today.

Why Bother Testing?
Looking At Drug Tests
Exercise Won’t Fix It
Other Dirty Tricks
Change Your Behavior
Getting Help

Why Bother Testing?

Testing employees for illegal drug use is vital for any employer. The top reason may be for the safety of other employees. When one worker is addicted to drugs, that worker creates a hazard not just for themselves but also for other workers. Unfortunately, a person under the influence can accidentally harm other people how a drunk driver can harm other drivers. Additionally, drug use also creates serious productivity issues. If someone is high, they can’t do their job very well.

Finally, there’s a criminal issue. No employer wants to hire someone who is engaging in criminal activity. Illegal drug use indicates that some illegal activity is involved. Even if the addicted person didn’t buy the drugs themselves, somebody likely did. Of course, addiction doesn’t always affect criminal behavior. However, the link is usually strong enough to discourage an employer from hiring someone with an addiction.

We can see that employers have good reasons for testing their workers for drug use. Unfortunately, many employees want to fool their employers into thinking that they are drug-free. This is part of the problems an addicted person faces. How do you keep the secret? In this case, it involves trying to fool people into thinking nothing is wrong. Many addicted persons go online to look for quick ways to trick the doctors and pass the drug test. They quickly realize that it’s not as easy as it seems. Drug use can be detected in the body long after the drug use takes place. For addicts, the problem is that their bodies have accumulated extra toxins after years of drug abuse. Without medical detoxification, those harmful toxins will stay there, and medical experts will be able to find them.

Looking At Drug Tests

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “drug tests vary, depending on what types of drugs are tested for and what types of specimens are being collected.” The tests are commonly five categories of drugs: amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates , and Phencyclidine (PCP).  “Urine, hair, saliva (oral fluid), or sweat samples can be used as test specimens.”

 The drug test most people are familiar with is the urine test. In addition, this is the test that many think they can pass if they drink a lot of water or exercise a lot beforehand. It’s just not that easy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “the urine test is based on detection of 9-carboxy- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a metabolite of delta-9-THC, which is the primary pharmacologically active component of marijuana ... 9-carboxy-THC is detectable in plasma within minutes after a dose is smoked and remains in plasma considerably longer than THC itself.” They continue, “when the manufacturer’s instructions are followed, urine samples containing at least the stated detection level of 9-carboxy-THC will test positive at least 95% of the time.”   

Can They Tell if I Am Under the Influence?

It does seem to be true that the urine test can’t verify how much a worker will be affected by marijuana use.

According to the CDC, “attempts to correlate urine concentration with impairment or time of dose are complicated by variations in individual metabolism, metabolite accumulation in the chronic user, and urine volume changes due to diet, exercise, and age. Therefore, a positive result by the urine cannabinoid test indicates only the likelihood of prior use … If an effect on performance is the main reason for screening, the urine cannabinoid test result alone cannot indicate performance impairment or assess the degree of risk associated with the person’s continuing to perform tasks. If a history of marijuana use is the major reason for screening, the urine test for cannabinoids should be able to detect prior use for up to 2 weeks in the casual user and possibly longer in the chronic user.”

Furthermore, do not struggle with addiction alone. Please seek out help today. Call our specialists and they can help you start on the path to sobriety.

Exercise Won’t Fix It

It is amazing to realize how incorrect some advice can be. According to an article on ScienceDirect.com, exercise seems to increase plasma THC concentrations in regular cannabis users, making marijuana use easier to detect. The report states that the “major psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, delta-9-THC accumulates in fat tissue from where it slowly diffuses back into the blood. THC pre-treated rats can show elevated plasma cannabinoid levels when subjected to conditions that promote fat utilization, such as fasting.”

The article also states that “exercise-induced a small, statistically significant increase in plasma THC levels accompanied by increased plasma FFA and glycerol levels … Fasting induced a significant increase in plasma FFA levels, and a lowering of blood glucose, but did not significantly alter plasma cannabinoid levels. Here we demonstrate that exercise enhances plasma THC levels in regular cannabis users … Overall, these results suggest that exercise may elevate blood THC levels by releasing dormant THC from fat stores.”

Where Does This Idea Come From?

Perhaps the idea that exercise would help addicts pass a drug test comes from the mistaken notion that people can quickly dilute their urine. Additionally, this would also explain where the “drinking water” theory comes from. The more pure water, the less THC, right? However, that isn’t the case, especially for long-time drug users. Does sweating help get rid of drugs from your system? No, you can’t sweat out THC. Remember that the sweat isn’t where THC is stored. THC is in the body fat, which doesn’t go away directly through sweating.

If you want to pass a drug test, your only reliable option is to stop taking drugs. Medical detoxification is part of the recovery process for most long-term addicts. It’s a process you don’t have to fear if you have the proper professional help by your side. Detoxing by yourself can be dangerous, depending on the kinds of drugs you have been consuming. The process is much safer when professionals supervise it.

Other Dirty Tricks

There have been other things people have tried to falsify their drug test results, especially regarding the urine test. When an employee knows ahead of time that the drug test is imminent, they may try to substitute their urine with other urine that hasn’t been tainted by drug use. However, this is nearly impossible, especially for supervised drug tests. Remember that the urine also has to be at body temperature. In fact, it’s almost impossible to keep a liquid at body temperature when it isn’t actually in your body. Even when the test is unsupervised, trying to hide a supply of urine at body temperature is difficult at best.

Let’s also throw in the factor of random drug testing. Many employers use random drug tests to ensure that their workers aren’t abusing drugs. They will announce that the employees have to take a test that day or within the next few days. You can’t plan for a test like that. A few days probably isn’t enough time to get the evidence of drug use out of your system.

Products for Passing a Drug Test

There are some products that people sell, which they claim will let you pass the urine test. These products range from medicines to physical containers to hide urine. Needless to say, most of these products aren’t professionally tested or endorsed. There’s no guarantee they will work because the makers of those products can’t oversee the testing process. In addition, they can’t know exactly how the doctors will examine the urine. Even on some cannabis websites, when discussing how to pass the urine test, they say that the best bet is to stop using pot altogether. However, that’s usually easier said than done. It won’t be enough to quit for a few days or weeks. True victory over addiction usually requires professional help that can only be in a rehabilitation facility. Contact us today to start your victory.

Change Your Behavior

“Addiction is a treatable disorder,” according to Drugabuse.gov. “Research on the science of addiction and the treatment of substance use disorders has led to the development of research-based methods that help people to stop using drugs and resume productive lives, also known as being in recovery.” There are many different treatments to help a person recover from drug or alcohol abuse. Additionally, each person’s treatment plan will depend on many factors. Behavioral therapies are beneficial. Behavioral treatment means learning how different behaviors can help you. These behaviors don’t just involve other people. In fact, they can involve thinking patterns or motivations to help a person stay drug-free.

Drugabuse.gov lists several forms of behavioral therapy. The article states that “cognitive-behavioral therapy seeks to help patients recognize, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they’re most likely to use drugs. Contingency management uses positive reinforcement such as providing rewards or privileges for remaining drug–free, for attending and participating in counseling sessions, or for taking treatment medications as prescribed. Motivational enhancement therapy uses strategies to make the most of people’s readiness to change their behavior and enter treatment. Family therapy helps people (especially young people) with drug use problems, as well as their families, address influences on drug use patterns and improve overall family functioning.” They also mention the importance of 12-step programs or Alcoholics Anonymous in helping provide therapy through mutual support.”

Getting Help

We’ve hopefully cleared up a common misconception. Exercising will not help you pass a drug test. The evidence of drug use isn’t so easy to hide. If anything, studies show that exercise will make pot use easier to detect in regular marijuana users. With urine tests being so accurate, employers will probably continue to rely on drug testing to keep their employees safe and the workplace productive. If you have a drug test coming up, it’s time to face the problems caused by drug abuse. It’s more than just failing a test or losing a job. Drug abuse ruins your life. Too many people have died from drug abuse to dismiss the problem.

Drugs can take control of your life and prevent you from making decisions that will help you. You can break free from addiction. Call us today at 480-378-0660 to be connected to a treatment center that is right for you. Get the help you need so that drug testing will never be a problem for you again.

Written by: Steve Witucki

To speak with someone about your situation and get a free consultation, call Addiction Care Treatment Program at 480-378-0660 today!

Drug Abuse Issues

Cocaine and Memory Loss (Links)

Content

How Cocaine Affects Memory

What the Research Says

Cocaine Ages Your Brain

Is the Damage Permanent?

Sobriety is Key

Further Effects on the Brain

Reversing the Damage

Addiction Care Treatment Program – Call 480-378-0660 to Find Help Immediately!

Related Articles

Resources

Can Exercise Help Me Pass A Drug Test?

Jump To Sections

Why Bother Testing?

Looking At Drug Tests

Can They Tell if I Am Under the Influence?

Exercise Won’t Fix It

Where Does This Idea Come From?

Other Dirty Tricks

Products for Passing a Drug Test

Change Your Behavior

Getting Help

Addiction Care Treatment Program – Call 480-378-0660 to Find Help Immediately!

Related Articles

Resources