The Side Effects of Cocaine Use
Cocaine has very serious effects, but not just on the person using the drug, the damages inevitably reach all the people close to user such as family, friends and employers. Three key aspects of cocaine consequences are:
- How the drug-use damages relationships with loved ones
- How the drug use eats its way into the economic security of family and business
- The inevitability of a dependency and the need for treatment.
These are just three side effects of cocaine use, but the devastation always stretches further and deeper that those listed.
Signs of Addiction and Abuse
Frequent use of the substance will create a domino effect of relational and emotional damages. Cocaine dependency makes users behave in very abusive ways towards anyone and everyone around them. Within the cocaine users immediate vicinity there will always be an atmosphere of distrust, fear, intimidation and anxiety. Friends and family start to feel alienated when the user constantly disappears at 10-15 minute intervals for a quick line. This behaviours evokes a deep seated sense of powerlessness within the whole family, like a shock wave throughout the home. Cocaine inevitably creates reactions of extreme anger towards reasonable questions or requests.
How to help a Cocaine Addict
Before approaching a cocaine abuser with the view to helping them, family and friends must be armed with tangible evidence that they themselves have taken self-help measures ‘against’ the addict and that ‘there are now some boundaries in place’. A meeting of family members, close friends, employers and where possible a family doctor must be called. The cocaine user must by approached with compassion, love and care and each member at the meeting must be given the opportunity to express every concern and hurt before the doctor addresses the issue and request blood tests. Our aim here is to create a problem.
Physically Addictive
Right from the start, cocaine users are never very far away from an intense yearning for the pleasurable sensation offered by the powder. Over time, these cravings become seriously intense leaving the user feelings as there has been a death of a loved one. These changes are so subtle the user is always the last one to notice and they become suspicious of anyone who questions their rationale. By this point, to not use the substance creates intense sweating and paranoia. These psychological symptoms are always forerunners to signs of physical dependency; teeth start so decay and the mucous membrane of the nose also starts to get eaten away.
Next Steps
We hope that you found this article about Cocaine Addiction helpful and informative. If you are struggling with an Addiction or know someone who is. Please feel free to contact us and we can help you with your next steps.
Cherrywood House is a rehabilitation centre for people suffering from substance and other addictive disorders. It is situated in the tranquil, semi-rural environments of Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa. We offer Residential Programmes, Aftercare Support Services, Outpatient Programme, Family Support Groups. For more information. Visit our Website Here.