Cocaine withdrawal and treatment
Symptoms of cocaine withdrawal from the body: Cocaine is a stimulant drug used by people of all ages and is one of the most addictive drugs. Cocaine is usually used for entertainment, although it is illegal around the world. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that nearly 50% of adults in the United States have used cocaine at least once in their lives.
Also, regular cocaine use leads to physical dependence, which means that the user will experience withdrawal symptoms once they stop using it. These symptoms will become more severe after repeated use.
So individuals who abuse cocaine even for recreational purposes, will see some side effects and will show some telltale signs of cocaine abuse. The symptoms of cocaine withdrawal will come with severe pain and discomfort. While some choose to withdraw at home, the most successful treatment plans will begin with detoxification at a medical treatment center. From there, the patient will be supervised around the clock to help resolve any inconveniences by providing medications if needed.
Also, there are many different ways and circumstances in how recreational use can turn into an addiction. Here’s what to expect once you stop using cocaine and start withdrawal, and what steps to take after detoxing.
Side effects of cocaine use
Also, those who abuse cocaine report feelings of euphoria, which often leads to frequent use. The brain will adapt, making the reward pathway less sensitive to natural reinforcers such as relationships, food, and other natural rewards. At the same time, circuits involved in stress become increasingly sensitive, causing users to increase discontent and negative moods when they are not using drugs.
Short-term side effects of cocaine use include:
•
narrowing of blood vessels
• Dilated pupils
high body temperature
• Increased heart rate
• Hypertension
irritability
• Worried
• panic
Paranoia
• anxiety
• death
Although rare, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter (according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019) and therefore, there is no safe way to use cocaine. The user will develop a tolerance to cocaine, stimulating higher and more frequent doses to produce the same level of pleasure or “high”. While it is possible to reverse some of the damage done to the body as a result of long-term cocaine use, some of the effects are irreversible.
Long-term side effects of cocaine use include:
•
brain damage
• heart disease
Cardiovascular system damage
• Decreased blood flow in the digestive system
extreme weight loss
a hit
• Source
nosebleeds
• Loss of sense of smell
crisis
psychosis
• auditory hallucinations
High risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis
• death
Long-term cocaine use greatly increases the likelihood of an overdose. Therefore, if you or a loved one wants to stop using cocaine, it is in the person’s best interest to receive drug treatment in the safety of a licensed medical facility.
Signs of cocaine abuse
Habitual cocaine users also become very good at disguising their addiction. It would be surprising to many to know that the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 14% of all Americans over the age of 12 have used cocaine at some point in their lives (according to Gans, 2019). Many drug users take cocaine, arguing that the drug improves their performance.
So basically, the drug gives the user a feeling of strength and confidence. The user may believe that he is functioning at a higher level than he is – which is a clear indication of an altered mental state. Because of its ability to give cocaine users a sense of happiness and an energy boost, many cocaine users refuse to admit they have a problem.
Signs that someone you know may be using cocaine include:
Avoid social situations
Changes in personal hygiene
• Needle marks on the body
Unplanned weight loss
• Presence of drug paraphernalia
financial problems
• Severe mood swings/behavioral changes
• Lying or stealing
أعراض انسحاب الكوكايين
Although cocaine withdrawal is not as physically intense as withdrawal from other substances, it still comes with its own set of uncomfortable and dangerous challenges. Withdrawal from certain substances such as benzo and alcohol will include more severe physical withdrawal symptoms; However, detoxing from cocaine will primarily produce psychiatric withdrawal symptoms.
Some symptoms of cocaine withdrawal include:
Insomnia
exhaustion
Worried
depression
suicidal thoughts
Daydream
increased cravings
lack of appetite
Not interested in sexually
Unable to feel fun
Difficulty concentrating
Physical fatigue easily
slow reaction
Chills and tremors
Using cocaine with other substances
Consuming more than one drug at a time is referred to as polysubstance abuse. This combination of substances intensifies the effects of any single use of a particular substance, giving the user a high degree of importance but also increasing the severity of adverse effects.The abuse of multiple substances will also produce a newer, more pleasant euphoria. For example, the results of pain relievers mixed with alcohol will increase euphoria, but this will also make the user vulnerable to respiratory problems and may stop breathing unconsciously.
Also, alcohol consumption, along with drug abuse, will double the rewarding effects of both substances and increase the potential for addiction. Continuing to use an individual substance will enhance the effect on the brain’s reward system. Introducing another substance into the mix will enhance the effects on the reward system. This chemical imbalance can lead to addiction and make an existing addiction more effective.
Therefore, the most serious risk of polydrug use is combined drug poisoning. Combined drug poisoning is a frequent cause of emergency room visits and has been fatal for many multidrug users. The most important risk of combined drug poisoning is death.
Polydrug use comes with serious side effects that include:
seizures
stomach bleeding
Cirrhosis
sunstroke
respiratory failure
suppressed breathing
brain damage
heart problems
coma
Continuously mixing too many substances exhausts the brain’s calming and relaxing chemicals. Changing minds’ chemical balance will have consequences for depression, anxiety, and behavioral issues down the road.
Cocaine withdrawal schedule (symptoms of cocaine withdrawal from the body)
The length and severity of each individual’s withdrawal symptoms depends on several different factors. Also, because cocaine remains in the body for a short time, withdrawal symptoms will also appear soon after the last dose. Cocaine has a short half-life, so the moment you stop using it is primarily when you experience an almost instantaneous crash.
Although there is no set timeline for cocaine withdrawal, most studies have shown that the process will be divided into three different phases which include:
Breakdown – The breakdown period during cocaine withdrawal will occur within a few hours to a few days after the last use. Withdrawal can occur within 90 minutes and users experience symptoms of fatigue, confusion, irritability, and depression. Suicidal thoughts were recorded as thoughts that users experienced during withdrawal as well.
Persistent withdrawal – even though your mood and performance are starting to improve at this point, you may start to get bored or collapse under stress. Increased cravings, decreased energy, and irritability can adjust during this phase and last from 1 to 10 weeks. Irregular sleep patterns and a lack of focus and concentration are also typical symptoms. The desire to use relapse becomes very risky during this stage.
Extinction – Cravings for cocaine will come and go during this stage, lasting for up to six months, but diminish over time. Individuals dealing with the Post-Acute Withdrawal System (PAWS) will have their mood affected for several months after the detox is over.
Primarily, the majority of severe withdrawal symptoms will only be present for two weeks, but the severity and length of withdrawal will be different individually. The severity depends on how often and how much cocaine is used.
For individuals who use cocaine in moderation, their withdrawal symptoms usually resolve within a maximum of 18 hours. Also for heavy cocaine users, withdrawal symptoms usually peak from four days to sometimes a week. For some, depression, cravings, and other negative symptoms may persist for weeks to months later.
The process of detoxing from cocaine (symptoms of cocaine withdrawal from the body)
Also the healing process is divided into three steps, namely medical detox, treatment and aftercare. Not every cocaine user will need a medicinal detox, but it may be a critical step in treating moderate addictions. Users who are still using cocaine once they enter medical detox therapy usually begin treatment.
So the detox process takes place when the body is cleaning up and cleansing the cocaine. Because cocaine is metabolized very quickly, it will leave the body in about 8 hours, based on the drug’s half-life. People usually get rid of cocaine at home because it is a quick process. They can completely detoxify within a couple of days, with some symptoms lasting for a few weeks afterward.
Follow the cocaine detox process
In general, a medical detox is a supervised version of a detox, in which a team of medical professionals will oversee the process and can assist if needed. Medical detox will include support to relieve the patient through cocaine withdrawal symptoms as well as administering medication if needed.
Typically, the detox is done in a hospital or inpatient rehabilitation facility. Patients with life-threatening problems will detox in the hospital, while others who are medically stable will detox in a rehabilitation center.
So during the detox process, the patient will experience uncomfortable cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Detoxing from cocaine won’t take long, but it will be painful for most people.
Once the medical detox is complete, the patient will be screened for entry into some form of substance use disorder treatment program. Treatment plans will continue in the hospital or outpatient setting. Individuals who have completed a detox and are ready to continue treatment may be accepted into one of these programs at any time.
If you or a loved one suffers from cocaine abuse, the Future Addiction Center can help you. Although detoxing at home is as much as possible, it is by no means a safe option. Medical detox will help ensure that the procedure is performed safely, and the patient leaves healthy. Upon leaving the detox, inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, you will give the patient the right tools and life skills needed for long-term recovery.
Treatment options for cocaine addiction (symptoms of cocaine withdrawal from the body)
Cocaine addiction rehabilitation programs typically begin with medical detox, followed by several different phases of recovery care. Depending on the length and severity of addiction and each patient’s needs, treatment options will be inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation, individual and group therapy, as well as dual diagnosis therapy.
Inpatient rehabilitation for cocaine addiction
During inpatient rehabilitation treatment, the patient will live in our facility here at Harmony Ridge Recovery Center under the care of nurses, physicians, and physicians. This will allow around the clock access to specialists in a supportive, drug-free environment. As the patient works through therapy, they will forgo additional levels of care while receiving fewer hours of programming per week. This included partial hospitalization and outpatient intensive care programmes.
Outpatient rehabilitation for cocaine addiction
Outpatient rehabilitation is designed for patients with less severe addictions who have other obligations such as work, school, or people who depend on them. During outpatient rehabilitation, the patient will live off-site in a sober home or their own home awaiting a supportive environment. Each patient will create a customized part-time schedule of treatment that matches home and work responsibilities. For patients participating as part of the continuing continuum of care, outpatient rehabilitation treatment will provide a supportive opportunity to transition from cocaine treatment more smoothly.
Individual and group therapy for cocaine addiction
Also regardless of the type, treatment is a vital part of every successful treatment program. During cocaine rehabilitation treatment, most patients will engage in individual cognitive behavioral therapy to talk with a counselor about psychological dependence associated with cocaine addiction.
So patients will also participate in group therapy. During these sessions, group members will bond with each other in recovery while sharing their personal experiences and gaining a new perspective on the multiple factors that play a role in addiction. Both methods have been proven to help build and encourage individuals to recover.
Dual diagnosis therapy for co-occurring disorders
Mental health conditions and addictions often occur with deeply intertwined causes. When both occur simultaneously, it is referred to as a concurrent disorder or dual diagnosis In some cases, a person with mental health problems will use medications to self-medicate, and for others, substance use has caused or exacerbated mental illness symptoms Regardless, treatment of One condition without treatment of the other will frantically reduce the chances of achieving sobriety during treatment.
Get help today (cocaine withdrawal symptoms and treatment)
The path to recovery from cocaine withdrawal treatment begins with acknowledging that there is a problem. Cocaine addiction is a disease that many people suffer from around the world. A commitment to making positive change requires strength, which is a sign of strength to acknowledge any personal flaws. Our team at Future Addiction Center understand the difficulty of seeking help, and we welcome those who do so with open arms.
As a nationally recognized substance abuse treatment center, our team of licensed medical professionals are here to help you navigate the difficult road to recovery Keep in mind that the healing process is not a hurry. Each patient undergoing drug rehabilitation treatment will receive an individualized drug treatment program tailored to their specific needs.
Since there is no medication available to treat cocaine addiction, it is essential that the user wants to stop using cocaine in the safety of medical professionals. Our team will be by your side 24/7 during the entire process, providing the safe and effective medically managed detox method. After completing the detox process, Future Center provides each patient with the tools, training and rehabilitation needed to achieve complete recovery of mind, body and spirit.
The National Substance Abuse Treatment Agency says that 70 percent of people undergoing treatment for cocaine addiction either stop completely or significantly reduce their use within six months. .
