How to Tell When Someone Is Using Cocaine

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute states that 2 million Americans use cocaine each year. The drug's easy availability leaves every family open to the potential devastation cocaine can cause. Learning the physical, emotional and financial signs of cocaine use will allow you to intervene quickly if you suspect a loved one has started experimenting with the drug.

Instructions

• 1

  Educate yourself about the ways cocaine is used to be better able to recognize the drug when you see it. Cocaine powder is often snorted. Some users prefer to dissolve the powder in water and inject it. Crack, in the form of chunks or rocks, can be smoked. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration website has photos of cocaine and crack cocaine that can help you identify the drug if you find it in your home.

• 2

  Note any signs of a hyperactive personality. Cocaine users talk a lot and, typically, at a rapid pace. They often have trouble sleeping, yet they do not seem tired. Users may also be restless and hyper-vigilant, due to an increased feeling of paranoia. Changes in appetite are another warning sign because cocaine dulls the desire to eat.

• 3

  Watch for unusual mood swings and irritability. Cocaine produces a short-term high, lasting only a few minutes to a half hour. The euphoria from the high is quickly followed by a crash into a depressed state. As the cocaine use continues, panic and other more serious emotional symptoms develop. Hallucinations are common, as are seizures.

• 4

  Check for visible signs of cocaine use, such as dilated eyes and a runny or bloody nose. If you notice suspicious white powder on a loved one's face, look around the home for small spoons and other items that might be drug paraphernalia.

• 5

  Expect to see more serious physical problems over time. Snorting cocaine will damage the nasal septum, for example. Users often complain of headaches, which can worsen and lead to convulsions or even a stroke or heart attack. Lung disease may develop, making breathing difficult and possibly bringing on respiratory failure. Sexual desire lessens as cocaine use continues. Additionally, cocaine can damage the reproductive organs and cause infertility problems later on.

• 6

  Monitor the finances of a suspected cocaine user. As the addiction progresses, more and more cocaine is needed to maintain the high, which means more money is needed to buy the drug. Family and friends often become unwitting enablers of a cocaine habit by freely giving money to the user.