Cocaine Addiction Help

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug made from the South American coca plant. It is an intense stimulant that works quickly on the user’s central nervous system by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain. Cocaine can be snorted, injected, or smoked. You may have also heard of cocaine by some of its street names, such as Snow, Coke, Blow, Crank, Powder, or Dust.

Besides being highly addictive, cocaine can increase the risk of serious diseases like HIV/AIDS and lead to severe heart and respiratory problems, even death. In fact, there are a number of frightening side effects to cocaine use:

• Constricted blood vessels, decrease in blood flow to body
• Loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, wounds inside the nose and throat
• Increase of heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure
• Malnourishment
• Heart attack or stroke, even at a young age
• Sudden death, usually related to seizure, respiratory arrest or cardiac arrest

If you have a loved one who suffers from cocaine addiction, you have probably experienced a slew of emotions about your loved one’s situation. Denial, anger, sadness and a sense of helplessness are common among concerned family members and friends.

There are many treatment options available to those who are abusing or addicted to cocaine. However, if the cocaine addict is not ready to admit that he or she has a problem, the addiction may seem impossible to cure. Many times, individuals who are in denial about a substance abuse problem can become angry, hostile, belligerent or even dangerous to themselves or others when confronted about their issues.

How to Have an Intervention

One way that families and individuals help their loved ones receive treatment is through intervention. An intervention is a carefully planned gathering of friends and family members brought together for the purpose of confronting an individual about drug use. The purpose of an intervention is to show the addicted person that he or she is loved and cared for, but that the consequences of cocaine use have taken their toll and that it is time to accept treatment.

Because interventions can be highly emotional, many people choose to hire a professional interventionist to assist in the planning and moderation of an intervention. A good interventionist can also help you find the best treatment for your loved one.

Whether you choose to have an interventionist or not, here are some tips for conducting an intervention:

• Stay calm
• Avoid labeling the person an “addict”
• Cite specific instances that occurred due to the substance abuse
• Stick to what you know firsthand, avoid hearsay
• Explain how the person’s behavior has affected you
• Be supportive and hopeful about change
• Be prepared for denial and resistance

An intervention may be the best thing you can do for the person you care about. Quality treatment can restore that person to a healthy, drug-free life, and it may be good to go into the intervention prepared to tell that person what treatment options might look like for him or her and how you believe that he or she is capable of a full recovery. An intervention is not a time to accuse and argue; it is a time when friends and family members come together to seek healing for an individual trapped in the destructive cycle of drug use.

Cocaine Intervention Help

If you would like to learn more about the intervention process, including tips on how to find a reputable interventionist, please call our toll free number. We have trained, experienced counselors available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you may have about cocaine addiction and treatment. Recovery is within reach. Call today.