The 6 warning signs of cocaine addiction, and how to treat it.
These are the warning signs to identify cases of cocaine addiction.
Cocaine is among the most widely consumed illegal drugs globally, and unlike many, its use is relatively normalized across all social classes. As a result, cocaine addiction is one of the most common addictions worldwide.
But its popularity does not make it any less dangerous as a psychoactive substance. The truth is that the capacity of this drug to wear down the quality of life of the consumer is remarkable, and its effects of accumulated damage are felt in a relatively short time, contrary to what many people believe. For this reason, knowing how to identify the warning signs of cocaine is fundamental.. In this article we will see what they are, and what to do in the face of this disorder.
Warning Signs Associated with Cocaine Addiction
In order to facilitate the identification of this health problem in any person, we will explain below what are the typical signs and symptoms of cocaine addiction.
1. Short-term physiological and psychological symptoms
In this section we will see above all which are the physiological and psychological phenomena that appear minutes after having consumed cocaine, although they usually disappear after a few minutes.The symptoms usually disappear in a matter of hours (although it is possible that the person consumes several times during the day, causing relatively large quantities of this substance to be present in the Blood for a prolonged period). Knowing these is useful in order to be aware of the extent to which the person in question uses this drug often or not.
1.1. Short-term physiological symptoms
The physical signs caused by cocaine are usually the most obvious and easy to identify in any person. Among the main ones are an increase in heart rate, which can cause tachycardia and an increase in body temperature..
The person's nervousness can also be identified, as well as in a noticeable restlessness or overexcitement, often manifested by repetitive movement of legs or other parts of the body.
In addition to that, dilated pupils are also another physical symptom that is easy to detect by an outside observer.
1.2. Short-term psychological symptoms
Euphoria is another of the classic characteristics linked to cocaine use and one of the most identifiable effects on the user. in the person who consumes it.
It is a feeling of general well-being, both intellectually and physically, that pushes the person to perform acts that under normal conditions he/she would not do. It is therefore similar to what in cases of bipolar disorder is known as hypomania: the person acts from an unreasonable optimism about their own abilities, and overestimates their chances of succeeding in whatever they set out to do.
Many times, this state of artificial euphoria also provokes an excessive verbosity in the person, which translates into long monologues on the part of the addict.
2. Loss of appetite
The neuronal circuits in charge of appetite control lose their activation when the person suffers from cocaine addiction, as these neurons turn over completely. these neurons turn completely to the task of rewarding (through pleasant sensations and the cessation of withdrawal discomfort) for the experience of drug consumption..
This phenomenon occurs with many other drugs, and leads to a process of deterioration, thinning and proneness to disease in cocaine addicts. However, it should be kept in mind that this is a long-term effect with cumulative effects over weeks and months; in the minutes following consumption, many people may feel very hungry and binge eat.
3. Alterations in self-perception
Some direct consequences of this euphoria are the perception of an increase in one's own physical or intellectual capacities and a feeling of superiority in general.This influences the person to carry out all kinds of crazy behaviors even when it has been several hours or days since the drug was consumed.
In addition to that, cocaine addicts also completely lose the sensation of pain, tiredness or fatigue.
Because of this, it is not uncommon to see professionals in very competitive environments always accepting more workloads because they expect to be able to handle it all, assuming that cocaine will give them that "extra" energy, which is illusory (since the misuse of the body's resources still occurs, although it is not experienced with as much immediate discomfort).
4. Insomnia
The problems when trying to fall asleep due to the effect of the drug, which is a stimulant substance and therefore activates the nervous system. and therefore activating the nervous system, is another aspect to consider.
This is a direct consequence of the effects of the drug on the brain, which can also cause other health problems such as headaches, general malaise and increased exposure to anxiety disorders (something enhanced by both the drug itself and the lack of sleep).
5. Radical changes in lifestyle
There are many changes at a personal, social or work level that occur in the life of a cocaine addict in the course of their addiction.
The most notable are a deterioration of family relationships or friendshipsA loss of interest in occupations or activities that used to interest the person, and a change in nighttime leisure habits, with going out and coming home, which, depending on the family context, are often hidden. In the long run, there is also a drastic drop in academic, school or work performance, even if the stimulant effects of cocaine and its impact on the ability to work were one of the reasons why the person started using it in the first place.
In addition to that, an increase in the addict's daily or weekly expenses is also common, since cocaine is one of the most expensive drugs in existence.
6. Changes in mood
Finally, among the classic signs that a person addicted to cocaine shows are Frequent mood swings, irritability in the face of setbacks, anxiety when not using cocaine, anxiety when not using cocaine.anxiety when not taking cocaine, or depression.
These emotional symptoms may be the consequence of some of the above-mentioned signs, or may also be the cause of some of them.
What is the treatment like?
The treatment of cocaine addiction must be done in two ways: medical-psychiatric and psychotherapeutic.. Both work in combination to not only make the effects the drug has had on the body fade away, but also to help the person learn to be autonomous again and learn to better regulate their own emotions and behavior patterns, thus avoiding relapses and coping better with the initial withdrawal discomfort.
As for medical treatment the initial phase of treatment is particularly importantDuring this phase, the patient's body eliminates the drug residues stored in the blood and tissues, and the person is prevented from engaging in harmful behaviors in order to alleviate the discomfort of the first few days. Psychiatric accompaniment will continue throughout the process, providing professional support in the face of the challenge of living without continuing to consume and offering tools to deal with the possible anxiety that may arise due to this.
Psychotherapy also helps the person to manage the negative emotions related to drug withdrawal. related to drug withdrawal, but beyond this, it allows the patient to learn to find new sources of motivation, effective ways to detect in time the thoughts and behaviors that may predispose him/her to relapse, and ways of relating to others that will keep him/her away from the drug. To this end, he uses a wide range of techniques and strategies, such as Mindfulness, the use of self-registers, etc.
Are you looking for therapeutic support for addictions?
If you are looking for treatment for an addiction problem, contact our team. At Llaurant la Llum we have both a complete team of medical and psychotherapy professionals and complete facilities for outpatient or residential treatment.
Bibliographical references:
- American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
- Goldstein, R.A.; DesLauriers, C., Burda, A.M. (2009). Cocaine: history, social implications, and toxicity--a review. Disease-A-Month, 55(1): pp. 6 - 38.
- National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2008). Drug Misuse: Psychosocial Interventions. Leicester: British Psychological Society; NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 51.
(Updated at Apr 12 / 2024)