To mitigate these risks, practical steps include setting strict limits on substance use, such as alternating alcoholic drinks with water and avoiding cocaine altogether. If abstinence is not achievable, monitoring vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure) during use can provide early warning signs of complications. For those in recovery, integrating therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and support groups can address underlying triggers and prevent relapse. Ultimately, understanding the unique dangers of combining cocaine and alcohol is the first step toward safeguarding one’s health. When you mix cocaine and alcohol, it can cause a cocaine and alcohol metabolite called cocaethylene to form.
Cocaine and alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Some people using cocaine may take alcohol for no other reason than it is available at the time. Others combine these two substances to help even out the effects that each substance will have, not realizing that this increases the risk of overdose on both substances and the risk of toxicity. Because one drug causes increased stimulation and the other suppresses the body’s normal systems, the effects can cancel each other out while still creating a toxic effect. This can cause someone to take too much of these substances because they don’t realize how much they have used.
The release of endorphins causes the euphoric feeling of a high, while the stimulation of the brain and body leads to a feeling of increased confidence, energy and ability. Addiction treatment for alcohol and cocaine use can help you regain control of your health and your life. Treatment can take place in inpatient or outpatient settings, depending on individual needs, and involves different forms of support, treatment medication, and therapy.
Using cocaine while withdrawing from alcohol is extremely dangerous, as it can lead to overstimulation and stress on the body that could be deadly. Cocaine and alcohol hangovers can occur even after short-term substance use. Some people may use alcohol to ease cocaine hangover symptoms or use cocaine to ease alcohol hangover symptoms. Start your recovery journey today and contact a treatment provider to explore treatment options available to you.
The long-term health risks of mixing cocaine and alcohol
Also, the shared negative effects of both cocaine and alcohol, such as aggression, can intensify when the two substances are taken together. Cocaine is a stimulant that increases brain activity, while alcohol is a depressant that decreases brain activity. When used together, cocaine and alcohol produce a high characterized by a heightened and prolonged euphoria. However, these are common and dangerous misconceptions that many have about mixing a stimulant and a depressant. The danger increases as people often misjudge their level of intoxication or the amount they’ve taken.
While cocaine overdose typically involves cardiac arrest, and alcohol poisoning targets respiratory failure, their combination heightens both dangers simultaneously. Studies show that cocaethylene is 20-30% more cardiotoxic than cocaine, making it a silent culprit in many drug-related fatalities among year-olds. Unlike opioids, where naloxone can reverse effects, no antidote exists for cocaethylene toxicity, underscoring the urgency of prevention. Healthcare professionals will monitor the person 24-7 to reduce the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms and help them stay as comfortable as possible.
- However, combining cocaine with alcohol can increase the health risks, as they have a higher toxicity when people take them together.
- Central to the psychoactive effects of cocaine is the nucleus accumbens (NA) region of the brain, a major part of the ventral striatum that helps to mediate emotions, motivation, reward, and pleasure.
- For more information on our addiction treatment services – including programme formats, settings and pricing – please visit our dedicated addiction services page.
- Cocaine is a stimulant that increases brain activity, while alcohol is a depressant that decreases brain activity.
Like its parent drug, cocaethylene blocks the reuptake of dopamine and increases post-synaptic neuronal activity; the parent drug may also block reuptake of serotonin as well. Cocaethylene has been studied in animal models in terms of its pharmacology and its potential neurological effects. Most cardiac-related risk Cocaine and Alcohol Mix assessment tools do not ask about cocaine use, which can prevent clinicians from making optimal therapeutic choices.
What happens when you mix cocaine and alcohol?
A recent study of cocaine use data from 2011 to 2015 found people who reported heavy alcohol use in the past month had higher rates of weekly cocaine use. Studies show half of those using cocaine receive a diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Find rehab for yourself or a loved one by speaking with a treatment provider.
What Happens When You Mix Alcohol and Cocaine?
- Cocaethylene prolongs the presence of both substances in the bloodstream, delaying the perception of intoxication and increasing the likelihood of overdose.
- Research is being done on vaccines and gene- and biomarker-based treatment models.
- Cocaine can cause dopamine build-up and dopamine activity in the NA that exceeds the levels of dopamine that might occur naturally 24.
Cocaine alone can cause vasoconstriction, elevated heart rate, and hypertension, while alcohol contributes to cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. Studies show that the risk of heart attack or stroke increases by 24 times within the first hour of concurrent use, particularly in individuals aged 18–40. Even occasional users are not immune; a single binge session can lead to aortic dissection or sudden cardiac arrest, especially in those with pre-existing conditions or genetic predispositions.
Emergency Drug Rehab: A Comprehensive Guide
This is a very dangerous alcohol and cocaine interaction, as this metabolite increases the risk of sudden death by up to 25 times when compared to the use of cocaine on its own. To mitigate these dangers, individuals should avoid mixing cocaine and alcohol entirely. However, the safest approach is to seek professional help for substance use disorders, as the synergistic effects of these drugs can be life-threatening even in seemingly moderate doses. From a physiological standpoint, the liver prioritizes metabolizing alcohol over cocaine, allowing cocaine to remain active longer and increasing its toxic effects on the brain and heart.
The hCE1 enzyme appears to be a broad-spectrum bio-scavenger and is known to play a role in the metabolism of biotoxins such as sarin 18. At Priory, we know how to help people overcome their struggles with addiction. The Recovery Village Columbus Drug, Alcohol and Mental Health Rehab specializes in compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to your needs.
It is critical to seek emergency medical help immediately if someone is suffering from a suspected cocaine or alcohol overdose. Consider the scenario of a 25-year-old at a party who consumes three lines of cocaine (approximately 150 mg) alongside four shots of vodka over two hours. While they may feel invincible due to the heightened euphoria, their body is under immense strain. Cocaethylene prolongs the presence of both substances in the bloodstream, delaying the perception of intoxication and increasing the likelihood of overdose. This combination also impairs judgment more severely than either drug alone, raising the risk of accidents, aggressive behavior, or risky sexual encounters.
Alcohol also slows down the elimination process, which means that the liver is unable to expel all of the cocaethylene, leaving about 20% remaining in the liver. Further alcohol consumption can cause cocaethylene to pass into the bloodstream, harming tissues and organs. Research suggests that alcohol disrupts the metabolism of cocaine, leading to the production of cocaethylene, a substance that may be 30% more toxic than cocaine. Other medications to treat cocaine dependence are being used off-label with limited success.