Cocaine Dependency and Treatment Case Study

Cocaine, manufactured from the coca plant, is the most abused drug among the prisoners in a community health study in ‘The Good Shepherd Prison’ in Colombia. The Americas are the world’s largest producer and consumer of cocaine products. The substance is also exported to other nations across the globe. It acts as a stimulant to users and can also be used as a local anesthesia in medical surgeries. In Colombia, cocaine is available as an inhalable powder or crack in the form of crystals. The drug has adverse health and social effects when abused, but victims can undergo various treatments to reverse the situation. This paper is a case study of a cocaine addiction in the Good Shepherd Prison, experiences, and the accessible health and psychological treatments available in the facility and the community.

Hernandez, one of the male patients in prison, suffers from cocaine dependency and addiction. He is a political prisoner from a low-income family that was unable to bail him out of the sentence. The cocaine hydrochloride (HCL), crack and cocaine paste are the most abused cocaine strains among the population (Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, 2011). The prisoners in these facilities are discriminated and treated inhumanely by the government due to the belief that they are internal enemies. The inmates abuse drugs as a way to relieve stress and depression. In case of Hernandez, the use of the substance began a week after he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for committing a political felony. The substance is smuggled into the correction center by the wardens or visitors who come into the facility. According to the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (2011), more than 16% of prisoners in Colombia use HCL, 11% use Basuco, and a small population abuse crack.

Cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs in the world, and dependence on it has various health and social effects experienced by the users. For instance, Hernandez has explained different experiences he has had since he began using cocaine to the current level of addiction. First, the victim suffers short-term health effects from abusing the product. It is a central nervous system stimulant that affects the absorption of dopamine and continuous use leads to hyper-stimulation and sensitivity of the nerves. The first Hernandez’s experiences have increased alertness and talkativeness, made him energetic and lack of sleep (Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, 2011). It has also temporarily reduced the urge to eat. The effects have led to various cases of violence that he was involved with other prisoners as a result of increased aggressiveness.

Cocaine increases brain activities and forces heart to pump more oxygenated blood into the system. As a result, the victim experiences increased blood pressure, constricted vessels and temperature rise a few minutes after using the substance. Consequently, he experienced euphoria, anxiety, and grandiosity. These effects are felt for a maximum of thirty minutes, and later he is back to normal. The exciting feeling caused by the drug persuades the victim to crave for more substance leading to addiction. Further, Hernandez has reported experiencing hallucinations after excessive consumption of the drug. He continues demanding for more cocaine the supply has increased in the facility. At the time of the study, the victim is addict and dependent of the drug for more than three years of daily consumption (Teesson, Baillie, Lynskey, Manor & Degenhardt, 2006).

Moreover, cocaine addiction leads to dependency on the drug to perform daily activities and mental reliance on the substance. In some cases, Hernandez experiences severe headaches and weakness if he misses to consume cocaine on a regular basis during the day. The long-term effect of the drug is depression (Teesson et al., 2006). According to the research, cocaine is harmful to brain’s dopamine and reduces the pleasure feeling in the victim. As a result, the addicts cannot realize the positive things in their lives and it causes depression. The mental condition is characterized by prolonged sadness, self-pity, aggression, loss and suicidal thoughts. The victim explains the situations as the result of feeling useless to the society and even an attempted to commit suicide by starving himself. Depression accompanies by withdrawal from fellow inmates and the society.

Finally, Hernandez has noted that after long-term abuse of cocaine, he once began experiencing high blood pressure and heart problems. The heart rate reduced significantly leading to temporary failure of some of the body organs, severe headache and difficulties in breathing. These problems persisted and later caused heart failure. He was admitted in one of the hospitals in the city after the administration of the prison raised alarms following the many medical-related complications reported in the facility. Therapy and treatment program was established to combat the cases of cocaine and other drugs abuse.

The addicts in prison can access special medication and therapeutic treatment that are tailored and geared towards treating addiction and correcting behavior consumption (Teesson et al., 2006). Hernandez began by undergoing a cardiovascular treatment and later registered for regular detoxification of the blood to eliminate the cocaine. During the medication process, researchers developed cocaine-related antibodies that would bind with the drug and prevent it from reaching the brain.

In addition, he was put through a rehabilitation program where dopamine was administered to boost its production consumption (Teesson et al., 2006). He also went through counseling sessions and therapy related activities to support his cocaine free life. Experts also involve cocaine addicts and mental disorders victims towards the motivational incentives also known as contingency management. The program aims at rewarding patients who abstain from the drug consumption for a given period. Gym membership and other physical activities are also important in helping Hernandez and other addicted victims in reducing and ending the use.

The medical and behavioral treatments are expected to produce positive rewards on the patient. Medication helps in reducing the dependence on the drug and rectification of the damaged brain cells (Teesson et al., 2006). In addition, it reduces the re-occurrence of withdrawal symptoms and controls the dopamine levels in the brain. Further, the medical intervention will reverse cardiovascular complications and reduce the chances of death. On the other hand, behavioral therapy and treatment are facilitated under rehab programs. The expected outcomes of the process are abstinence to cocaine, increased physical and mental strength among the addicted people (Teesson, et al., 2006). In the prisons, counseling sessions help in encouraging the inmates and assuring them of their importance in the society. Motivation will also help them change their behavior and become successful citizens even after completing their jail terms. The treatment also helps in reducing the burden on the government and the community.

In conclusion of this university of rochester essay, drug addiction is a significant issue in the society. Cocaine in Colombia is one of the most abused drugs in the Americas and is smuggled into prisons in the country. Hernandez is one of the cocaine dependency victims in the Good Shepherd Prison. He has been abusing the drug for more than three years, and as a result, he has developed significant health, mental and social problems such as cardiovascular diseases, depression, aggression and withdrawal symptoms. The victim is taken through medical and behavioral treatments aimed at healing the health complications, boosting his self-esteem and reversing poor habits and dependency on the drug.