What Does a Cocaine High Feel Like?

Quick and intense, a cocaine high begins within 15 seconds of snorting cocaine, peaks after five minutes, and ends within a half hour. During that high, cocaine users feel a surge of energy and a sharp increase in alertness. Cocaine rushes tend to increase euphoric feelings, cause rapid speech and outgoingness, and lead to increased sexual desire. Unfortunately, many people experience high levels of confusion and paranoia while high on cocaine. When cocaine’s burst of euphoria wears off, cocaine users often feel deadened, exhausted, and irritable. This combination results from hyperactivity during the cocaine high and repeated cocaine dosings to stave off the common crashing feeling associated with cocaine use. When the cocaine wears off, users generally become exceedingly tired, depressed, and have difficulty concentrating or focusing.

What Are the Physical Effects of Cocaine?

Like most stimulants, the energized feeling cocaine brings is accompanied by increased blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature created by constricted blood vessels. These changes increase cocaine users’ chances of experiencing a stroke or heart attack and heighten the risk of developing stomach ulcerations.

Cocaine users often hold tension in their facial muscles, eyes wide open, dilated pupils, and clenched jaw. In addition, because cocaine irritates the nose, many cocaine users experience runny or “stuffy” noses and commonly present white powder residue around their mouths or noses. Repeated use makes this irritation progress to permanent physical damage, such as a deviated septum, when the membrane separating the two nostrils is corrupted by the cocaine and becomes perforated. With regular use, cocaine users often also suffer bloody noses either while using cocaine or the day after use.

Can You Overdose From Cocaine?

Cocaine overdoses are harrowing and potentially fatal. Overdose often occurs when cocaine-dependent individuals either inject cocaine directly into the veins or mix it with alcoholic drinks. An overdose begins with a surging heart rate and proceeds to convulsions. Death can result from either heart attack or respiratory failure.

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