Excessive cocaine use causes serious damage to the body long-term, most of which you may not recognise at the time of taking the drug.
Despite this, we’re currently seeing record highs of cocaine use amongst adults in the UK. In fact, 8.7% of adults reported using cocaine in 2025, compared to half that in 2001. What’s more, the same study found only 5.1% of people reported knowing how dangerous cocaine is.
To help people better understand what cocaine does to the body and the risks posed by it over time, we’ll explore the long-term effects of cocaine use.
What Does Cocaine Do to You Long-Term
Long-term use of cocaine can do irreparable harm to both the body and mind, as well as severely impact relationships with loved ones.
Over time, cocaine use can lead to behavioural changes, health complications, your physical features may start to look different, and there are psychological impacts to consider, too. It can be difficult to notice differences in yourself, especially when they take a while to show.
So, if you’re concerned about excessive cocaine use or addiction within yourself, we’ve provided a breakdown of what changes you should look out for.
Behavioural Impacts of Long-Term Cocaine Use
Mood Swings
It’s common to notice rapid, dramatic mood swings when you take cocaine over long periods of time, going between intense feelings of joy, anxiety, and anger.
During the high of using cocaine, dopamine in the brain increases. Dopamine is known as the ‘feel-good’ hormone, creating an almost euphoric sensation. However, when the drug wears off, your body can’t naturally sustain these levels, leading to a comedown.
With a cocaine comedown, you can experience a sharp crash down from the original high, followed by feelings of anxiety, depression, and irritation.
Paranoia
When you take cocaine, the brain is flooded with dopamine, which triggers the reward system to cause high levels of pleasure.
However, excessively high levels of dopamine overstimulate the brain, making rational thought hard. As such, it’s common to have hallucinations and delusions, seeing or hearing things that aren’t actually real. Over time, this can cause doubt or suspicions, eventually leading to paranoia.
Psychological Impact of Long-Term Cocaine Use
Mental Health Difficulties
Many people experience difficulties with their mental health as a long-term effect of cocaine use.
Using cocaine can be incredibly isolating, with some losing connection with loved ones due to the drug. Many people experience depression or anxiety as a result of their struggles with drugs. In fact, half of those dealing with addiction also face mental health difficulties at the same time, studies suggest.
Impaired Brain Functions
Just as oxygen to the heart is reduced with cocaine use, oxygen to the brain is also impacted, leading to serious implications for the brain’s health.
Over time, there’s a greater risk of seizures, strokes, and aneurysms. Cognition can also be impacted, leading to difficulties with impulse control, decision-making, attention span, and motor skills. It’s common for memory to be an issue with the long-term effects of cocaine use, with people struggling to retain and recall information.
Physical Changes of Long-Term Cocaine Use
Nose Damage
As cocaine is ingested through the nose, it can severely impact the nasal passage, as well as the surrounding areas.
Some suffer a loss of smell or experience frequent nosebleeds. There’s also a risk of septum perforation or saddle nose deformity, which is where the nose bridge completely collapses. These symptoms are often irreversible and cause significant discomfort.
Weight Loss
People who take cocaine for long periods of time can start to show signs of significant weight loss due to how the drug affects the central nervous system.
As a stimulant, cocaine affects vital neurotransmitters in the brain called dopamine and norepinephrine, which are responsible for regulating your appetite. Over time, this can suppress your appetite. Without hunger, you don’t eat, leading to weight loss.
Health Implications of Long-Term Cocaine Use
Lung Damage
Smoking is a common method of taking cocaine. With long-term use, you can cause serious damage to your lungs.
You can develop a condition known as ‘crack lung’, which is caused by inhaling cocaine. Common symptoms include severe chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and a wheezing sound when you inhale.
Fluid can start to build up in the lungs when you smoke cocaine, which can cause pulmonary edema. If you notice signs of this, such as shortness of breath or frothy, pink phlegm, then see a doctor as soon as possible.
Cardiovascular Complications
Cocaine is a powerful stimulant, containing lots of chemicals that cause different complications to the cardiovascular system – your heart, blood, and blood vessels.
Chemicals like serotonin and dopamine are blocked by cocaine, triggering the fight or flight response, which causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Blood vessels supplying blood to the heart constrict, reducing the amount of oxygen taken to the heart.
These long-term effects of cocaine use can lead to structural damage, causing a weakened heart muscle, putting you at greater risk of heart failure.
What is Coke Nose?
One of the most common long-term symptoms of cocaine use is damage to the nose, nasal passages, and septum.
Known colloquially as ‘coke nose’, this happens as a result of snorting cocaine frequently for long periods of time. The results can be quite serious, leading to severe structural damage or even a collapse of the nasal septum and valve.
As cocaine narrows the blood vessels in the nose, blood flow and oxygen to the area are restricted. When blood and oxygen can’t reach it, the tissue starts to die, leading to visible damage that is often irreparable.
What Should I Do If I’m Dealing With a Cocaine Addiction?
If you’re dealing with a cocaine addiction, it’s important to get help as soon as possible to prevent cocaine’s long-term effects, creating irreparable harm to your body.
Addiction rehab provides the most comprehensive care for treating a cocaine addiction. Here, you’ll stay at a residential facility to begin detoxing your body of the drug, before starting your recovery journey alongside dedicated, trained professionals.
We know that reaching out for help with addiction can be daunting, but addiction rehab surrounds you with professional, compassionate people who understand exactly what you’re experiencing. Taking that first step may feel overwhelming, but it’s the best place to start regaining control of your life.
What Does Cocaine Do to the Body?
While the long-term symptoms of cocaine use are quite intense, they only occur when you’ve used the drug for long periods of time.
However, there are other short-term effects cocaine has on the body that can be just as challenging. For example, insomnia is common with cocaine, making getting a full night’s sleep feel impossible.
Some people experience psychosis with cocaine, which causes a feeling of disconnection from reality. Many get delusions, hallucinations, and an intense feeling of confusion with psychosis that often needs medical treatment to cure.
How Can I Get Help for Cocaine Misuse?
Seeking help for cocaine misuse or an addiction to the substance can be daunting, but it’s essential to ensure you stay safe and healthy.
If you’re worried about a cocaine addiction, it’s best to seek immediate medical help or recovery support. You can speak to your GP about your struggles, as they’ll be able to put you in touch with relevant specialist services to help with recovery.
You can also access support groups, where you’ll meet people going through their own journey to recovery. Use the Talk to Frank support group finder to locate the best and nearest support groups for you.
For more immediate support, there are rehabilitation centres available that provide around-the-clock care to help you stop using cocaine for good.
We’re Here to Help You Recover From Addiction Safely
Here at Stonebridge Communities, we’re dedicated to helping people recover from addiction to regain control of their own lives.
Our residential treatment offers around-the-clock, dedicated care to those who need it most. With us, you get bespoke addiction treatment, tailored to your specific needs. We’re right by your side from the start to the very end of your recovery journey.
Give us a call today to see how we can help you. Our friendly team is available via phone call on 01934 311965. Alternatively, you can send us an email to info@stonebridge.rehab. We’re ready to help you.
