If you follow current events, you most certainly have heard of the opioid epidemic that is destroying
lives in America today.
However, while this crisis is certainly worthy of the attention it is receiving and a great effort is being
made to treat opioid addiction, the unfortunate truth is that other forms of drug dependency still
continue to pose serious risks.
One of these drugs is cocaine.
Signs of Cocaine Abuse
Because of its illegal nature and the societal stigma against using it, cocaine use is often
done in secret.
That makes it harder for family members and friends to identify whether someone they care
about is using cocaine.
It can even be hard for the user themselves to identify whether they have become hooked due
to the tendency of drug users in general, and cocaine addicts in particular, to deny the signs
of a problem.
General Tell Tale Signs
One of the most common symptoms of cocaine use is unusual mood swings.
A person may seem to be in a normal mood, but disappear to go to the bathroom or otherwise
out of sight, only to return in a much brighter, happier, more confident mood.
They may be more talkative with more energy, despite seeming to eat and sleep less than normal.
Since cocaine is commonly used by sniffing it in powdered form, look for traces of white powder
around the nose.
Pupils may also be dilated and the person may show a sensitivity to light.
Additional Signs
Snorting cocaine can lead to symptoms such as a chronically runny nose and nosebleeds.
There may be track marks on the arms or elsewhere from injection needles if the user is
taking the cocaine intravenously.
Cocaine can also result in a fast heart rate that increases the probability of heart attacks
or strokes.
A feeling of euphoria and overconfidence can lead to unusual excitement, paranoia and
poor judgement.
Long term use can lead to episodes of severe depression when cocaine is not available.
Crack Cocaine
Besides being snorted or injected, a common way to consume cocaine is to smoke it.
This produces a more intense high, however, the high doesn’t last as long as other forms
of consumption.
Advanced addiction may require the user to take the drug as often as every ten or fifteen
minutes, which makes living a normal life nearly impossible.
The expense of maintaining a crack habit often leads users into a life of crime.
Burns on the lips or hands from an overheated crack pipe are good signs of crack cocaine abuse.
Dealing With Cocaine Abuse
The long term use of cocaine can have terrible negative consequences, including physical and
mental deterioration.
Eventually, holding a job or interacting in a meaningful way with others becomes increasingly
impossible.
The ultimate result can be a complete social, financial, physical and mental collapse.
However, it is possible for cocaine addicts to leave their addiction behind and recover a happy,
healthy and meaningful life no matter how much damage the drug may have already done.
Yet, the nature of cocaine addiction is such that there are extreme cravings that make it extremely
unlikely that the addict will discontinue using on their own.
Help is Available
Fortunately, there are treatment programs that can help the cocaine addict to achieve the freedom from
coke that they cannot achieve on their own.
Through the help of trained professionals such as those at Drug Treatment Centers in Camp Pendleton, CA,
a personalized program of recovery can be devised to match each individual patient’s specific
circumstances.
Whether a CA (Cocaine Anonymous) program based on help from a higher power or something more
secular or psychologically based, a program that works can be devised precisely for you.
The Time to Act is Now
Whichever treatment options are best for you, the importance of beginning the process of recovery as
soon as possible cannot be overstressed.
All forms of cocaine place stress on the heart and cardiovascular system, which at anytime can result
in a potentially disastrous, even fatal heart attack or stroke.
Then there are the additional problems associated with cocaine use, such as loss of employment, academic
failure, deterioration of interpersonal relationships and financial ruin.
By acting now, these nightmare scenarios can still be averted or remedied, and the sooner the downward
spiral can be reversed as a wonderful new start on a better life begins.
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