People Using Cocaine in the US Today: Why are There so Many?

Why are there so many people using cocaine in the United States today and ignoring all the health risks?

Once considered a wealthy person’s drug, now people using cocaine are of any social or economic status. The symptoms of cocaine addiction go unheeded by most of the individuals who have fallen under its spell. Have you ever wondered why are so many people using cocaine today? It is estimated that 1.5 million Americans use cocaine at least once a month, with those in the age group of 18 to 25 being the highest percentage of regular cocaine users.

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Why are so Many People Using Cocaine?

One reason stems from the fact that many individuals still believe cocaine to be a safe, recreational drug that is non-addictive. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Statistics from hospitals, law enforcement, and treatment providers prove that cocaine is involved in crime, accidents, health problems, and needless deaths just as any other drug.

Another reason for people using cocaine is possibly the result of music and movies that promote cocaine use and other drugs as an acceptable form of entertainment today. The number of songs and movies that portray this type of activity as the “normal” way to socialize is astonishing.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, only three of the following symptoms of cocaine addiction must be present to arrive at a diagnosis of cocaine dependence:

Increased tolerance to the euphoric effects, requiring more of the drug to get the desired high.
Withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, sleeplessness, agitation, or depression appear when cocaine is withheld.
When cocaine is available, they use it all, unable to save some for later.
Cannot successfully reduce the amount of cocaine being used.
Spends most of their time obtaining and using cocaine.
Isolating oneself from friends or family.
Stealing, shoplifting, burglary or homicide to gain money for cocaine.
Increased absences from work or school, job loss, failing grades, dropouts.
Continuing to use cocaine despite knowledge about the mental and physical consequences.

As with any other drug, people using cocaine do it as a voluntary choice; however, compulsive use frequently follows. At this point, professional treatment will be necessary for successfully overcoming the effects of the drug and discontinuing use permanently.

What Do the Effects of Cocaine Feel Like?

Cocaine not only affects the pleasure centers of the brain, it also stimulates other systems in the body that control survival, mood, appetite, arousal, and sleep. People using cocaine experience dramatic energy increased and elevated self-worth, and usually, think they are the life of the party.

Regardless of these intensely pleasurable feelings, people using cocaine can also feel some of the following uncomfortable or disturbing sensations:

Confusion
Nervousness
Restlessness
Paranoia
Delirium
Hallucinations
Violence
Homicide
Suicidal Thoughts

Considering the above facts, it isn’t plausible to consider this a safe drug that a person can simply stop using anytime they choose. When a drug produces energy, pleasure, joy, and freedom from pain all at the same time, it is not difficult to understand why no one wants to give it up voluntarily. Sadly, when pursuing these pleasurable benefits, the users eventually feel cheated when they fail to re-create that first initial high. At this point, it is no longer fun, and this is when the problems truly begin for people using cocaine.

When It Stops Being Fun

When cocaine abuse progresses to the point that your family life, social activities, mental stability, physical health, or occupation are adversely affected, what you need to do is seek professional treatment right away. At this point, your cocaine use is no longer providing the fun it once did, and now you need it just to feel normal. If you were able to stop using cocaine on your own, you would probably already have done so. Clearly, you need the expertise of addiction specialists to help you safely and efficiently overcome the physical dependence. Once that is accomplished you should enter a rehabilitation program to learn how to function in daily life without cocaine present.

Rehabilitation programs are designed to teach you proven methods for preventing relapse while also helping you repair the emotional and spiritual damage that took place during the drug abuse. Lasting recovery is entirely dependent on your level of commitment, confidence, and attitude. During rehab, you participate in various activities, classes, and counseling sessions designed to rebuild your self-esteem, improve your physical health, and help you look deep inside yourself to understand the root causes of the addiction. You will then be able to deal with life in a more productive manner and make some of the dreams come true that you abandoned during your cocaine use.

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What Effects Does Cocaine Have on Society?

When cocaine addiction prevents a person from being a productive member of society, everyone is affected due to increased crime, costs for treatment and law enforcement, decreased productivity in workplaces, more homelessness, and far too many needless deaths every day.

The following facts help put it into perspective:

Cocaine is the second most popular illegal drug worldwide.
National surveys reveal that 35.3 million Americans over the age of 12 reports using cocaine.
Over 8.6 million people reported using crack cocaine.
More than 8% of twelfth graders admit to having used cocaine at least once.
Nearly 500,000 ER visits involved cocaine in one year.

After losing everything to cocaine, the addict becomes dependent on the state or federal government for treatment, incarceration, or burial. The increased crime rates due to cocaine-seeking behavior put a financial and physical burden on local law enforcement as they track down dealers and respond to various break-ins, murders, etc. related to drug-seeking behavior. Average citizens are affected when they become victims of these crimes, or as they walk in fear of wondering when it might happen.

Making an Informed Choice for Treatment

If the symptoms of cocaine addiction are evident and using the drug is no longer a choice, you are probably on a dangerous path. The first thing to do is break out of denial and admit that you have a problem. Your next step is to choose a treatment facility that is experienced in treating cocaine addiction.

There are a number of methods for determining which facility best suits your needs such as:

Contact the center by phone or in person
Talk to other recovered addicts
Referral services, privately owned or state-sponsored
Online searches for websites of various facilities

You also need to know what to look for and what to expect in rehab. When considering a program, you should make sure they are experienced in treating cocaine addiction and that they can tailor a treatment approach that encompasses all your specific needs. You will find many facilities that have a basic treatment plan that they expect to be sufficient regardless of the drug involved or the condition of the individual at the time. These types of programs rarely achieve lasting results for their clients, so it is best that you do some research and select a facility that cares about you as an individual.

Some other attributes to consider are:

They are accredited by the state they are located in
They can provide facts about their success rates
The program includes an aftercare service
The staff is licensed and credentialed
You have options for choosing your own path to recovery such as faith-based, traditional, or Native American approaches
They offer financial arrangements or accept insurance
The location is suitable for you depending on whether you prefer being close to home or not

The important thing is that you do this right away and get into treatment before your situation worsens.

If you are in need of professional help for cocaine abuse or would like more information about the symptoms of cocaine addiction, contact us today and one of our knowledgeable representatives can provide the answers you need and can recommend a program based on your unique needs.