Drugs Powder Cocaine. Your guide to self help

Transcription

1 Drugs Powder Cocaine Your guide to self help

2 Powder cocaine This guide has been produced to support people who are having problems with powder cocaine. The guide offers practical help on ways of making a change. This might be cutting down or stopping using. For some people cutting down is the first step to stopping using. This guide also contains contact details of how to get in touch with your local drug and alcohol service. Our details are at the back of this guide. You might want to share this guide with family and friends so that they are able to support you and know what you are going through.

3 This guide focuses on powder cocaine, a powerful stimulant that is usually snorted; it does not cover crack cocaine. Crack cocaine is a rock like form of cocaine that is usually smoked. It is considered a separate and potentially much more harmful drug. If you do need advice and support about crack cocaine contact us and we will talk to you about the help that you need. This guide is for information only and is not a substitute for seeking professional help. If you have concerns about your health, you should contact a health professional for an appropriate diagnosis and ongoing support.

4 The effects of cocaine When asked to describe the effects of cocaine people often say that it gives them increased energy and confidence as well as making them feel more alert, happy and excited. But these effects don t last for long. Cocaine binge Because the effects fade after a short time, people binge on cocaine. But the more you use the less effect you get from it. So as a binge continues people use more and more to try and get the same effect. Effect Use Ups and Downs With the up comes the down! After using cocaine people often say they feel exhausted and depressed. These feelings become worse the more cocaine that s used. People have also described feeling paranoid, anxious, irritable and very restless. To stop feeling like this it s tempting to take more cocaine. This can lead to a cycle of ups and downs. The longer the cycle the less powerful the ups and the worse the downs become. Because it s a stimulant, cocaine keeps you awake. This often means that people can drink more alcohol than they would without it. Alcohol can make the comedown worse because you ll also have a hangover.

5 Other down sides to using cocaine: There is a risk of death from cocaine overdose. It can lead to increased body temperature and heart problems. Even if you are young and apparently healthy. Cocaine can trigger underlying mental health problems that you may not have been aware of. Snorting cocaine can damage the tissue that separates your nostrils leaving just one big nostril. Using cocaine with other drugs can increase the risks. Taking cocaine with alcohol leads to the production of cocaethylene. This has been linked with heart problems and some deaths. All drugs carry the risk of harm. This information is intended to minimise the risk of harm. It is not an endorsement of the safety of drugs and we do not condone their use. If you choose to use drugs you should understand the risks. If you are still using powder cocaine then the following may reduce the risks: Avoid using other drugs including alcohol. Don t use other drugs to manage a comedown. Don t use if you have heart or respiratory conditions. Don t use if you or someone in your family has a history of mental health issues Do not share snorting equipment. Take regular breaks from using.

6 Do I have a problem with cocaine? Are you using more than you used to and for longer periods? Has using now and then turned into a regular thing? Do you feel like you can t go out without it? Is the next day becoming harder to face each time? Is your health suffering? Is your cocaine use causing you problems in your relationships, or at work? Are you in debt because of your use? Have you been involved with the police or courts because of your use? Your answers to these questions might help you think about making a change. Whatever you decide to do there are things you can do to help yourself.

7 Making a change To help you this guide lists 4 steps to making a change: Reward and repeat Did I do the things I planned? 1 Think and decide Why do I want to make a change? 4 2 Reflect and change What did I do to make a change? 3 Plan and act How am I going to make a change?

8 1. Think and decide Looking at the good and the bad points of your cocaine use can help you to think about why you might want to make a change and can help motivate you to change. You might feel that the good points of using cocaine are It makes going out more fun I can stay out longer I feel more confident with other people and the bad points might be I feel so low afterwards My boy/girlfriend doesn t like me using I m missing work / not pulling my weight around the house Be honest when you think about your cocaine use. If you feel it would help then ask people close to you to support you with this. This can help in making that decision to change. It is useful to write this down, you can do this on the page opposite, or you could put it in your phone. Either way you can look back on it when you plan how you are going to make a change by cutting down or stopping. Do this when you are clear headed and have some time to think about it. It will help you with the next step Plan.

9 Why do I want to make a change? Good things about using Bad things about using

10 2. Plan and act If you have decided to make a change it is time to think about what you need to do to make that change. A good way to do this is to have a plan and act on it. Try and think about those times when you use. Is it regularly on a Friday or Saturday night, at a certain place, pub, club, or someone s house, with someone in particular or a group of friends? Try breaking this down into when, where and with whom you use. You can then plan the changes that you need to make so that you are doing other things when you used to use. You may need to avoid certain places or people for a time. Then set a date when you are going to do this, tell everyone and stick to it.

11 How am I going to make a change? Things I will do Things I won t do

12 Cravings Even though you might have changed where you go and who you see there may be times when you find yourself tempted to use. Feeling low, at a party, bumping into an old friend you used to use with, after having a few drinks, or an urge to use that comes out of nowhere. These are known as cravings. Understanding that you may get cravings and dealing with them needs to be part of your plan. Many people have cravings and these can be difficult to deal with. There are things that you can do to help. These are things that people who have cut down or stopped using have said helps:

13 Go somewhere else Don t wait until the craving gets stronger. You may need to leave if where you are reminds you of using. Talk to someone you trust Talking through how you feel will help with your cravings. Talk to someone you trust. They will want to support you. Exercise A routine of exercise can help manage cravings. Within a few weeks you will notice a difference in how you feel. Doing something with a friend can make it a fun thing to do. Eat well Eating well will help you to feel better and be healthier and the preparation and eating of food with company is a good distraction. Sleep and Relaxation Your cravings may be stronger the more stressed you are. Getting into a regular routine of sleeping and waking is important. Being tired can cause stress. Learning how to relax may take time and you may need help with this. But there are things that you can try such as finding some time for yourself, simple breathing exercises, or just reading a book or watching a film. Cravings are time limited Set yourself a 30 minute target and don t use in this time. Tell yourself that the cravings will pass. Tell yourself about all the negative things about using and the positive ones about stopping. Some people say this out loud. Go and distract yourself After 30 minutes the cravings and desire to use should have gone away. Remember to congratulate yourself afterwards.

14 3. Reflect and change It is important to look back at the things you have done to make a change. Having a plan has helped many people to make a change. Written down, in your head or on your phone it doesn t matter, what matters is that you go back to it regularly and think about what you have put in your plan and why. Look back at how you have done and if you have made the change you planned to make. Try not to be too hard on yourself if you have not stuck to your plan, you might have used. It is not the end of the world. Do not think of it as such, this will make you feel negative and more vulnerable to using again. Put it behind you, be positive and get back on track. If you have not stuck to your plan then it might be worth thinking about whether you need to look again at your plan. If you wanted to make a change that was cutting down on how much you use and you are still using too much then maybe you should think about stopping altogether.

15 What did I do to make a change? Things I did do Things I didn t do

16 4. Reward and repeat If you have made the change that you planned you should praise yourself. Tell others about what you have done. Praise from others makes us feel good. You might want to go back to your plan and set yourself another challenge. I will cut down by this much this week. Or, I won t use again this week. Praise and reward yourself if you achieve this.

17 Did I do the things I planned? Things that worked well for me Things that didn t work for me.

18 Beware overconfidence This is a common trap that people fall into when they put themselves in situations where they would usually use cocaine, like on a night out. This might be more difficult if you re drinking alcohol. Alcohol will affect your judgment and make it more likely that you will use. Use your plan to think about these situations and how you might deal with them before they happen. Alcohol is often used along with cocaine and creates its own problems. Look after yourself Whatever change you have decided to make and however you have decided to go about it, looking after yourself is important. Being active, getting enough sleep, eating well and sorting out any problems can all help you to make the change you want to make. Sort out problems If you have problems like housing or debt then try to sort them out. Try to deal with any problems now and do not put them off. If left to build up they can cause you stress and you might be tempted to fall back into old habits of using.

19 Supportive relationships Good relationships with people who care about you are important. It will be easier if you include them, they can help and it will make it easier for everyone if they can understand what you are going through. Question friendships that were just based around using, spending time with these people will make it harder to make a change. Peer support and mutual aid Going to a group with people who are going through the same thing can really help. These groups are sometimes called mutual aid groups or peer led support groups. At your local service we have the details of local groups. Joining an online group of people who have had the same problem has also helped some people. What happens if I need more help? Your local service can help you to make a change. We will work with you to decide the best way to help you. It is common for people to have a problem with more than one substance including alcohol. If this is the case with you we can decide together which substance is the priority and tackle that first. So get in touch and see how we can help.

20 ReNew Hull Royal Infirmary Hull Anlaby Road Ferensway Linnaeus Street Walker Street A63 Hessle Road Kingston Retail Park How do I get in touch? ReNew, Pod 6, The Octagon, Walker Street, East Yorkshire, Hull HU3 2RA T: (9am 5pm weekdays) E: EarlyHelp@hullrenew.org.uk

21 Taking that first step to getting help might be difficult for you. We understand. We are here to help you every step of the way. Get in touch today. Produced by Lifeline Project Research and Publications Dept Lifeline is a registered charity no: Product code: LR19 V1.0 Print date: 4/2016 Review date: 4/2018