Early signs
One sign means nothing. Patterns matter.
Cocaine use rarely starts with a crash. It starts with wee changes: energy, confidence, secrets, sleep. Changes in how someone acts nearly always come before changes in how they look. Knowing what to watch for buys you time.
01 — Behavioural
How they're acting
- Sudden bursts of energy, or full of themselves
- Talking faster, more, or staying up late
- More secretive: phone, plans, who they're with
- New crowd, especially late at night
- Crabbit or low when they're "coming down"
02 — Physical
What you might see
- Big pupils, can't sit still, fidgeting
- Not hungry, skipping meals
- Always rubbing their nose, sniffing, runny nose
- Weight loss without another clear reason
- Sleep all over the place
03 — Financial
Money & lifestyle
- Asking for money more often
- Cash going missing
- Money they can't explain, or "lost" money
- Sudden cash with no clear source
- Dropping the things they used to do
04 — Emotional
Mood & mind
- Mood swings bigger than usual
- Anxious, paranoid, on edge
- Short fuse, quick to lose it
- Crashing: flat, low, can't be bothered
- Pulling away from family and the people who help them
If multiple signs are showing up together, act now — calmly.
How to start the conversation →
You don't need to be certain. You don't need to confront. You just need to make sure they know you've noticed, and that the door is open.