How to Spot a Cocaine Addict
Unfortunately, cocaine use is becoming more common and with that, cocaine addiction is becoming an increasingly common predicament. Cocaine is the second most used illicit drug in the country with an estimated 1.9 million people using per month and addiction to it is pretty much widespread. Spotting a cocaine addict isn’t always easy, especially of a loved one or somebody you’re close to. This is because it’s a lot harder to face that someone you care about is using rather than a stranger, and you are looking at the situation from a biased point of view by default. This is why keeping your eye on the ball, and basing your observations solely off of tangible signs is crucial in discovering and recognizing the person’s addiction.
Confronting a cocaine addict usually doesn’t work when trying to spot one because they will more than likely deny any such activity, as you’re probably one of the last people they want to find out about their addiction. There are certain things you need to look out for if you’re suspicious that someone you know is addicted to cocaine. These are signs that are pretty much routinely going to show up in a cocaine addiction. Spotting a cocaine addiction in someone you care about is important, and only the first step to their recovery. It’s important because it can and will open the door to much needed solutions in the direction of handling the addiction that this person is struggling with.
Cocaine Use & Weight Loss
Cocaine is a stimulant and simultaneously an appetite suppressor. This means that somebody addicted to it will inevitably lose weight; there’s no way around this particular sign of cocaine addiction. In fact, someone can lose up to fifty pounds in just a few short months when they’re spending their nights up all hours doing the drug. Not only are they on a stimulant as well as not eating due to the fact that it’s suppressing their appetite, but they are also usually not getting any sleep. All these factors lead to weight loss, and usually unexplained weight loss as it is doubtful this person started getting an abundance of exercise, etc. Another thing is that it’s usually the type of weight loss which appears unhealthy.
Odd Sleeping Patterns
The person who is addicted to cocaine will ordinarily be out all night. They won’t be coming home as expected and they will try to lie and cover up with false excuses. Watch out for an addiction if your loved one is involved in weird patterns like this. It’s possible that looking into the pattern and investigating their excuses might lead to finding evidence of the fact that they weren’t in fact working late again. If their actions seem strange, and they don’t seem to be getting any sleep, then there’s a good chance that there’s something to your suspicions. The cocaine addict can actually go up to a few days with no sleep. Look out for this one, as it’s definitely a tell tale sign.
Money Problems
Keep in mind that somebody who is hooked on cocaine is having to keep up with a pretty expensive habit. Cocaine isn’t cheap, especially that of good quality and higher purity varieties. So this potential addict we’re observing is normally going to be often short for cash and may even come asking you for money or steal from you (sometimes not just money but valuable possessions as well). Their financial situation might even get so bad as to not making rent or not keeping up with financial obligations. They might not even have money for their bare necessities, such as food or gas. If somebody is having financial difficulties to this extent that just don’t quite make sense to you then there’s a big possibility that something is going on in the ballpark of addiction. If they’re reasons on why they are stuck in a financial rut don’t add up then this is reason to really dig around about a cocaine addiction.
Behavior
A cocaine addict will be restless, irritable and have anxiety or paranoia. This is merely what the drug can do to the person; it’s a heavy drug that takes its toll on the individual. If you notice major behavioral changes in somebody you’re close with or care about, this may be a reason why. This behavior is noticeable and you might get caught off guard if the person is acting a lot different than they used to. Cocaine can negatively affect a person so bad that it can get to the point of the addict suffering from an extremely paranoid psychosis. When it gets to this point of severity, they might actually lose sense of reality and can even start having auditory hallucinations. Also, cocaine can cause somebody to act aggressively and even violently. This is something to take in consideration, especially if you have a spouse who suddenly is having angry outbursts when they hadn’t before. It’s definitely something worth looking into.
Another aspect worth mentioning is that of the violent mood swings which get reported. Mood swings are common with cocaine addicts, as crashing from the high of cocaine often leads one into a depressed state. This person may seem or act very depressed one moment, and then act overly excited and very confident the next moment. Pinpointing this is particularly easy when you’re close with the person, as you are at an advantage because you know what to expect and what not to expect from them. In this way you can really compare how they’re acting from the onset of your suspicions versus how they acted behavior-wise before you started suspecting addiction.
Other Signs Telltale Signs of Cocaine Addiction
There are some other signs to watch out for as well. These are dilated pupils, nosebleeds and runny nose. This person will show a greater sense of well being while high. They will be more talkative and seem energetic. They might involve in risky, reckless, erratic or bizarre behaviors. They might be leaving items related to cocaine use around the house: rolled up dollar bills, razors, mirrors, etc. Some additional outward symptoms to look out for are:
• Muscle twitches
• Headaches
• Nasal perforation
• Sexual dysfunction
• Tremors or shakiness
• Increased heart rate
• Increased body temperature
• Lack of motivation
• Depression
• Jaw clenching
• Fidgety
• Seeming dispersed/not being able to concentrate
All these things separately or combined should be reason enough to really step up and look for or utilize evidence that you’ve got an addict on your hands.
The bottom line is that if this person is involved in an addiction, and their patterns of sleep, eating and general behavior are pointing in the direction of cocaine addiction, then something needs to be done about it sooner rather than later. It’s important to recognize this individual’s cocaine addiction and utilize what you find for the sake of helping this person. Coming from a place of wanting to help and getting into good communication with this person can really help them feel comfortable and open up to you about their problem. It’s not always easy knowing these signs and then using them, but it is all to the advantage of this person’s progress and eventual recovery.
