Signs of Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine, which is derived from a plant native to South America, is a CNS (central nervous system) stimulant.  The use of cocaine increases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that communicates pleasure, in the brain; crack, a form of cocaine that has been processed to allow users to smoke it, functions similarly.  Historically, cocaine has been used for anesthesia or as an appetite suppressant.  In the United States, regulation of cocaine began in 1914 with the passage of the Harrison Act. Today, the results from the 2009 NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) indicate that 1.6 million American adults had used cocaine within a month of the survey; nearly 600,000 people had tried cocaine (an “initiate”) for the first time during 2009.  There are a number of signs that are common to addictions to most illegal drugs.  If you have reason to suspect that someone in your life is abusing or addicted to cocaine, see how many of the signs below are currently part of their situation.

• Paraphernalia – The most common types of cocaine administration are intravenous (IV) injection and snorting.  A person who snorts cocaine may have dollar bills (or other rolled paper) or straws for snorting; they will likely also have mirrors or other flat surfaces as well as razor blades.  IV injection requires syringes, tourniquets (rubber bands or bandanas), lighters, and spoons.  Both of these types of administration can lead to transmission of hepatitis or HIV.
• Signs of Administration – Frequently snorting cocaine can do damage to the person’s septum.  Similarly, IV drug use is associated with certain physical signs including abscesses at injection sites that have been used frequently or not sterilized and track marks (hardening and darkening of veins that have often been the location of injection).  The longer an addiction has been active, the more likely the person will use smaller, more difficult-to-access veins in the hands or other areas of the body.
• Energy – Stimulants increase heart rate and make the addict energetic and alert.
• Paranoia or Anxiety – Use of cocaine can make a person hallucinate, develop paranoid tendencies, or have other mental status changes.  They may act irritable or anxious if they have recently used or are experiencing cravings or withdrawal.
• Dilated Pupils – Pupil dilation (when the pupils become very large) is a symptom of recent use.  If you notice that the person’s pupils do not shift as do those of other people nearby when the lighting changes, recent cocaine use is a possibility.
• Disinhibition – Cocaine addicts may feel on top of the world and invincible; this feeling may lead them to participate in crime (as might the cost of the drug) or risky sexual behaviors.
• Withdrawal Symptoms – If the addict is unable to acquire and use the substance on a regular basis, he or she may begin to feel withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms specific to cocaine addiction include insomnia or other sleep disturbances, irritability, cravings, and suppressed appetite.

If one or more of these signs is clear in the life of someone you know, you may need to discuss the possibility of an intervention with other friends and family to persuade the person to enter a rehabilitation program.