STIMULANTS:COCAINE

AND AMPHETMINES
SRADHA PS
 COCAINE

● Cocaine is a plant discovered in ancient times

and used ever since.
● It was widely used in the pre-Columbian
world of Mexico and Peru (1971).
● Cocaine was considered as the ‘high’ for the
affluent.
● With more widespread availability and
lowering of prices, the drugs use increased
significantly in United States during the
1980s and 1990s.
● Considered as an epidemic
● “crack” is the street name that is applied to cocaine
that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride
to a free base for smoking.

● In 2008 , cocaine use was reported in 1.5% of young

adults(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration,2009)
● Like the opiates, cocaine may be ingested by sniffing,
swallowing, or injecting.

● It precipitates a euphoric state of 4 to 6 hours duration,

during which a user experiences feelings of confidence and
contentment . However this blissful state maybe preceded
by headache, dizziness, and restlessness
● When cocaine is chronically abused , acute toxic psychotic
symptoms may occur, including frightening visual, auditory,
and tactual hallucinations similar to these in acute
schizophrenia
 Cocaine stimulates the cortex of the brain, inducing sleeplessness and excitement
as well as stimulating and accentuating sexual feelings.
 Dependence on cocaine also differs somewhat from dependence on opiates.
 Moreover cognitive impairment associated with cocaine abuse is likely to be an
important consideration in long term effects of the drug.
 The previous view that cocaine abusers didn’t develop physiological dependence
on the drug also has changed.
 Gawin and Kleber(1986) demonstrated that chronic abusers who become
abstinent develop uniform, depression like symptoms, but the symptoms are
transient.
● There is a considerable modification of professional views of cocaine
over the past 20 years.
● For example, the modifications in DSM-5 diagnostic classification
reflect a significant increase in our knowledge of cocaine’s
addictive properties.
● A new disorder is described ‘cocaine withdrawal ’ that involves
symptoms of depression, fatigue ,disturbed sleep ,and increased
dreaming ( Foltin & Fichman,1997)
● The psychological and life problems experienced by cocaine users than among
nonusers are often great.
● Employment , family, psychological, and legal problems are all more likely to occur
among cocaine and crack users than among nonusers.
● Many life problems experienced by cocaine abusers result in part from the considerable
amounts of money that are required to support their habits.
● Increased sexual activity, often trading sex for drugs has been associated with crack
cocaine use as has engaging in sexual activity with anonymous partners.
● However ,problems in sexual functioning have been reported to be associated with
crack cocaine use.
● Kim and colleagues (1992) report that most users lose interest in sex and develop sexual
dysfunction with prolonged usage
• Women who use cocaine when they are pregnant place their babies at
risk for both health and psychological problems. Although research has
suggested that there is no “fetal crack syndrome” similar to what has
been shown with alcohol abusing mothers (Azar 1997),children of crack
using mothers are at risk of being maltreated as infants as well as of
losing their mothers during infancy.
• Wasserman & Leventhal (1993) studied a group of cocaine-exposed
children and a control sample of nonexposed children for a 24 month
period following their birth . They found that children who were
regularly exposed to cocaine in utero were more likely to be mistreated
TREATMENT
METHODS
TREATMENTS
BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
CBT is a widely used therapeutic approach
that helps individuals identify and modify
negative thought patterns and behaviors
associated with drug use. It aims to teach
coping skills and strategies to prevent
relapse.
Contingency Management (CM):
CM involves providing tangible rewards or
incentives for positive behaviors, such as
maintaining abstinence from cocaine.
This approach reinforces drug-free
behavior.
.
TREATMENTS
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT:
- Although there are no FDA-approved
medications specifically for cocaine use
disorder, some medications, such as disulfiram,
have shown promise in reducing cocaine use.
However, research in this area is ongoing, and
the effectiveness of medication-assisted
treatment for cocaine addiction is still under Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET):
investigation. MET is a counseling approach that focuses on
enhancing an individual's motivation to change
by exploring and resolving ambivalence about
quitting drug use
AMPHETAMINES

• The earliest Amphetamine to be introduced

BENZADRINE, or amphetamine sulphate
• In late 1930s two newer amphetamines were
introduced DEXDRINE AND METHEDRINE
• The latter preparation is a far more potent stimulant
of the CNS than either Benzedrine or Dexedrine and
hence is considered more dangerous
AMPHETAMINES
EFFECTS
• HIGHTENED BLOOD PRESSURE
• ENLARGED PUPILS
• UNCLEAR OR RAPID SPEECH
• PROFUSED SWEATING
• TREMORS
• EXCITABILITY
• LOSS OF APPETITE
• CONFUSION
• SLEEPLESSNESS
AMPHETAMINES
EFFECTS
• INJECTED IN LARGE QUANTITIES , METHEDRINE CAN
RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE ENOUGH TO CAUSE IMMEDIATE
DEATH.

• CHRONIC ABUSE OF AMPHETAMINES CAN RESULT IN

BRAIN DAMAGE AND WIDE RANGE OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
INCLUDING A DISORDER KNOWN AS AMPHETAMINE
PSYHCOSIS WHICH APPEARS SIMILAR TO PARANOID
SCHIZOPHRENIA.

• SUICIDE ,HOMICIDE ,ASSAULT AND VARIOUS OTHER ACTS

OF VIOLENCE ARE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH AMPHETAMINE
ABUSE
TREATMENT
METHODS
TREATMENTS
BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY:

CBT helps individuals identify and change negative
thought patterns and behaviors associated with drug
abuse.

CONTIGENCY MANAGEMENT:
This approach involves providing tangible rewards
to reinforce positive behaviors, such as staying
drug-free.
TREATMENTS
SUPPORT GROUPS:
- Participation in support groups, such
DETOXIFICATION:
as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or
- The first step in treating
group therapy, can provide
amphetamine abuse is often
individuals with a supportive
detoxification, during which the
environment where they can share
individual stops using the drug
experiences and coping strategies.
under medical supervision to
manage withdrawal symptoms.
TREATMENTS

MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT:

- In some cases, medications may be prescribed to help manage cravings and
withdrawal symptoms. Examples include naltrexone, acamprosate, or
certain antidepressants.

RELAPSE PREVENTION:
- Therapists work with individuals to develop coping
strategies and skills to prevent relapse. This may
include identifying triggers and developing healthy
ways to cope with stress.
THANKYOU