The use of cocaine can create addiction and dependence. This highly addictive and illicit drug causes mental, physical, and emotional damage, impacting nearly every facet of a person’s life. Once dependence forms, a person may be unable to stop using cocaine on their own without help. Recognizing the signs of cocaine addiction early can help minimize that risk.

At Red Oak Recovery^®, we proudly offer cocaine addiction treatment services for young men 18–30. Find help for yourself or a loved one by calling 828.382.9699 now.

What Is Cocaine?

Cocaine is a white powdery illicit substance. Once used as a local anesthetic for medical procedures and used to treat depression, the highly addictive nature of cocaine and the long-term risks of using it led to it being made illegal in the United States. Sometimes called blow or coke, it can be injected or snorted. Crack cocaine is another form of white or pink-colored crystals mixed with baking soda and heat to create a dangerous drug.

Risks of Cocaine Use

Using cocaine can be dangerous. In recent years, the risk has increased because powdered cocaine is frequently being cut with other harmful substances to stretch out quantities by suppliers. Fentanyl can quickly lead to overdose since many people who use cocaine do not have a tolerance to strong opioid drugs.

People living with cocaine addiction often experience adverse life outcomes as a result of their cocaine use. They may lose meaningful relationships or career opportunities as a result of their need to use the drug. Long-term cocaine use can also cause permanent personality changes, loss of sexual function, and cardiac issues, which are not always reversible.

How Do You Develop a Cocaine Addiction?

Most people get introduced to cocaine through a friend or a casual acquaintance. They may see their friends using coke at a party and believe that there’s no harm in trying. However, casual or experimental use can lead to abuse because cocaine is a stimulant that can cause intense feelings of happiness, euphoria, and energy. These feelings are due to the release of chemicals in the brain called dopamine. They affect how people experience pleasure and pain.

Continuing to seek these feelings of euphoria by using cocaine is what inevitably leads to addiction. The brain forms a dependency on the surges of dopamine. Prolonged use leads to a tolerance, which prevents the same dose from causing the same highs. People typically start using larger amounts of cocaine to try and replicate their previous experiences.

Signs of Cocaine Addiction

Early intervention can help reduce the chances of negative effects caused by cocaine use, so noticing the signs of addiction is crucial. Drug paraphernalia, such as needles or plastic bags, around the home, white residue on flat surfaces, including magazines or small mirrors, and periods of noticeably higher energy are all signs of cocaine abuse.

Physical Signs of Addiction

Physical signs of addiction include:

• Dilated pupils and sensitivity to light when using
• Constant runny nose or congestion
• Loss of appetite
• Sores in the nose
• Needle marks on the arms, legs, feet, or hands
• Puffy face called “coke bloat” that makes a person look older

Some people also have bloodshot eyes, headaches, shaking in their hands, and frequent sore throats. They may also have chronic nosebleeds due to the damage snorting cocaine causes.

Behavioral Signs of Addiction

Behavioral signs of cocaine addiction include:

• Excessive fidgeting and rapid speaking
• Panic attacks and paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Increased libido
• Mood swings
• Delusions

These typically worsen over time as a person continues to use cocaine. A person may also develop dependence, which means they struggle with withdrawal symptoms and cravings when they do not use cocaine.

Not everyone who displays these signs lives with cocaine addiction. If you notice them, having an open, compassionate conversation with your loved one can help them feel more comfortable opening up about what they’re dealing with.

The Risk Factors and Dangers of Cocaine Use

There are a variety of reasons that people begin using cocaine. Sometimes, it’s a one-time thing, but that person can easily become addicted after seeking out the drug again for its effects. At other times, an individual seeks out cocaine to self-medicate an underlying issue. Similar to other drugs, the risk for cocaine use can usually stem from various factors. The risks for using cocaine are traditionally a combination of environmental, genetic, biological, and psychological factors. When a person uses cocaine, it affects the central nervous system by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. This can create a physical craving and dependency on the high that cocaine provides. Eventually, cocaine stops the natural dopamine production process, and the need for the drug becomes even more potent.

Some factors that make a person more likely to develop a cocaine addiction:

• Growing up in a low-income, high-crime, or high-stress environment
• Experiencing a stressful life event
• Being related to a person who has an addiction, especially a parent
• Having an undiagnosed mental illness or a relative with one
• Changes in brain structure due to previous drug use
• Being a younger adult, particularly a young male
• Having another addiction

Any of the above factors are by no means indicators that an individual is abusing cocaine, but they are general risk factors that, when combined with symptoms, may lead to drug use or abuse. When someone lives with addiction, they are not giving up or failing. They’re living with a disease that causes them to seek the drug that causes constant cravings.

What Can You Do About Cocaine Addiction?

A person with addiction and dependence may find it impossible to stop using the substance on their own. However, treatment and help are available, including the treatment programs run by compassionate clinicians at Red Oak. Some of our programs include:

• Family program
• Men’s rehab program
• 12-step addiction recovery
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Alumni and aftercare programming

The first step in care is breaking the dependence on continued cocaine use. From there, our team works closely with young men to provide a wide range of proven treatment methods. Our approach is a hybrid model that folds clinical treatment into a plan with adventure therapy and holistic healing. A holistic approach allows our clients to heal from addiction and the damage it causes.

Find Hope and Healing at Red Oak Recovery^®

It is crucial to get cocaine abuse under control as soon as possible to ensure long-term recovery. Please call Red Oak Recovery^® today at 828.382.9699 or contact us online to begin your journey to healing.