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“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” — Maya Angelou
If you don’t have anxiety, you might wonder what it feels like, or maybe you assume you know what it feels like. Someone regularly impacted by anxiety isn’t just experiencing worry or nerves. It’s not like having sweaty palms before an important meeting or feeling stressed about your budget. No, it’s more than that.
There are some substances, like cocaine, that have a connection to anxiety. Over 73,000 adults in Oregon reported engaging with cocaine at least once between 2021 and 2022. With 1 in 3 adults in Oregon also reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression, the likelihood of the two overlapping to some extent is very high.
Our team at Serenity Lane has seen how both cocaine and anxiety can greatly impact a person’s life. By further understanding how these two interact, we hope to provide people with the resources they need to take better care of themselves. That’s why today we’re going to be answering the question, “Does cocaine cause anxiety?”
Cocaine is an illegal stimulant that many people seek out for its generally invigorating side effects. Anxiety, or a generalized anxiety disorder, is a mental health condition that impacts a person’s day-to-day life. Sometimes, people have a difficult time managing anxiety on their own, and they’ll turn to substances like cocaine to cope.
The primary physical connection between cocaine and anxiety is how both make the body feel. There is a lot of overlap in side effects between cocaine and anxiety, such as:
Stimulants like cocaine primarily impact the central nervous system, which is the messaging system in the body. It speeds up the messaging process, which leads to the common feeling of having more energy or a quickened heart rate.
Even though the central nervous system is the primary system it impacts, it also influences other parts of the brain. The two most common are the reward system and your stress response. Let’s take a closer look at both of these.
You may have heard of dopamine before and have a general idea of what it does. Dopamine is the reward chemical produced by the brain when we do things like eat or have sex. It makes us feel happy and satisfied when we complete tasks, which in turn encourages us to be motivated to complete tasks in the future.
Normally, when dopamine is produced by the brain, it only lingers for a short period before it’s recycled back into the body through dopamine receptors. This helps ensure that we’re never overwhelmed by dopamine.
When cocaine is present in the body, it interferes with this process. Cocaine prevents the recycling of dopamine back into your system, leading to a build-up of dopamine in the body. This is what causes the feelings of euphoria associated with cocaine use.
As cocaine leaves the body and dopamine levels return to normal, it can leave you feeling bereft, even though you’re back at your baseline. For many, this decrease in dopamine can lead to increased feelings of depression or anxiety.
When someone is going through a period of heightened anxiety, especially during a panic attack, the body triggers the fight or flight response. This means that many systems are sped up and heightened, leaving a person feeling jittery and on edge.
When cocaine is present in the body, it also speeds up many systems in your body, such as your breathing. It’s not uncommon for people to associate this heightened state with stress or paranoia, depending on your circumstances.
For those who’ve experienced anxiety before, cocaine can act as a trigger, reminding them of those moments of high stress and panic.
Cocaine use, over time, can lead to the development of mental health conditions such as anxiety. At the same time, if someone is already managing an anxiety disorder and starts regularly engaging with cocaine, it can impact their already existing condition.
It’s not uncommon for someone to have an untreated mental health condition and turn to substance use as an answer to address their symptoms. In the long run, this is never a good solution. Substances like cocaine will slowly impact your mental well-being, not only from the side effects of cocaine use but also from how it can impact your life as a whole.
If you’re regularly engaging with cocaine and you’re concerned about addressing your anxiety, it’s important to note that stopping cocaine use is a must in order to properly find healing and recovery.
Halting cocaine use will not instantly “cure” you of your anxiety. It is, however, a key part of the process. No level of substance use is ever safe, so ceasing cocaine use, even if you’re not ready to seek full treatment yet, is always a good idea.
Co-occurring disorders are not exclusive to substance use and mental health. When used in a rehab setting, however, it refers to someone who is managing and needing treatment for two or more conditions at the same time. In this case, the common combination would be a generalized anxiety disorder and a cocaine use disorder, but it can apply to any other combination.
If you wish to step away from your cocaine use, but you’re not sure where to turn from there, we can assure you that there are many cocaine addiction rehab options available for you. There are also many anxiety treatment programs available, as well. The key is to find the program that’s going to best suit your needs and give you the support you deserve.
So what does that look like?
First, when it comes to addressing cocaine use and an anxiety disorder, it’s important to find a place that offers treatment for both. Addressing one without the other only truly treats half of the situation. It doesn’t set you up for long-term success.
Second, you want to find a facility that can provide you with support as long as you wish to have it. This means offering a full continuum of care from inpatient to outpatient. Other good things to consider are alumni programs or specialized programs, depending on your needs, such as first-responder programs or LGBTQIA+ programs.
If these all sound like options you want, our team at Serenity Lane is here for you. We have a team of master’s level physicians who are dedicated to providing you with ongoing support, through our full continuum of care. From specialized programming to a proud alumni network, we’re here to help whenever you’re ready. Just give us a call anytime at 800-543-9905 to get started.
Find serenity in long-term recovery.
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