Is cocaine addictive ? defining the nature of cocaine / crack addiction

[FemFoison]

Hey there.



I've been lurking for a while here, and I usually find if I wait long enough someone else asks whatever I'd been wanting to. What can I say? I'm shy.



Despite that, I have two linked questions.



1) If coke is / is one of your primary drugs of choice, how much do you do per day? Or even, how often? I've read studies that said cocaine "abusers" will snort 2-3 lines per day, and from my own experience that seems like a ridiculously small amount to be considered abuse/addiction. For me there is a marked distinction between weekend and weekday use, but it is consistent enough to quantify.



2) I'm writing an article for a University science magazine analyzing the question of addiction - whether there is a chemical process that can be identified and, if so, how it varies from drug to drug (e.g. stopping use of cocaine does not lead to withdrawl as stopping use of heroin does, an opium "addiction" creates a far different cycle of chemical responses than a meth "addiction, etc). At any rate, I'm not planning on coming down on one side or the other - it is meant to be objective. I have my personal opinion, but nevertheless I wanted to know how you all felt about it, especially with cocaine - does a habit constitute an addiction? Have you ever been addicted to one drug, but not another, and noticed a difference in your use of one or the other? Also, I have a ton of sources I'm busy pouring through, but if any of you have suggestions on particular books or articles (more specific than just websites or journals) I can never have enough information.



As a matter of introduction, since it seems polite, I'm a 22 year old, female student of linguistics, biology, english literature, neuropsychology, philosophy, and film. That ought to suffice for now, I hope.



(:

[Zach Swan]

1) Coke is the drug of choice for the person whom I speak of on this forum. Yes, IMHO there is a substantive difference between weekend and weekday use. I thinkCHCL usage typically starts as a weekend thing, but when one finds themselves doing it on weekdays too, they've either "crossed the line" or soon will. The consumerunder discussion here,at one time consistently did 2 to 3 eight-balls per week (7 to 10.5 grams). Now the usage is typically one eight-ball per week, consumed between Friday and Sunday. 2 to 3 lines per day? Guess that would be nice. I suppose they could be Hollywoods though. My opinion is that doing a line is kinda like having a potato chip -- ya cain't have just one (or three as the case may be.)


2) I think there exists what I call a Cocaine Consumption Continuum. Incidental experimentation on one end and addiction on the other end. "Habit" is somewhere in between. There is definitely a difference between habit and addiction, although I think it may be barely distinguishable in some.


Habit is when you just have fun doing it so you score for the weekend, but can (and perhaps occasionally do) quit either "for a break" or permanently. When the white girl gets her claws into you though, she doesn't let go nearly as easily. You tell yourself "I'm not going to score this week" but the urge can't be resisted. You tell yourself "I've got a gram left -- I'm going to leave it in the drawer for the weekend" then an hour later you're carving rails and soon you don't give a shit that you'll be exhausted at work the next day -- you have to keep doing it till you run out. That's addiction in the world I'm familiar with.


To your final question (addicted to one, but not another; notice difference in your use of one or the other) : cocaine is this person's only "addiction." While they have used thc related products, X, and evenhillbillyHin their life, they never became "addicted" toany of those substances-- always easily doing without them. More interestingly they used to drink booze a lot, and still do while using, but cocaine use has made drinking in isolation (meaning without simultaneous consumption of pharmaceuticals) uninteresting, and one could almost draw the conclusion that use of cocaine caused reduction/elimination of liquor abuse.


Good luck with your paper. Hope you get some interesting data, but don't be surprised if responses are limited. Sometimes we're skeptical about revealing life stories to people with only one post in their history. You're not the only one lurking ;-(


zs

[chronic777]

Ive found cocaine to be addictive form the first line i ever did!


I didnt feel addicted or have craving but all i wanted to do was try it again.


I feel its not phsyically addictive, it just clings onto certain thoughts in your head so your costantly reminded,everytime i sniff my nose i think of coke, everytime i start speaking really fast i think of it, evrytime i see a speck of white powder i think of cocaine.


And it just calls you back and back again, theres a point every day where you wanna get one. I just remind myself of how pointless it is buying some cut bullshit . The only time i ever get coke now is when i see my mate cut it right infront of me. I


used to feel such cravings for it, now its like i know the addiction feeling and i just acknowledge it and move on and can deal with it like a human being in control of his own decisions.

[chronic777]

And no it definatly isnt my drug of choice, i thought it was, but knew it never would be deep down, its too self destructive (which is why i used to do it, i used to not give a shit about my health)


My choice drugs are


mushroomz and weed, which i dont consider "drugs" as theyre naturally picked from gods green earth hope i helped.

[P!MPJU!C3]

In that case that wouldnt make snow or lady drugs either. All either picked from opium or coca plant, which also is naturally from gods green earth.

But ok that would make XTC and LSD drugs because they r chemicals. Is this what u mean when u say, chronic, that drugs have 2 be chemicals 2 be drugs. In my opinion drugs r drugs when they blow ur mind. Kaboom!



I hate Britney Spears and Ive got a cowl rocawear cap.

[chronic777]

if you were chewing coca leaves id say thats natural, ifit was pure powderedcoke it probly would be natural in my eyes but alll the shit that it gets cut with definatly aint natural. its all here for a reaosn id say, imagine how high our ancestors got when they discovered all this shit!

[P!MPJU!C3]

hahaha...lol... yeah man... but in fact everything on this earth is natural... all the things we make even weird chemicals r made of chemicals that already existed so thats that and fuck the rest.

[no idea]

can coke just be a "when i'm going out" drug?

swim has only used it 5 times, every weekend bar one for the last 6 weeks. swim is fine with it, likes how he feel on it, can sleep after, dont feel too bad the next day, and swim only *want* it when its offered to me, and i'm going out. BUT my DH wants it all the time, find him coming home in the middle of the day after having a line at a mates place. This makes me angry as i think if we are going to do this, then it's to be a weekend only thing.

is he addicted? or is he just greedy, or chasing the high?

any opinions would be appreciated. new to this and have no idea.

[Mike177]

Wile Coke is not phyisicly addictive it is without a doubt quite phycologicly addicting. If your freind starts useing coke dayly it would be a good thing to confrot him before he gets worse, when you addicted to coke thats really all that matters. and coke heads are known to get angry quite easaly and somtimes vilont when confronted or depribed of coke. just be safe and i hope you can work all of this messyness out

Mike

[bowlingforcindy]

sorry to all coke addicts but why be addicted to it? its not phyysical but all in the mind. is it that you cant bear your own life being normal that you think you can only cope being high. bullshit, i love pills but i dont do it all the time, infact id say im addicted to it in a way but being normal doesnt feel that bad that i have to be high all the time. id say coke is the most overrated thing in this universe,

[Woodman]

Originally Posted by no idea

i've only used it 5 times, ... BUT
my DH wants it all the time, i find him coming home
in the middle of the day after having a line at a mates
place.

...is he addicted? or is he just greedy, or chasing the
high?

He wants it ALL the time.
He seems to be chasing a high.

Yup, I'ld say he's addicted.

[bowlingforcindy]

yes, so dam good that at feels better to live your life on coke rather than not on coke?

ive done coke plenty a times, its good, well, i rate it below average. i rate speed better tha coke and i dont like that to much

[Lynchx]

I think cocaine is personally worthless to do unless its for free and only doing a few lines to boost up the fun you are already having other than that I try and stay away from it, BUT I have my moments where I throw down on a OZ or so LOL.

[joevette]

Is cocain addictive physically or phsycologically? How often would you have to use to become addicted?

[discobloodbath]

Everybody is different so it all depends on the person and their reaction to the drug... some can use it countless times and stop on a dime , others enjoy it so much the first time that they cant help but keep using. (taking something that has the potential to make u feel great is sometimes hard for a person to resist)


this is from erowid:
One of the most problematic aspects of cocaine is its addictive qualities. While cocaine is not believed to be physically addicting, it is, without a doubt, psychologically addicting. Those who use cocaine heavily or regularly frequently encounter great difficulty ceasing use.

Many people find themselves drawn to overusing both crack and powder cocaine. Initial tolerance develops rapidly, especially with heavy use, though tolerance appears to level off relatively quickly (users do not generally require more and more material over time, once they have reached heavy use).

[joevette]

Thanks, I don't get addicted to things in general so maybe juditious weekend use would be fine.

[discobloodbath]

just be careful and dont over do it if u do it.. the few times i've done it i always do baby lines thru the night..(if its all going up there so i take my time) i've taken too much once before and it was a very scary experince so i try make sure that doesnt happen again.. so be safe

[Darcy]

What happened to you disco? I wouldn't know much about "too much" and I
want to know what to look for in case that ever happens to me, which I
hope never does. I also am one of those high tolerance people that
don't NEED it all the time. I always let a few days pass before getting
more so that my tolerance will go down and I can enjoy it in small
ammounts instead of doing the whole gram in one evening.