There have been a few great articles recently on drugs two in particular by cookclan which are definitely worth reading. I have also provided the links to these articles at the bottom of this one.
This article is written for someone who has privately asked specific questions
surrounding the drug cocaine and the effects it has on the addict as well as the family in general. If I have missed anything at all that you think will be of any help please add a comment to this article as any advice in any form will be appreciated by the person who this is originally written for.
Once a person is addicted to drugs you can rule out any possibility of trust. It doesn’t matter who they are. Whether it is your mother, father, sister, brother or even your child, you are no longer dealing with your loved one, your family member or friend, you are now dealing with the drug. This is one of the first steps that you need to accept. You need to separate the two.
This is a chemical disease and one which affects the addicts mind and body. Any sense the family member had is now gone and replaced by the drug.
What is Cocaine
Cocaine is derived from the coca plant and is one of the most vicious of all drugs. It is labelled ‘nose candy’ as the popular way to take cocaine is by snorting or sniffing it through the nose. Other ways of taking it is by swallowing, chewing or by injecting it.
It can also be smoked; however, this can only be done if it’s pure.
The most frequent way it is used is in powder form. This way it absorbs into the body quickly. It is also normally mixed and diluted with sugar and other drugs which can also make for an extremely lethal mix.
The affect of Cocaine
Like I’ve mentioned, cocaine is favoured by taking it via the nose, or ‘snorting’. The affects are felt with in seconds and is said to being with a ‘numbing sensation’ in the nose that continues for about 5 minutes or so – After that there is a feeling of ‘euphoria’ and their energy levels increase and give them a sense of ‘I can do anything’. This continues until a ‘high’ is peaked after about 10 to 20 minutes and then it settles down.
An addict will continue to snort every 30 minutes to sustain their ‘high’ or until their supply has vanished.
Injecting cocaine into the veins produces a more intense ‘rush’ and this rush is felt quicker than the 20 minutes via snorting. By injecting it they feel it within a couple of minutes and as with snorting, it still only lasts the 30 minutes or so.
As with all drug addiction, the addicts believes the ‘drug’ is more important than eating, having sex ore even family. Their only concern is how they are going to get their next hit. How they are going to get that ‘rush’ to even ‘how to stop the cravings’
Cocaine gives the affect of being able to do anything, however, it also has an aesthetic effect. It constricts the blood vessels and increases heart rate and temperature. If taken in high doses it will also cause body tremors and convulsions, which can lead to death.
Weight loss, depression, anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, being lethargic and hallucinations are, among others, all side effects found with cocaine addicts.
The “other” addiction
There is another addiction that is not often spoken about and is only associated with addicts who inject their drug and that is ‘The “need” or “crave” for Steel’. Which is the needle itself, the addict knows that once they feel that needle the ‘rush’ or ‘high’ is not that far away.
Warning Signs
People who are addicted to cocaine, any drug for that matter, often do not realize that they are. You will hear lines such as ‘I only do it socially’ or ‘I have it under control’. There are warning signs of Cocaine dependency, and this website here has developed a series of questions that family members can ask themselves. Due to copyright though I have not listed them here but rather provided a link.
What can the family do?
Cocaine is now in control and the addict is pretty much just a puppet and as such, does exactly as the drug wants. This is classed a ‘family disease’ as whatever the addicts behaviour is, will affect the feelings and actions of those in the family (cocainehelp.org).
The first thing the family needs to do to help, and as suggested by cocainehelp.org, is to understand the drug, the addiction and the roles each family member plays. So often family members aid the addiction by making excuses for them, lending money and by not being able to see that this person has be taken over by a substance. You can no longer treat this person as you would if he/she was sober…they just are two different people now.
One of the biggest mistakes family members can fall for is the ‘I’m getting help’ line. The addict may mean it when they say this, but again, the drug will take over 99% of the time. Don’t be fooled when you hear this line. Seeing is believing and that saying is something you will have to live by when talking about this drug addiction.
There is more information here about Cocaine and the family, too much for me to summarize but too good not to mention.
I have had to deal with drug addiction for a long while now and it can ruin a family in a short amount of time. I have gone to some pretty extreme lengths to help the addicts I have been associated with and one which most are aware was my husbands ex-wife who is/was a heroin addict. I was the most hated person in this woman’s life but at the end of the day, I know my actions were to help her and her children. I would not allow her to get away with anything.
Don’t be fooled by what you hear from them and don’t believe for one moment that they wouldn’t rip you off in a heartbeat, because he/she will. I hope this information helps you understand even a little bit of what to expect. Good Luck matey and stay strong, I’ll be thinking of you…
Cheers
OB
(February 2007) (
