The club scene created a new way of abusing drugs that some people are taking full advantage of, but the medical community is very concerned about it. They are using the term “sextacy” to describe the trend of mixing Viagra with cocaine or other substances.
What Is Viagra?
As men age, sexual functioning begins to slow down. It takes them longer to achieve an erection, and it takes them longer to reach orgasm. Older men also require more time between erections, and after an orgasm, their erections tend to deflate much faster than they did when they were younger.
In 1998, Pfizer began to market Viagra to men experiencing erectile dysfunction, and sales exploded. Researchers discovered that this medication causes blood vessels in the sexual organs to become dilated, and this makes it easier for a man to obtain an erection.
Younger Men and Viagra
Now, younger men are taking Viagra, but they are mixing it with cocaine so that they can experience increased feelings of euphoria.
People choose cocaine as a partner for Viagra because of the short-term effects. Immediately after taking cocaine, the user begins to experience euphoria and feels more energetic. The user begins to talk a lot more and is also more mentally alert. This person will also be more sensitive to touch, sight, and sound.
Cocaine causes several short-term effects that are on the negative side, such as a higher body temperature, an increased heart rate, and hypertension. The drug also constricts the blood vessels and dilates the pupils.
Part of the allure of cocaine is the fact that it can increase a person’s desire to engage in sexual activity. This makes Viagra an attractive companion to cocaine.
The Dangers of Mixing Viagra and Cocaine
The dangers of mixing these two substances include the following:
- Cardiovascular dangers – When people take cocaine, they are taking serious risks with their health. Negative cardiovascular effects are very common when people ingest Viagra. For example, some people have had heart attacks because of cocaine consumption. They have even experienced headaches, seizures, and strokes. Others have fallen into comas.
- Acute aortic dissection – When people mix Viagra and cocaine, it has been known to cause heart attacks as well as acute aortic dissection. The heart contains a large blood vessel, and when it tears, this is known as an acute aortic dissection. This condition is very serious. When blood begins to flow from the tear, the middle and the inner layers of the aorta dissect or separate, causing death when the organs in this area rupture.
- Priapism – Priapism is a condition in which a man’s erection lasts for several hours or even several days. This occurs when the blood is unable to return to the circulatory system because of damage in the area. As the erection lasts, the penile tissues are being deprived of oxygen, so if the erection lasts longer than six hours, this is considered to be a medical emergency because it causes the tissues to degenerate.
- Serotonin syndrome – The nerve cells in the body produce serotonin, which has several functions, including digesting your food, helping you sleep, and stabilizing your moods. Having too much serotonin in your blood isn’t good. It can cause headaches, diarrhea, confusion, and a rapid heartbeat.
Some signs of serotonin syndrome can be life-threatening, and they include the following:
- Unconsciousness
- An irregular heartbeat
- A high temperature
- Seizures
Mixing Viagra and cocaine can result in serotonin syndrome and could lead to death.
What Is a Psychological Dependence?
Someone can be physically dependent upon substances. But you can also have a psychological dependence on some substances. A psychological dependence refers to the emotional triggers that keep people embroiled in a substance addiction. This is characterized by an individual’s inability to think of anything other than the substance. It can also mean that the person experiences cravings.
Someone is dependent on a substance when the mind and the body develop a need to continue feeling the way that the substance makes him or her feel. When people are dependent upon substances, they will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the substance.
The symptoms of a psychological dependence include:
- Users spend the majority of their time using the substance. If they are not spending this time using the substance, they are thinking about using it.
- Users with a psychological dependence lose interest in the things that used to be important to them.
- Users experience emotional cravings when they are not using the substance.
- Users must take the substance in order to be able to participate in other activities, such as sleeping, socializing, or engaging in their normal functions.
What Is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome?
Post-acute withdrawal syndrome occurs when someone is experiencing a psychological dependence, and it may occur after the signs of a physical dependence have subsided.
These symptoms include:
- Difficulties in personal relationships
- Difficulties keeping stress under control
- Difficulties making decisions, concentrating, or keeping memories
- Difficulties controlling emotions
- Difficulties sleeping
- Low energy levels
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
Psychological withdrawal symptoms can last for a very long time. Some people experience these symptoms for several weeks or even months. These symptoms may be mildly annoying, but others may have some that are extremely troublesome.
If men are using Viagra when they don’t need it, they risk developing a psychological dependence on the drug. When they also add cocaine to the mix, some men can develop a fear of not being able to perform in the bedroom if they don’t take both Viagra and cocaine.
If you or a loved one is psychologically addicted to Viagra, we can help you at Granite Recovery Centers. We treat substance use disorders for many substances, and we will be able to help you with your dependence on cocaine and Viagra.
What Is Herbal Viagra?
Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra were approved by the FDA and are available via a prescription. But they are also expensive. Therefore, manufacturers developed “herbal Viagra” to compete with these medications by advertising them as “natural” and less expensive versions.
The medications that need a prescription increase the amount of blood in the penis when the man is sexually aroused. The herbal solutions also increase the amount of blood that flows to this area. The difference is that the herbal supplements do not single out the penile blood vessels. Because these medications do not focus on the penile area, they can cause the men taking them to have extremely low blood pressure.
A Current Example
We have a well-known example of a time when someone mixed cocaine and Viagra, and it didn’t work out well for him. In 2015, basketball star Lamar Odom ingested cocaine as well as 10 doses of an herbal substance that was supposed to be similar to Viagra.
Workers at the Love Ranch had to call emergency services for Odom because he was “close to not breathing.” The brothel’s manager also told the dispatcher that Odom had “white stuff” coming from his mouth and blood coming from his nose. They had to make at least two calls before help arrived. According to another representative of the brothel, Odom was breathing but was unresponsive.
It turned out that Lamar Odom took the herbal supplement known as “Reload 72-Hour Strong Sexual Performance Enhancer for Men” over the three days that he was at the brothel.
The brothel supplies visitors with the herbal supplement, but they do not allow visitors to bring drugs onto the premises. Odom would have been able to bring cocaine to the brothel because the staff does not search its patrons when they arrive. A female worker at the brothel said that Odom told her that he used cocaine before he arrived there. In addition to the drugs, Odom also consumed the majority of a bottle of cognac.
How to Take Viagra Correctly
It’s important to take Viagra only as your doctor prescribes it. Otherwise, there can be serious complications, like the one described in the Lamar Odom story. The medication is supposed to be taken to help with sexual activity. You can take it between 30 minutes and four hours before you engage in sexual activity. The ideal time to take it is one hour before.
If Viagra users are taking herbal supplements of any kind, they must inform their doctors before they combine the medications. If a medical professional has ever advised someone not to engage in sexual activity because of a heart issue, the doctor prescribing the Viagra needs to know. That’s because sexual activity strains the heart muscle, and if the person has heart disease, the danger of straining your heart is even greater. Your physician should also be aware if you have ever experienced chest pain while you were engaged in sexual activity.
If Viagra users begin to experience nausea, dizziness, or chest pain, they must stop all sexual activity and contact their physicians.
If you or a loved one believes that you are psychologically addicted to Viagra, we want to help you at the Granite Recovery Centers. You aren’t likely to experience withdrawal symptoms if you miss a dose of Viagra, so you will not need to go through the detoxification process for Viagra. However, you may still be dependent upon Viagra and taking it in a manner in which your doctor did not prescribe.
Cocaine Withdrawal
If you have been mixing cocaine with Viagra, you may be physically addicted to cocaine, so the detoxification process will be necessary. That’s because people often experience a “crash” after they stop ingesting cocaine. This crash begins with a strong craving for the drug and may also include anxiety, sleepiness, a lack of pleasure, fatigue, and agitation.
People also experience cocaine withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms do not include shaking and vomiting like with other drugs, but they can be unpleasant and unbearable.
Cocaine withdrawal symptoms include:
- Nightmares
- An increase in hunger
- Generalized discomfort
- Fatigue
- Depressed mood
- Restlessness
If you have been taking cocaine for a long time, cocaine withdrawal can be particularly troublesome for several reasons. Strong cravings to consume the drug and depression can last for several months. Some people even have suicidal tendencies when they are withdrawing from cocaine.
If you ingest cocaine during the withdrawal period, the high may not be as good as before withdrawal. Instead of euphoria, cocaine use during withdrawal causes people to experience fear and suspicion. However, the cravings at this time remain particularly powerful.
Granite Recovery Centers
The drug detox program becomes necessary at this point. To conquer the psychological addiction, you are also going to need treatment for a substance use disorder. Our professional staff can diagnose a substance use disorder and mental health disorder if you have one and develop treatments for them. Granite Recovery Centers provides medical detoxification for people who do not need immediate medical intervention, are not a danger to themselves, and are capable of self-evacuation in the event of an emergency.
If you or a loved one need help with your cocaine and Viagra dependencies, the best place to have those issues treated is in our treatment program at Granite Recovery Center. Whether you need to enter the detox program first or not, we will diagnose and treat your substance use disorder and get your life back on track. Just contact us today, and we will get started.
