Thinking of mixing alcohol and cocaine? Think again. Mixing alcohol and cocaine can be deadly. In fact, combining the two increases your risk of overdose, stroke, heart issues, seizures, and even committing acts of violence.
Long story short: Co-use of booze and coke could be fatal – both to you and those around you.
One rehab clinic in the United States even claims that you’re 25 times more likely to die by combining the two together. There’s no research on that in Australia yet, but we believe them.
This is because taking cocaine and then drinking alcohol creates a new super drug in your system called cocaethylene that has destructive powers. That’s right: Taking both of these substances creates an entirely new substance in your body with lethal capabilities.
Please, if you’re planning on combining these two drugs, read this article to learn how this could be a potentially fatal decision, what the research says, and 10 ways this combination increases your chances of dying.
Why do People Mix Cocaine and Alcohol?
People mix ethanol with cocaine because they think it’s going to make things more fun. Alcohol is a depressant and cocaine is a stimulant, so they help to “cancel out” each other’s bad sides.
Alcohol makes you tired, so getting cocaine’s stimulating effect (a “bump”) will give you the energy you need to keep partying. Nobody wants to be that guy who calls a car home at midnight.
Long story short: mixing these two drugs together lets you party longer and harder. And since cocaine can make you feel invincible, it balances out the sad feeling people normally get from alcohol.
Here’s another thing…
Alcohol will eventually make you sad (it’s a depressant) and feel like going home and curling up in a ball. Not when you’re riding high on coke though.
Sound fun? It’s not. It could actually be deadly. And not after chronic use. It can be lethal the first time you do it.
Why Mixing Cocaine and Alcohol is a Bad Idea
Mixing cocaine with alcohol can be a deadly combination because you’re mixing a dangerous stimulant with a powerful depressant. Mixing these two extremes puts a ton of stress on your heart (and the rest of your organs).
Cocaine affects the nervous system, brain, and bodily organs in a fierce way. It’s a powerful stimulant that increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and overall stress on the cardiovascular system.
As soon as you take it, it instantly puts a lot of stress on your heart. This is because it releases large amounts of adrenaline and other stress hormones, which can constrict blood vessels and increase the workload on the heart.
This can lead to cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks, strokes, and arrhythmias. And keep in mind, this is just from taking cocaine ALONE.
Now, let’s move on to alcohol.
Alcohol is a depressant that can produce a range of negative effects on the cardiovascular system.
In small amounts, alcohol can have a relaxing effect on blood vessels and may even have some protective effects on the heart. However, in larger amounts, alcohol affects the heart in some very negative ways. It constricts blood vessels and increases the workload on the heart.
When cocaine and alcohol are consumed together, they can interact in a way that exacerbates the negative effects on the cardiovascular system. The combination of these two substances can lead to the production of a new compound known as cocaethylene.
What is Cocaethylene?
Cocaethylene is a psychoactive compound that is produced when cocaine and alcohol are consumed together. And it’s extremely dangerous.
Here’s why it’s so dangerous…
Cocaethlyne kicks the effects of the other two drugs into overdrive. It further constricts the blood vessels and puts even more stress on your heart than before.
And now for the real problem…
Cocaethylene increases the duration and intensity of its predecessor drugs. So now, you feel more high/low than before plus you can keep using for longer. This drastically increases your chances of an overdose.
See the dangers? There’s more…
Cocaethylene can also increase the risk of liver damage and other liver-related problems as well as cause severe mental health issues.
What are The Effects of Mixing Cocaine and Alcohol?
The effects of mixing cocaine and alcohol include:
- A general state of cocaine intoxication that can cause negative side effects
- Extreme euphoria
- Increased libido
- An increased risk of aggression or violence
- Intense anxiety
- Depression
- Grinding teeth
- Extreme talkativeness (appearing “wired”)
- Difficulties with coordination
- Poor judgement and decision making
Can’t
Quite
Coke?
What are The Dangers of Mixing Cocaine and Ethanol?
There are some immediate short-term effects of mixing cocaine with ethanol that could have a damaging effect on your mental and physical health. Including:
- Cognitive impairment: Mixing cocaine and alcohol can mess with your brain’s ability to process information. The result? You end up like a zombie and can barely think or remember anything.
- Sleep problems: Cocaine keeps you wired, while alcohol can make you drowsy. Together, they throw your sleep cycle into complete chaos. Your body doesn’t know if it should go run 50 kilometres or sleep for 50 days.
- Gastrointestinal issues: The combination irritates your stomach and can lead to nausea, cramping, or even vomiting. Long-term use can damage your digestive system and make eating uncomfortable.
- Cardiovascular issues: Your heart takes a beating with this combo. Cocaine speeds it up, alcohol messes with your blood pressure, and together they put you on the fast track to heart problems like attacks or strokes.
- Mental health problems: This mix is brutal for your emotions. One moment, you feel unstoppable. The next, you’re anxious, paranoid, or crashing hard. It’s a rollercoaster your mind doesn’t need.
Ten Ways That Cocaine and Alcohol Can Be Fatal are Listed Below:
- Heart attack: Mixing alcohol and cocaine raises blood pressure and heart rate. This puts you at a much higher risk of a heart attack.
- Stroke: Cocaine and alcohol narrow blood vessels. This increases your chances of blockages in the brain and having a stroke.
- Respiratory collapse: The combination of cocaine and alcohol can cause breathing problems and, in severe cases, lead to pulmonary collapse.
- Seizures: Using alcohol and cocaine together increases the risk of seizures, which can be life-threatening.
- Overdose: The combined effects of cocaine and alcohol amplify each other, which makes an overdose more likely.
- Liver failure: Cocaethylene puts extra strain on your liver and raises the risk of liver failure.
- Kidney failure: Cocaine and alcohol use can increase your blood pressure, which can damage the kidneys and lead to kidney failure.
- Dehydration: This combination can cause severe dehydration, resulting in electrolyte imbalances and other complications.
- Choking: Cocaine and alcohol impair coordination and can cause vomiting. This drastically increases the risk of choking.
- Accidents: The use of cocaine and ethanol together impairs judgment and coordination. This puts you at greater risk of car accidents, violence, falls, or something worse. In fact, one study in the National Library of Medicine entitled “Cocaine and Psychiatric Symptoms” by Morton, Alexander W., states that violent behaviours occur in 55% of patients with cocaine-induced psychosis, a condition brought on by heavy usage of cocaine.
Please be Aware of the Risks of Cocaine And Alcohol Dependence
It’s very common for people to suffer from both cocaine dependence AND alcohol dependence at the same time. This duo is just as deadly as mixing the two together at the same time.
In fact, one study from the National Library of Medicine entitled Cocaethylene, Simultaneous Alcohol and Cocaine Use, and Liver Fibrosis in People Living with and without HIV by Tamargo, Javier A., et. al., mentioned a 2018 meta-study that states three-quarters of people who use cocaine use alcohol.
If you’re at the stage where you want to mix these drugs to get even higher than you did before, that’s a very clear sign that you’ve developed a dependence.
If you notice any of these other signs in you or someone you know, please get help immediately:
- Mental health problems like anxiety and depression
- Constant cocaine cravings or alcohol cravings
- Problems with work or school
- Neglecting family
- Isolation
- Changes in behaviour
- Loss of interest in anything not related to the drug
- Mood swings and intense irritability when not using
Trust us, things will only get worse from here. And with cocaine, it can fall off the rails at any time. One session is enough to kill you now that fentanyl has found its way into party drugs here in Oz.
If you have either of these disorders, the only way you can truly get healthy and become happy again is to enter an addiction treatment programme. Contact our admissions team at our treatment center immediately. Don’t worry, if youe case isn’t severe, you can recover from home and not have to miss work. Your insurance may even cover it.
Suffering From Cocaine Addiction? Get Treatment at Our Private Sydney Rehab Clinic
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or cocaine addiction, we want you to know that there is hope. You can make a full recovery.
Many of our patients go on to live happy, fulfilling lives without drugs, and they say they’re far better now than they ever were in active addiction.
Please understand that mixing cocaine with alcohol can be deadly. It only takes one time. The only way to truly stay safe is to quit using and live a fulfilling life in sobriety.
Here at The Cabin in Sydney, we offer inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. We also have a private, residential rehab clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand where you can recover from addiction in true paradise and get the care you need.
You can recover on your own time and you may not ever have to leave home. If you’re in a dark place, let us help you get out.
The treatment services that we offer include:
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy
- Group therapy and family therapy
- Cocaine detox
- Medication-assisted treatment
- And much more
Contact our support now for more information and a free evaluation. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours. At the very least, we can help you find more information or explain how your insurance may cover certain expenses.