Cocaine is a drug that is very addictive.Almost 25 million people in the US will have tried cocaine at some point in their lives, according to experts.Cocaine can be snorted through the nose, injected or smoked, and each method of administration carries its own risks.Learning the signs and symptoms of cocaine use can help you determine if a friend or loved one is using cocaine and how to intervene.
Step 1: Make sure to check for dilated pupils.
The pupils in the eyes dilate when cocaine is used.The dark inner circle of the eye can be seen even in well-lit rooms.Red, bloodshot eyes may or may not accompanyilated pupils.
Step 2: You should look for signs of stress in your nose.
Sniffing cocaine through the nose is one of the telltale signs of cocaine use.There are signs of damage to the inside of the nostrils and a decreased sense of smell.
Step 3: Check for quick pulse.
One of the symptoms of cocaine use is a rapid heartbeat.In some cases, this may lead to cardiac arrhythmias.A healthy heart rate for most adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.Other factors not associated with drug use, such as physical activity, air temperature, body position, emotional states, and even legal medications, can affect the heart rate.It is not a definitive sign of drug use to consider heart rate alone.
Step 4: Understand the signs of crack cocaine use.
Smoking crack cocaine is a common method of administering cocaine.Crack can be formed by mixing powdered cocaine with water and baking soda.There are signs of crack use that include burned fingers or lips, smoking through a crack pipe, and lighting up.
Step 5: Take a look at the signs of drug use.
Users inject cocaine using a needle.This is done to experience immediate effects of the drug but comes with its own set of risks, including heart inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and an increased risk of overdose.Drug use increases the risk of getting a blood-borne disease.There are signs of drug use that include puncture marks, skin infections and allergic reactions.
Step 6: You should be aware of the effects of oral ingestion.
One way to give cocaine is by swallowing it.Gangrene in the bowels and gastrointestinal tract can be caused by reduced blood flow and GI sensitivity to drugs.In cases of oral ingestion, the most visible signs will be the symptoms of stimulant use.
Step 7: Talkative clues can be spotted.
Stimulants such as cocaine can cause overly-energetic behavior.Conversational clues of cocaine use include excessive talkativeness and rapid speech conversations that jump around from one topic to another.
Step 8: Look for risk-taking tendencies.
Cocaine use gives users a sense of security.This can lead to high-risk behavior, including risky sexual activities and violent tendencies.Risky sexual activities can lead to illness and/or sexually transmitted infections.Legal problems, serious injury, or death can be caused by high-risk behavior.
Step 9: Look at other behavioral changes.
A person who consistently uses cocaine may spend a lot of time and energy acquiring the drug.Drug users may engage in other activities such as shirking responsibilities or obligations frequently, going to the bathroom, or leaving the room and returning in a different mood.
Step 10: Dramatic mood swings can be seen.
Changes in mood can be caused by cocaine.This could mean a shift from one extreme to the other, as well as sudden bursts of euphoria or a sense of carelessness.
Step 11: Social withdrawal should be noted.
People who use drugs withdraw from social relationships, either to be alone or with other drug users.It may be a sign of drug use if you withdraw from a group of friends.
Step 12: A loss of pleasure can be noted.
Cocaine use can cause a loss of pleasure in activities that had previously been enjoyable.cocaine use harms the circuits in the human brain that are responsible for a sense of pleasure.Depression and a lack of pleasure in day-to-day activities are signs of long-term cocaine use.
Step 13: You can look for straws and tubes.
Depending on the method of administration, there may be a wide range of cocaine-related paraphernalia.Because snorting cocaine is the most common method of ingestion, there are a lot of paraphernalia items.
Step 14: There are crack cocaine paraphernalia to be identified.
Smoking cocaine requires a pipe made from glass or aluminum foil.Small glass pipes, aluminum foil lighters, empty plastic bags, and very small crack bags are things to look for.
Step 15: Evidence of drug use in the IV.
Injection of cocaine is still a common method of administration even though it is less frequent than snorting or smoking the drug.There may be burn marks on the bottom of the lighters.