I was "addicted" to cocaine for a year or so, did it every day, all day....I can say that the addiction isn't the normal addiction people are so used to seeing, it is more of a social addiction.....you never really crave the drug like you do with heroin or opiates.....I stopped doing cocaine cold turkey for a long while after that year and never had one withdrawal symptom, I just thought about it a LOT...LOL
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It is speculated that cocaine's addictive properties stem partially from its DAT-blocking effects (in particular, increasing the dopaminergic transmission from ventral tegmental area neurons). However, a study has shown that mice with no dopamine transporters still exhibit the rewarding effects of cocaine administration.[32] Later work demonstrated that a combined DAT/SERT knockout eliminated the rewarding effects.[33] The rewarding effects of cocaine are influenced by circadian rhythms,[34] possibly by involving a set of genes termed "clock genes".[35] However, chronic cocaine addiction is not solely due to cocaine reward. Chronic repeated use is needed to produce cocaine-induced changes in brain reward centers and consequent chronic dysphoria (described above under "Effects and Health Issues - Chronic"). Dysphoria magnifies craving for cocaine because cocaine reward rapidly, albeit transiently, improves mood. This contributes to continued use and a self-perpetuating, worsening condition, since those addicted usually cannot appreciate that long-term effects are opposite those occurring immediately after use.
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