Sex and Cocaine

Cocaine and Erections

Does Cocaine Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Sexual dysfunction is not uncommon in alcoholics and in cocaine users. 40 to 50% of alcoholic men were suffering from erectile dysfunction and 5-10% had retarded or inhibited ejaculation. Thirty to 36% of cocaine abusers reported erectile dysfunction. Alcohol abuse frequently develops along with cocaine dependence, and the reverse is also common.

Cocaine is a potent dopamine agonist, and chronic cocaine abuse may result in hyperprolactinemia or a dopamine deficiency with sexual dysfunction. Chronic cocaine addiction or alcohol abuse often leads to decreased libido and performance. In addition, acetylcholine turnover usually increases when dopamine is depleted. Therefore, cocaine- and alcohol-induced catecholamine depletion may activate acetylcholine, which further contributes to hyperprolactinemia and sexual dysfunction. In addition, abuse of these substances alters serotonin, acetylcholine, hormones, and other neuroendocrine functions.

Cocaine, Sex, & Women

Women who engage in sex high on cocaine are at risk for STIs, unsafe sex, and unwanted pregnancy. In some cases, cocaine causes infertility as well. Cocaine use can not only change a woman’s menstrual cycle but also can stop ovulation and damage the fallopian tubes. This can result in infertility. Even after a woman stops abusing this drug, permanent changes to hormones due to cocaine use can also result in problems with conception. 

Cocaine use during pregnancy can cause seizures, migraines, premature birth and in some cases, the placenta can detach from the uterine wall, called placental abruption. Stillbirths and miscarriages occur at higher rates in women who use cocaine during pregnancy. Cocaine use in men has also been linked to lower sperm count as well as priapism, or prolonged erection. Both of these can result in issues with fertility and increase the need for medical care.

Can the Sexual Side Effects Be Reversed?

After prolonged use, cocaine can alter the nervous system, leading to permanent erectile dysfunction. Men may even start to see orgasm problems due to the acetylcholine deficiency in the sympathetic ganglions and adrenal medulla. Cocaine contains toxins that harm healthy cells. Exposure to its chemicals can ruin the penile nerves, leading to severe erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction caused by cocaine will require detox and rejuvenation of the nervous system and endocrine system to experience a full recovery.

Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Treatment for Cocaine Addiction is focused on behavioral interventions that can be used in order to manage this substance dependence in an effective way. There are no medicines that work as substitutes for powder cocaine, crack cocaine and other stimulants of this kind. However, currently, there are some pharmacological advances.

Pharmacological Approaches

Currently, there is no US. Approved medications, drug administration, or a specific diet to treat Cocaine Addiction. However, researchers are exploring a variety of neurobiological targets. 

According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, several medications marketed for other diseases show promise in reducing cocaine use within controlled clinical trials. Among these, disulfiram, which is used to treat alcoholism, has shown the most promise.

Scientists do not yet know exactly how disulfiram reduces cocaine use, though its effects may be related to its ability to inhibit an enzyme that converts dopamine to norepinephrine. However, disulfiram does not work for everyone.

Pharmacogenetic studies are revealing variants in the gene that encodes the DBH enzyme and seems to influence disulfiram’s effectiveness in reducing cocaine use. Knowing a patient’s DBH genotype could help predict whether disulfiram would be an effective pharmacotherapy for cocaine dependence in that person.

Behavioral Interventions

Many behavioral treatments for Cocaine Addiction have proven to be effective in both residential and outpatient settings. Indeed, behavioral therapies are often the only available and effective treatments for many drug problems, including stimulant addictions. However, the integration of behavioral and pharmacological treatments may ultimately prove to be the most effective approach.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for addiction: is an effective approach to prevent relapse. This approach helps patients develop critical skills that support long-term abstinence—including the ability to recognize the situations in which they are most likely to use cocaine, avoid these situations, and cope more effectively with a range of problems associated with drug use. This therapy can also be used in conjunction with other treatments, thereby maximizing the benefits of both.
• Therapeutic communities (TCs) for addicts: Drug-free residences in which people in recovery from substance use disorders help each other to understand and change their behaviors—can be an effective treatment for people who use drugs, including cocaine. TCS may require a 6- to 12-month stay and can include onsite vocational rehabilitation and other supportive services that focus on successful re-integration of the individual into society. TCS can also provide support in other important areas—improving the legal, employment, and mental health outcomes.

Regardless of the specific type of substance use disorder treatment, it is important that patients receive services that match all of their treatment needs. For example, an unemployed patient would benefit from vocational rehabilitation or career counseling along with addiction treatment. Patients with marital problems may need couples counseling.

Once inpatient treatment ends, ongoing support—also called aftercare—can help people avoid relapse. Research indicates that people who are committed to abstinence, engage in self-help behaviors, and believe that they have the ability to refrain from using cocaine (self-efficacy) are more likely to abstain. Aftercare serves to reinforce these traits and address problems that may increase vulnerability to relapse, including depression and declining self-efficacy.

Reclaim Your Life From Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction is a serious disease that should not be taken lightly. We Level Up rehab treatment & detox center can provide you, or someone you love, the tools to recover from cocaine addiction with professional and safe treatment. Feel free to call us to speak with one of our counselors. We can inform you about this condition by giving you relevant information. Our specialists know what you are going through. Please know that each call is private and confidential.

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