
If anyone you know uses cocaine, there is a good chance they will become addicted if they are not already. Some people are able to use it once or twice without becoming addicted, but it is a big risk. The following are a few signs you can notice in someone who is already suffering from addiction, and these signs actually indicate that the person needs to get addiction rehab on an immediate basis.
Nosebleeds
Frequent nosebleed is a sign of overuse of cocaine. Snorting through the nose repeatedly weakens and gradually destroys the nasal membranes causing bleeding. This person may also suffer from regular stuffiness or a runny nose.
Crash Periods
After binging on cocaine addiction, a person will experience a period of listlessness and low energy. They may even sleep for days afterward.
Financial Problems
Cocaine is a costly drug. If someone developed sudden financial problems when they were previously responsible for their money, they might be using too much. An addict can burn through money very quickly.
Paranoia and Panic Attacks
Because cocaine changes the brain, psychological symptoms can develop with the use of the drug. Common symptoms include feeling that everyone is out to get them or general anxiety and panic.
Manic Periods
When an addict is using cocaine, he will talk rapidly and seem to have a lot of energy. They generally think in very grandiose terms during these periods.
Changes in Personal Life
As with all drug addictions, when a person becomes addicted to cocaine, they tend to lose interest in work and relationships and drift toward a new crowd of people that are already addicts.
What are the consequences of using cocaine?
Cocaine is a very serious narcotic substance, and the consequences of regular use are serious. Though cocaine initially acts upon the brain, it adversely affects every part of the body. The reward system in the brain is altered by the use of cocaine. A user’s tolerance to cocaine increases with use, requiring more and more to get a high as time goes on. Other effects on the central nervous system include pupil dilation, headache, nausea, vomiting, vertigo, tremors, muscle twitches, hallucinations, and psychosis that resembles paranoid schizophrenia, seizures, and stroke.
If cocaine is taken by snorting, the consumer can get damaged mucous membranes, often severe enough to create holes in the nasal passages. It also causes abnormal heart rhythms, increased heart rate, a ruptured aorta, high blood pressure, angina, and heart attack. In pregnant women, cocaine can cause complications and stillbirth.
As soon as you recognize any symptoms of cocaine abuse or addiction or even suspect that someone is using cocaine, you should attempt to intervene and help for addiction rehab. Emergency medical attention should be sought for a cocaine consumer who experiences any of the following:
- Facial pain with a fever and headache
- Difficulty breathing and severe chest pain
- Chest pain that feels like a squeezing or tightness in the chest
- A severe nosebleed that lasts for ten minutes or more
- Severe abdominal pain
- Vomiting with blood
Swelling and redness around an injection site, especially with a fever