Depression is common in cocaine addicts. The rate of depression recorded in chronic and long-term cocaine users is significantly higher than in the rest of the general population.
Cocaine causes a huge amount of dopamine to flood the brain. The dopamine increase is what users experience as a powerful euphoric high.
Prolonged and chronic abuse of cocaine causes substantial changes and damage to the brain’s pleasure reward system, neurotransmitters and brain cells. As tolerance to cocaine builds, less dopamine is produced as a result.
With a cocaine addict, eventually, the only way they can feel pleasure is to take increasing amounts of cocaine. When they are not taking cocaine, they are likely to feel severely depressed, unmotivated and suffer mood swings.