Cocaine is one of the most highly addictive drugs. It works by stimulating the central nervous system, and apparently, the first high gives people such a sense of euphoria that people almost always become instantly addicted. People can take cocaine in a variety of forms. The methods where the body absorbs the drug the quickest will result in a more intense high, but this high will not last as long. The duration of cocaine’s effects can last anywhere from five to thirty minutes, but when people become more addicted, the feeling of euphoria generally diminishes each time.
Therefore, people have to take more of the drug to try to get to the first high that they initially felt.
It is pretty easy to identify cocaine users, because of the obvious symptoms. People who inhale the drug develop sinus problems that cause sniffling, and rubbing of the nose. In addition to having an irritated runny nose, another symptom is having recurring nose bleeding. Sometimes, you will often see powder residue on the addict’s nose, face, or clothing. For the people who take cocaine intravenously, you will notice track lines along their arms. These are red marks, and are often bruised.
Another symptom of cocaine use is rapid mood fluctuations. Cocaine initially causes a person’s temperature to rise, their heart and blood pressure rate to excel, and will also cause hyper-alertness. This results in a lot of manic energy and rapid speech, and the high causes the user to not want to sleep. Sometimes, this also results in panic attacks and anxiety. Addicts cam easily become paranoid, jittery, agitated and violent, and you will also notice that their pupils are extremely dilated, and that they lose a lot of weight.
Many users will also have drug paraphernalia in their possession. This can be pipes, needles, rolled up paper, and even razor blades to cut the coke. People who are addicted to cocaine will usually carry these things around with them.
Cocaine is an extremely expensive addiction. In order to get more money, users will often steal. People who have housemates or family members who are addicted to cocaine usually will start to notice money and objects missing in their home. The addicts will also lose interest in work, relationships, and hobbies, as their only goal is getting the next high. Because the addiction leads to shorter spurts of energy, people use more and more of the drug, which costs a lot of money, so many women, and sometimes even men, will also resort to prostitution to get the drug.
The fact that cocaine is so highly addictive makes it really difficult to stop taking. Withdrawal symptoms usually last for a few days, but some of the effects of withdrawal can last for months. Most commonly, the users become depressed and lethargic, so for those who develop a depressive disorder, anti-depressant drugs can help. Some other withdrawal symptoms are increased appetite and REM sleep. People in recovery should be allowed to sleep as much as they want during the first few days.
Although people are often tempted to try drugs, encourage your friends not to ever try cocaine. This is not a drug that people can try just once. Almost everyone who tries it becomes instantly addicted to cocaine, and the resulting downward spiral of their lives is extremely hard to reverse.
