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🧠  Cocaine Addiction and Its Psychological Effects 

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🧠  Cocaine Addiction and Its Psychological Effects 

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Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that increases dopamine levels in the brain, creating intense feelings of euphoria. However, repeated use alters the brain’s reward system, leading to psychological dependence and addiction.

Psychological Effects of Cocaine Use:

Short-term: Increased alertness, anxiety, restlessness, paranoia

Long-term: Depression, mood swings, irritability, hallucinations, and psychosis

Behavioral changes: Risky behaviors, aggression, and social withdrawal (NIH, 2021).

Cocaine Addiction:
Cocaine is highly addictive. Over time, users develop tolerance and require higher doses to achieve the same effects. This leads to compulsive drug-seeking behavior and a loss of control over use, even when it causes significant personal, legal, or health problems.

References

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Treatment for stimulant use disorders: Updated 2021 (Treatment Improvement Protocol [TIP] Series No. 33, Chapter 2—How stimulants affect the brain and behavior). Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576548/

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Cocaine Rehab Blog_ How Cocaine affects the Brain

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Substance Use Disorders : These involve the misuse of substances like opioids, alcohol, marijuana, and stimulants

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Chemsex, also known as Party n Play (PnP), refers to using crystal meth and/or GHB to enhance sexual experiences.

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Porn Addiction: The Psychological Struggle Behind the Screen

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Porn Addiction: The Psychological Struggle Behind the Screen

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Increasing popularity of video games has come growing high potential for addiction. we will focus on the concept of mental status, general happiness, and specific game design features.

Methodology and measure

Game Addiction Scale (GAS), which evaluate symptoms such as salience, mood modification, conflict, and so on.

Flow State Scale (FSS-2), which measures nine dimensions of loss of self consciousness, concentration, distorted time perception.

Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), a validated instrument that evaluate overall happiness.

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Gambling is characterized as the taking of risks on uncertain outcomes, often done by risking something of value, like money, with the hope of gaining something of an even greater value.

Whether a person grabs a scratch off at the gas station, take a drive out to a casino, play online or participate in betting pools at work, that person is gambling.

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Gay and/or bisexual men who have sex with other men are typically the demographics of individuals who engage in chemsex. Chemsex enhances and prolongs the pleasurable act of sex, but the real question is why do it?

The reasons why many gay and/or bisexual men need to incorporate drugs with sex has to do with a lot of shame built around the community.

Society's view towards LGBTQ community people and sex between men. Homophobic rhetoric and the traumatic effect that the AIDS epidemic had on gay people and sex has a huge part. AIDS propaganda perpetuating the concept that gay sex is deemed "dirty" or even a death sentence when engaging.

Prior bullying and religious trauma that LGBTQ people have experienced. The reality of LGBTQ people being raised in religious households who told them at a young age that gay sex is a sin and then in view themselves as sinful for being who they are grants self-esteem and guilt problems.

The reality that most LGBTQ people already have mental health disorders, health problems, are sex workers, racial/ethnic minorities, or has not have enough resources or education that their straight counterpart has all ties into why individual's might engage in more riskier behaviors.

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Here is a informative video providing details about how intertwined meth and sex can be.

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Meth, Sex & Dopamine - The Pleasure Trap That Hijacks Your Brain

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Although problems are subjective, it's important to note that prolonged use of substances can result in many complications. Here are some examples:

Decreased time with family, friends, and loved ones.

Inability to enjoy sober sex and meaningful connections

Increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases

Difficulties enjoying things and activities that were previously enjoyed. Making engaging in chemsex activities the only activity to enjoy.

Chemsex involvement taking longer than planned, thus missing out on important responsibilities like work or school.

Gradual inability to manage finances due to impaired decision making

Increased substance use making life responsibilities difficult to manage.

Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, paranoia, delusions, and even drug induced psychosis/schizophrenia. Prolonged use of crystal meth and even lead to long-term and permanent schizophrenia.

Lastly, increased risk of overdose and death

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Looking for treatment, but don't know how?

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Looking for treatment, but don't know how?

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Has Crystal Meth become a problem in your life? Was it first fun, then fun with problems, and now it's just problems? There are many resources for you out there, but you have to do the footwork and seek change in your life.

There are many resources and organizations available like the LGBT Center that provides numerous amounts of resources to help struggling individuals- gay or straight. Above is a link for the Los Angeles LGBT Center- Substance Use and Recovery Services.

Services include:

Methodology: Helping individuals develop strategies and goals to reduce or stop the use of crystal meth. There are group sessions and individual sessions available in a judgement free zone.

Individual Therapy

Intensive Day Outpatient Program

Fentanyl Strips & NARCAN

.. and so much more!

The Los Angeles LGBT Center can also provide you resources to the many inpatient residential rehab facilities here in Los Angeles that specialize in "Chemsex." There are AA groups and CMA (Crystal Meth Anonymous) groups available at your fingertips.

You can do this! I believe in you!

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Substance Use and Recovery Services - Los Angeles LGBT Center

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Substance & Recovery Services include managing your usage safely or stopping altogether. We’re here to provide stigma-free, competent care to help you achieve your goals.

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Substance Use and Recovery Services - Los Angeles LGBT Center. (2025, April 2). Los Angeles LGBT Center. https://lalgbtcenter.org/services/substance-use-recovery-services/

Chemsex – Checkpoint ARAS. (n.d.). https://www.checkpointaras.ro/en/stay-informed/chemsex/

Dr. Rege. (2025, April 19). Meth, sex & dopamine - the pleasure trap that hijacks your brain [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDTZtfx2dQ

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Opioids is  one of the leading cause of death in America

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Opioids is  one of the leading cause of death in America

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In 2007, the number of overdose deaths from prescription opioids outnumbered deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.

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Differences between therapeutic use and abuse

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Differences between therapeutic use and abuse

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Abuse is taking a higher dose than prescribed, taking someone else's prescription, using them to feel high instead of managing pain

Therapeutic use of opioids focuses on pain relief, Pain level varie form moderate to severe acute pain, post op care after surgery or accidents are perfect examples of opiods use for managing chronic pain,

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Sign and symptoms, Strong craving for opioids,taking them with alcohol taking larger amounts than intended, and unsuccessful attempts to cut down, neglecting responsibilities

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Behavioral and Pharmacological are key to helping with this addiction .

Behavior is teaching addicts strategies how to function without drugs, how to deal with cravings, and relapse in worst cased scenario. Behavioral treatments, include individual counseling, group or family counseling, contingency management, and cognitivebehavioral therapies, these can help patients improve their personal relationships and their ability to function at work and in the community.

Pharmacological help with symptoms such as countering the effects of the drug on the brain and behavior, and can be used to relieve withdrawal symptoms, help overcome drug cravings, or treat an overdose.

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Key Findings

Low levels of happiness: lower happiness scores being strongly correlated with higher levels of gaming addiction.

Distortion of time perception (Flow component): losing tract of time suggests that immersive quality of games can reinforce compulsive play. Time distortion is leading to the extended gaming session.

Social Features in games: multiplayer functions in game chat or social communities were leading to higher addiction levels.

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Solutions

Time management interventions: Gamers should be encouraged to monitor their playtime.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): it can help individuals recognize the triggers of their gaming habits and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

Game design interventions: developers can play role like pop-up alerts to remind players to take breaks

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Conclusion

Video game addiction makes players low happiness, immersive flow experiences (time distortion), and social game elements in predicting problematic gaming behaviors. So, It is important to maintain a balance between engagement and moderation will be essential to ensuring that video games remain a healthy and enriching activity rather than a compulsive or addictive one.

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Reference

Daria J. Kuss and Mark D. Griffiths, Nottingham Trent University (2011). Online gaming addiction in children and adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Addictions 1. pp. 3-22 (2012).

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Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction

Nora D. Volkow, M.D

July 2001, Revised October 2011

Google scholarly

Penn State PRO wellness Teen Health: Substance Use and Abuse

Mar 12, 2018

Available at https://youtu.be/6fmhLcYSn-Y?si=a3qJKzVKgC7dgwUN

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Pornography includes different types of sexual content meant to arouse or excite people. This can be in the form of pictures, videos, written stories, or other media. Anything that shows or describes sexual activity.

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Many studies have consistently found that people who watch porn often report feeling less satisfied and happy in their relationships.

Not to mention, people who watch porn often argue more with their partners, feel less committed, and have a harder time working through relationship problems.

Watching pornography can affect both the person viewing it and their partner. According to Stewart and Szymanski (2012), “partners of porn consumers also report negative effects, such as lower self-esteem, worse relationship quality, and less sexual satisfaction.” This quote shows that watching porn can hurt relationships by causing emotional struggles and unhappiness. It affects more than just the person watching; it can also damage trust, closeness, and connection between partners.

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How do we become addicted to pornography?

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How do we become addicted to pornography?

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Here is a quick video explaining how our brain reacts to watching porn and how it can be addictive

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Part 7: The Binge Mechanism | Your Brain on Porn | Animated Series

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How does Pornography affect Mental Health

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How does Pornography affect Mental Health

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People often turn to pornography as a way to cope with feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, or loneliness. However, high levels of porn consumption have been linked to worsening mental health, including increased depression, anxiety, and social isolation. Instead of providing relief, frequent use can intensify the very emotions people are trying to escape.

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This video goes into how people can restart their brains, and refrain from watching porn

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Part 244 (Final Part): Restarting The Brain | Your Brain on Porn | Animated Series

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Karim, N.A.H.A., Osman, M.A., Abdelmonaem, Y.M.M. et al. Effects of porn addiction on mental health

and personality of nursing students: a cross-sectional study in Egypt. BMC Nurs 24, 414 (2025).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02918-z

FreeMedEducation. (2022, October 8). Part 7: The Binge Mechanism | Your Brain on Porn | Animated series [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC_529ScXeM

FreeMedEducation. (2023b, August 10). Part 244 (Final part): Restarting the Brain | Your Brain on Porn | Animated series [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcQKDyNPgzg

By. (2024a, July 31). How porn can negatively impact love and intimacy. Fight the New Drug. https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-negatively-impact-relationship/

Stewart, D.N., Szymanski, D.M. Young Adult Women’s Reports of Their Male Romantic Partner’s Pornography Use as a Correlate of Their Self-Esteem, Relationship Quality, and Sexual Satisfaction. Sex Roles 67, 257–271 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-012-0164-0

By. (2024, August 20). How porn can impact mental health and fuel loneliness. Fight the New Drug. https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-impact-mental-health-and-fuel-loneliness/

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DSM-5’s Criteria for a diagnosis of Gambling Disorder A. Persistent and recurring problematic gambling behavior as indicated by a person exhibiting at least four of the following in a 12-month period:

1. Needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money.

2. Is restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop their gambling.

3. Has made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control or stop gambling.

4. Is frequently preoccupied with gambling

5. Lies to cover up amount of gambling.

6. Has jeopardized relationships because of gambling.

7. Relies on others to provide money

This is just a portion of signs/symptoms listed under diagnosis

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Those seeking help can complete a Gambler’s Fallacy Questionnaire (GFQ) which does an assessment of distorted patterns of thinking.  By completing this questionnaire, it allowed participants to use more analytical thinking thus being educated on the errors in their judgment and cognition related to gambling. This type of therapy has been found to be successful with many plagued by such disorder.

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Kristiansen, S. et al (2017) Gamblers Fallacy

Armstrong, T, et al  J Behav Addict 2020,

PubMed Central (2016)

DSM-5 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5th Edition

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