Cocaine addiction looking like NPD?

[EatCrow]

Someone I know has a cocaine addiction and it’s feeling very much like they have a narcissistic personality disorder. Has anyone experienced this? Is this possible?

I imagine someone will say they were narcissistic before the addiction and the cocaine is just emphasising the traits but this isn’t so. I’m actually grieving the loss of the person I know and loved, they were never like this.

I could well believe that it could change someone's behaviour and possibly their character for the worse.
The good news is if they want to stop, they can go to meetings. Cocaine is not actually physically addictive, so they won't actually feel pain when they try and quit. The personality you describe will probably subside once they stop using.
Or they might be a bit that way inclined anyway. Many people have a degree of narcissism in their character, it's not necessarily fully blown npd.
You should tell them how the change is making you feel. You never know, it might be the motivation they need to try and leave it alone.

They’re in complete denial so there’s no chance they will accept treatment. I know everyone has some degree of narcissism, a healthy amount is necessary but this isn’t healthy. It’s very sad to experience the change, they were never like this.

It is what it is I guess.

I work in this field and there is lots of research around the links between NPD and addiction.
When people are in active addiction they will do whatever required to fulfil this need, following the same patterns as someone with NPD.
The question is more what came first the personality disorder/patterns or the addiction? As although many people are very different once in recovery, some just follow the same patterns of behaviour when clean.
Ultimately, whatever the cause, you need boundaries to protect yourself and to not use any perceived label as an excuse of someone's behavior towards you, as no diagnosis or issue gives someone the right to be an arsehole.

Everyone I've met on coke has the same personality so this wouldn't surprise me.

They were all quite happy with the coke but generally came across as arseholes.

Active addiction makes people unable to think about anything except themselves and their supply. If not in active addiction you will see more of the other sides of them.

Yes, this person’s latest trick has gone beyond my level of tolerance and I’m done. I can only put it down to cruelty.

Sorry to read this OP. I have a friend who is a cocaine addict who displays similar tendencies, although maybe not as much as your friend given you used the word cruelty. Hope you’re ok. I find it hard to deal with as I am sure my friend is nice under the cocaine addiction, and their narcisstic behaviours are due to the addiction which I believe is an illness after all. I’m possibly naive.