<p>Wow, I’ve just been dealing with a family member’s behavior during the last several days. </p>
<p>Not new, but we always assumed “C” had an alcohol problem…not an isolated thing in the extended family and never to a crisis point. Yes, she drank a bit too much and fairly often.</p>
<p>While I don’t live nearby new symptoms have come up. I’m hoping for help identifying what might be behind the behavior. </p>
<p>Not interested in blaming, family analysis, etc, just information about these symptoms and what drugs might be involved:</p>
<p>She slips away for 15-20 minutes and emerges different…glassy eyed, sometimes very red-eyed,but no smell of marijuana. Becomes talkative and fun but within the hour gets less coherent and then “needs a nap”. passes out for hours. Anorexic, sleepless, gets up before dawn to clean up, makes a big show of how she’s not drinking. </p>
<p>I watched something once where the woman inhaled computer cleaner. These “symptoms” sound like the effects of someting with a very short intense high. Any other evidence about the scene? Track marks, nasal problems, shakes? The current issue is prescrption drugs - was she sick or injured recently that she would have been given pain killers for?</p>
<p>Does she have small burn marks on her fingertips or on her face? Has her physical appearance changed? Does her face look as though she’s aged a lot from the last time you saw her? Does she have a lighter, but no signs of smoking cigarettes? Notice her pupils–Are they dilated when she comes back after disappearing for 15-20 minutes? Have you noticed weight loss in her? Could be crack.</p>
<p>Could be some form of stimulant, speed-like high followed by crash. Prescription drugs are very commonly chosen by abusers these days. People may abuse ADD drugs (which are re-sold at times on campuses), some of which are stimulants. Weight loss is a common side effect of these types of substances. It may also be a stimulant followed by something with a more subduing effect, like an pain medication as well. </p>
<p>Additionally, many people with substance abuse problems are self-medicating for an underlying condition (like bi-polar disorder), which can in and of itself be characterized by excess energy, grandiosity, poor sleep, weight changes and irritability.</p>
<p>I really dont know anything about crack except that it is supposed to stink ( or is that meth?), but an amphetamine/adhd med would last longer than an hour.</p>
<p>So sorry, hope there is a family member living close who can interceed. Hate to diagnose, but symptoms that you describe are indigative of crack cocaine use. It is a quick high, a stimulant, causes decreased appetitie, sleeplessness, quickly addictive. The effects may only last less than an hour. It increase heart rate and blood pressure, increasing chance of heart attack or stroke. It is difficult to kick and the habit becomes costly. Thoughts are with you and family member.</p>
<p>While they are both stimulants, with similar effects on the body, they are are structurally different chemically and affect the brain chemistry in different ways. I thought of crack because dragonmom said the family member seems to “crash” after an hour. Meth affects the amount of dopamine secreted in the brain for a longer period of time. Both drugs are devastating.</p>
<p>Does this family member live alone? Did she come to the Christmas get-together with family members/partners/roommates who live with her? Is she a student?</p>
<p>Thanks, sax and ECmom. So this person seems like a textbook case of a cocaine user, though according to the link, her symptoms are consistent with snorted cocaine as well as crack.</p>