If you know someone who uses cocaine, they are probably having a hard time quitting. That is because cocaine is highly addictive. Prevention of cocaine experimentation and early intervention on cocaine use is key when it comes to addressing cocaine use in teens.
Cocaine is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. People call it with different names including coke, flake, coca, bump, toot, snow, blow or rock, etc. Cocaine is by no means a safe or legal substance.
Especially popular among teens that use drugs, there are some serious things every teen and their parent should be aware of regarding cocaine.
Quick facts about cocaine for teens
- Cocaine affects your brain: Cocaine gives the user a short burst of energy that makes a person feel more energetic, talkative, and alert. As soon as the effect wears off, you feel restless, irritable, and panicked. Cocaine is highly addictive, and it can increase the risk for many psychological damages such as paranoia, anxiety and psychosis.
- Cocaine affects your body: Cocaine seriously disturbs your sleeping and eating routines. This can lead to an increased heartbeat, muscle spasms, and convulsions. Snorting cocaine can also cause permanent damage to your nasal tissue.
- Cocaine affects your emotions: Cocaine can make you feel paranoid, angry or anxious along with several other emotional issues.
- Cocaine is highly addictive: Once you get used to the pleasure caused by cocaine, this can rewire your brain, and you don’t feel any joy from other activities. Your brain circuits for controlling stress, decision-making, and impulse control are also severely damaged. This can make it even more difficult to stop the addiction.
- Cocaine can kill you: Cocaine can cause seizures, comas, and strokes. It can even lead to a heart attack. Consumption of cocaine alongside alcohol can be far more dangerous as it can create a new type of toxin called coca-ethylene which has much more severe impacts than cocaine or alcohol individually.
Fortunately, cocaine addiction is treatable. Professional help can help individuals break or recover from their cocaine addiction.
Is your friend using cocaine?
If you suspect your friend that they might use cocaine and want to help them, you can identify cocaine addiction with the following signs:
- Dilated Pupils
- Highly energetic or restless at times
- Insomnia or sleep issues
- Nosebleeds and runny noses
- Unexpected weight loss
- Increases in anxiety, depression, paranoia, panic attacks or violent behavior
- Environmental cues such as the presence of a powdery substance on mirrors, presence of razor blades, straws, small spoons, or syringes.
Some common questions
The following are some of the most common questions regarding cocaine use . . .
Q: Is using cocaine still an issue?
A: Definitely. In 2015 there were 1.9 million cocaine users in the USA. Out of these, 900,000 users aged 12 or above met the criteria for a diagnosable disorder with severe harms, mainly because of cocaine usage.
In 2014, overdoses and deaths caused by cocaine increased by a margin of 42%.
Q: Is cocaine and crack different?
A: Cocaine is a white powder that can be snorted or injected with water. While crack is a crystalline form of cocaine which is usually smoked.
Q: Which way of using cocaine is most dangerous?
A: Every possible method of using cocaine carries a risk either in the form of addiction or overdose. Cocaine consumption can lead to severe cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological effects.
- Snorting can cause you to experience nosebleeds or loss of sense of smell.
- Injecting cocaine can damage the injection area or cause serious diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis C.
- Cocaine and Alcohol at the same time, are extremely dangerous.
Before you put yourself at risk, consider these:
- Cocaine use in any form is illegal.
- Even the first time cocaine can kill you.
- Mixing and consuming cocaine with other drugs can prove deadly.
- Cocaine can impair your judgment and lead to risky sexual behaviors such as rape.
- Healthy and the standard majority of teens never use cocaine. In 2015 only 1% of 12-17-year-olds reported ever using cocaine.
The Takeaway
Consuming cocaine is highly addictive, fatally dangerous, and illegal. If you find yourself entangled in a cocaine abuse problem, you should talk to your parents or someone you trust and seek a doctor immediately before cocaine usage leads to any severe problems.
Prevention and Early Intervention with Teens is the Key
BoardPrep Recovery Center provides expert advice and treatment for cocaine use disorders and addiction. BoardPrep’s services include an early intervention program for high school-age teens who may be showing early signs of substance use. Contact a professional at BoardPrep today by calling 866.796.4720 to find out more.
