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Cocaine Addiction Forms and Risks by
Steven Anderson
If you even suspect a loved one of cocaine addiction, it is better to
take action and find out you were mistaken than not take action and find
out they are addicted. The consequences can be very serious.
So, how do you tell if a loved one is in the throes of cocaine
addiction? There are many different ways of taking cocaine so the
obvious symptoms differ. It can be snorted, ingested, smoked or
injected.
Snorting cocaine (also known as freebasing), for example, can lead to
the loss of the sense of smell, nosebleeds, problems with swallowing,
hoarseness and a chronically running nose. A sure sign is someone who is
constantly sniffing. Snorting is a highly dangerous way of using it as
the cocaine reaches the brain within seconds, resulting in an intense
high but the euphoria quickly disappears, making the addict increase his
use.
Smoking cocaine is probably the worst cocaine addiction there is and is
considered to be the most addictive. Signs of use, however, are not that
evident other than increased jumpiness, irritability or even paranoia.
Ingesting cocaine can cause severe bowel gangrene due to reduced blood
flow. This is more difficult to tell but if a loved one suddenly starts
having bowel movement problems, abdominal pain and nausea, consider
cocaine addiction as a possibility.
Those who inject cocaine can experience severe allergic reactions and,
as with all drug users who inject themselves, they are at risk of
contracting HIV and other blood-borne diseases. This is easier to detect
than those ingesting it as there will probably be visible needle marks.
Cocaine addiction leads to disturbances in the heart rhythm and can lead
to heart attacks, chest pains and respiratory failure, strokes,
seizures, headaches and gastrointestinal complications such as abdominal
pain and nausea. Cocaine, having a tendency to decrease appetite,
chronic users can become malnourished, which compounds the problem.
Binging on cocaine can lead to increased irritability, restlessness and
paranoia. Paranoia is a sure sign that the user is smoking or snorting.
Cocaine addiction can even lead to full-blown paranoid psychosis.
Whatever you do, don't let be put on anti-psychotics because you will be
switching them from a cocaine addiction to an anti-psychotic addiction
plus the possibility of reversion to the cocaine as well.
Dealing with cocaine addiction is rather simple if you know what to do
about it. The first thing is to get them onto a program that does not
give them further drugs and can help them through withdrawal in the most
effective and comfortable way using the correct vitamins and minerals
that their already depleted body needs. There is a very specific method
for handling cocaine addiction withdrawal that does not make them feel
awful.
Once they are through the withdrawal, a good program would consist of
getting the drug residuals out of their body in the safest and most
effective way.
While they still have the drug residues in the body, they cannot think
clearly and have low energy levels, making it impossible to grasp and
understand the data they will need in the education part of the program.
Only after they have gotten rid of the drug residues in their body on
the detoxification step of the program are they ready to continue with
the rest of the cocaine addiction rehabilitation program.
The key things to look for in any cocaine addiction rehabilitation
program is 1) comfortable, non-drug withdrawal, 2) a full detoxification
program that rids their body of all the drug and toxic residues and 3)
an educational aspect with the person being able to establish for
himself why he became addicted in the first place and then working on
the solution he has figured out from the education steps.
Steve Anderson writes online articles to help drug addicts. For more go
to Cocaine Addiction or see
Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Article Source:
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