Cocaine addiction changes people for the worse and affects everyone around the users. This means that other people can easily make snap judgments about the causes of cocaine abuse without considering the addict’s personal story. By doing this, stigmas can form and spread to people all over the country. While these stigmas come from people’s observations, there is generally little to no truth to them.

Cocaine Addiction Stigmas

There will always be stereotypical cocaine addicts who seem to fit every stigma associated with drug abuse. However, while many users may fit these stigmas, other information proves that these stigmas are generally flawed, as many addicts defy these stereotypes. For instance, consider how the following stigmas are wrong:

Employment – Many people believe that cocaine addicts are unemployed, but this is usually wrong. Cocaine is a stimulant that gives many users the extra kick they need to continue through a rigorous day, so use can easily be masked by having an upbeat personality and a go-getter attitude. Not every cocaine addict is going to become a couch potato, rather an addict may even work alongside you. Furthermore, cocaine is a relatively expensive drug, meaning users must have some financial means to maintain an addiction.

Wealth – While addictions causes many hardships with users’ finances, not every user is impoverished. It is a common misconception that addicts have no money and have to steal, lie and cheat to get their drugs. While some users are in that predicament, many are not. Some people who abuse cocaine pull from their own savings or have help from friends and family members to support their drug habits.

Race – When it comes to harder drugs, many people stigmatize people who non-Caucasians as drug users. The first images people may picture as addicts may be poor people, African-Americans or Hispanics. However, the truth is that cocaine is readily available almost anywhere in the United States, which makes it easy for people of all ages and races to obtain the drug. Cocaine addiction is an equal opportunity problem that affects many people.

Choice – In conjunction with social and economic stigmas, cocaine addiction is also thought to be a choice rather than a problem, as many people don’t understand why users just can’t quit cold turkey. This could not be further from the truth, as addiction is a disease that requires therapeutic care to overcome.

Similar to stigmas of other drug addictions, these opinions are based on generalizations rather than facts, which keeps these stigmas locked in society.

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