Reflections on Psychiatry & Psychology

Cocaine blocks dopamine reuptake in the brain’s reward pathway, causing short-lived euphoria and repeated dosing. It raises heart rate and blood pressure and can cause paranoia, psychosis, heart attack, stroke, and overdose. Mixing with alcohol forms toxic cocaethylene.

Cravings for drugs or alcohol are controlled by a variety of brain chemicals, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and glutamate.  Many people describe their cravings as coming out of nowhere, as if these chemicals pop into their brains and create a cravings spontaneously. These chemicals and the manifestations of cravings are actually triggered by stimuli from external environmental cues and internal mood states, particularly anxiety, irritability, and dysphoria.  Environment