how to tell a cocaine addict, how to help

[actarus]

some of swim's friends have been using blow on a regular weekly basis for years now, roughly once per week.
nobody of them has ever thought to be addicted, its a kinda taboo argument.
they just lock inside someone's place and keep snortin that shit all night long. (What's the fuckin point?)
can someone who has been using it for 5-6 years (who less who more) on a regular weekly basis be called an addict, although all of them live regular lifes (good jobs, normal social life, etc etc)?

[Dickon]

If these people have good jobs, normal social lives, and only do it once a week, I think it would be hard to classify them as addicts, although this word is notoriously difficult to define. If for some reason they had to go a while without the cocaine (I assume that's what you mean. Blow means 101 things to different people, so it is best to use the proper name of a substance) and found that uncomfortable, that would be a possible sign of a problem. Otherwise, it might not be something you approve of or would do personally, but it doesn't seem all that addictive to me. Speaking as the owner of a cat with a somewhat addictive personality, I can say a typical addict would have escalated the dose and the frequency of dosing. Using a substance once a week for a number of years and not experiencing any adverse consequences is not typical of addiction.

Do these people actually need any help?

Dickon

[actarus]

Swim's not sure, thats why he posted the thread.
nothing even close to nasty tweakin cokeheads behaviours tho, they seem to be doin pretty good, so maybe swim was just worryin about em since using an addicting substance like cocaine (blow isnt slang for cocaine? like the cool johnny depp movie) for years can sound dangerous cant it?

[ex-junkie]

if its repetitive behaviour, if its a cycle that cant be broken, then its an addiction. addiction comes in many forms, and doesnt necessarily mean that you have to be broke and homeless/unemployed to fit the category.

[katyjay]

My first question is how do you know that is all they are doing? I fear SWYM may be seeing the visible tip of the iceberg. After such a long time, this so-called social habit can often become something darker and more secretive and, more often than not, leads to private abuse that rarely sees the light of day.

SWIM's experience is that cola is a substance that is terrifyingly potent. What can seem to others a harmless social activity, a bonding experience, great fun, is in fact a symptom of a full on addiction. If SWYM were to ask this group whether their activities gave them actual pleasure, or were a pattern of behaviour they would find it hard to stop, SWIM would expect some highly evasive and defensive answers.

It is all too easy to explain a debiliating addiction as social fun. SWIM knows this all too well and would advise that they confront their problems as soon as possible.

As many have said on this board, it's only when someone tries to stop, that they discover the problem.