Cocaine(HARMFUL)
Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that blocks dopamine reuptake, producing short-lived euphoria, energy, and confidence. It has no role in everyday use: it is strongly addictive and carries acute risks of heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia, and sudden death, compounded by unpredictable street purity and adulterants. Risks vastly outweigh any transient benefit.
Too little may be associated with
No requirement; not needed by the body.
Too much may be associated with
Addiction, heart attack, stroke, overdose.
Informational only — not medical advice.
Neurotransmitters
Hormones
Related
- Reward Processing (↑)
- Amphetamine(HARMFUL)
- Methylphenidate
- Motivation (↕)
- Nicotine(HARMFUL)
- Impulse Control (↓)
- Self-Control (↓)
Books (5)
Podcasts
- Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction
Raw, honest stories of drug addiction and recovery.
Research (21)
- Dopamine transporter and beyond: evolving targets and combination strategies in stimulant use disorder de et al. (2026) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Diagnosis and Management of Resistant Hypertension: A Review Azizi et al. (2026) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- REM Rebound Effect Singh et al. (2026) PubMed ↗
- Structure of the human dopamine transporter and mechanisms of inhibition Srivastava et al. (2024) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Dopamine Pharmacodynamics: New Insights Lauretani et al. (2024) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Neurochemistry of the mammillary body Żakowski et al. (2023) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Time Perception in Cocaine-Dependent Patients Mioni et al. (2022) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Drug-induced tremor, clinical features, diagnostic approach and management Baizabal-Carvallo et al. (2022) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Pharmacology of Drugs Used as Stimulants Docherty et al. (2021) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Selective filtering of excitatory inputs to nucleus accumbens by dopamine and serotonin Christoffel et al. (2021) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Cues play a critical role in estrous cycle-dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement Johnson et al. (2019) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Cocaine adulteration Kudlacek et al. (2017) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- SSRI Facilitated Crack Dancing Doobay et al. (2017) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Reward and aversion in a heterogeneous midbrain dopamine system Malenka et al. (2014) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
- Dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin transporter gene deletions differentially alter cocaine-induced taste aversion Jones et al. (2010) Full text ↗ PubMed ↗
Links
Recovery resources
Help for cocaine use and recovery. Not an endorsement or medical advice — see all recovery resources.
SAMHSA National Helpline (US)
A free, confidential, 24/7 US treatment-referral and information line for individuals and families facing substance use or mental health disorders.
Co-Anon Family Groups
Support for the families and friends of someone with a cocaine or other drug problem.
Families Anonymous (FA)
A 12-step fellowship for the relatives and friends of people affected by drug abuse or related behavioral problems.
Nar-Anon Family Groups
A 12-step program for the families and friends of people addicted to drugs.
Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA)
A 12-step fellowship for people managing both a substance addiction and a co-occurring mental illness.
Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
A 12-step fellowship for people who want to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
A global 12-step fellowship for people recovering from addiction to any drug.
- Celebrate Recovery
A Christ-centered 12-step program for people working through addictions and other hurts, habits, and hang-ups.
SMART Recovery
A secular, science-based recovery program using cognitive-behavioral tools for any addictive behavior.
Community
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