Cocaine Addiction: Knowing the Signs

Drug and alcohol addictions can be very dangerous and even deadly, but it’s hard to help your family member or friend if you don’t know they’re struggling. Even if you spend the majority of your time with your loved one, you would be suprised how easy it is to hide such a serious problem. Spotting the warning signs that someone you know is dealing with a cocaine addiction could potentially save their life as well as others.

Cocaine is known to be one of the most addictive drugs. The illegal substance heightens the users level of energy, attention, and alertness. Coke usually comes in the form of a white powder which is used by snorting.

Short-term side effects of cocaine use:
∙ Anger
∙ Irritability
∙ Decreased appetite
∙ Sensitively to sight, sound, and touch
∙ Paranoia
∙ Extreme happiness

Serious side effects:
∙ Heart attack, heart disease, and stroke
∙ Headaches
∙ Nose bleeds, running nose, and loss of smell (if used by snorting)
∙ Problems with mood
∙ Damage to lungs
∙ Seizures
∙ HIV or hepatitis (if injected)
∙ Bowel decay (if swallowed)

Physical signs of an overdose:
∙ Nausea and vomiting
∙ Issues breathing
∙ Chest pain
∙ High temperature and heart rate
∙ Sweating
∙ Confusion
∙ Seizures

If you can recognize the warning signs before the addiction takes hold, you can have a better chance at saving your loved one’s life and preventing serious health problems from occurring.

Warning signs of cocaine abuse:
∙ Increased and abnormal excitement
∙ Dilated pupils
∙ Decreased appetite
∙ Increased confidence
∙ Paranoia
∙ Staying awake for long periods of time
∙ Runny nose, frequently sniffling, and nose bleeds
∙ White powder around nostrils
∙ Headaches
∙ Confusion
∙ High blood pressure
∙ Sweating
∙ Moodiness

If you believe someone you know is using cocaine it’s important to act immediately. It’s crucial to contact a medical or addiction specialist because issues involving addiction can be very complex and take time. Not only is the user a danger to themselves, but can be putting others in harms way as well. If you have concerns that somebody you know with children is abusing cocaine, it’s necessary for those children to be placed in a safer environment until their parent is clean.

Addiction is a very serious mental health problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Helping someone who is struggling with an addiction isn’t always easy because they may not want to get sober, but with the assistance of medical resources and specialists recovery is possible.