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Cocaine addiction can be difficult to deal with. It can impact you whether you’re the one with the addiction or you have a friend or family member with cocaine addiction.
Addiction can have a wide-reaching impact on your life. It can damage your physical and mental health. In addition, it can affect your relationships, finances, and overall well-being.
If left untreated, cocaine dependence may only get worse – and continue to impact your life. This is why it’s so important to find the right treatment programme – including a cocaine detox.
Cocaine Addiction Explained
Cocaine is an addictive substance – frequent and excessive cocaine use can quickly develop into a physical dependence and psychological addiction, affecting your physical health and mental well-being.
Addiction is defined as the lack of control over taking or doing something that can negatively impact your life. This may include smoking, alcohol, gambling, or drugs.
Drug addiction is characterised by the lack of control over taking a substance. This may include taking the drug despite the negative effects it can have on your life. Abusing cocaine, whether it be powder cocaine or crack cocaine, can lead to you developing a tolerance to the drug.
This means you’ll feel the need to take a higher dose to feel the same effects of cocaine. Over time, this can turn into a physical dependence – when you feel as though you need to take the drug to function correctly.
Cocaine triggers a dopamine response in your brain. This alters your brain’s reward system, preventing dopamine and serotonin from travelling to your nerve cells. This allows the neurotransmitters to build and stimulate the nerve cells, emulating the feeling of pleasure and euphoria. This can make it difficult to stop taking cocaine.
In the UK, it’s the second most commonly used drug amongst those in the age bracket 16-59 (the first being marijuana). In this age bracket, around 873,000 reported using cocaine. As many as 70% of UK drug users have admitted to using cocaine. In the US, 5.2 million people aged 12 or older used cocaine in 2020, according to the Substance Use And Mental Health Services Administration.
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Signs of Cocaine Addiction
Despite being known as a highly addictive drug, cocaine addiction can be difficult to identify. The signs and symptoms of cocaine addiction are typically placed in three categories – behavioural symptoms, psychological symptoms, and physical symptoms.
If you find that you’re needing to increase the amount of cocaine you usually take in order to feel the same effect, you’re struggling to stop or control your cocaine use, or thoughts of cocaine are taking over, then you will benefit from a cocaine detox.
Although drug abuse can be an indication of drug addiction, not everybody who abuses cocaine will become addicted to it.
If you have a cocaine addiction, you may disregard your family and friends and other priorities to take cocaine. Many cocaine users are aware of the damage and the negative effects of the drug but will continue to take it as they feel agitated or depressed without it.
Some physical symptoms of cocaine addiction include:
- Lots of energy
- Lack of appetite
- Nosebleeds
- Elevated blood pressure
- High body temperature
- Kidney and liver damage
- Insomnia/ not feeling the need to sleep
Some behavioural and psychological symptoms of cocaine addiction include:
- Impulsive behaviour
- Cocaine abuse
- Stealing or borrowing money
- Intense cravings
- Engaging in reckless behaviour (e.g engaging with escorts)
- Unable to reduce cocaine use
- Psychosis
- Depression (often severe depression)
- Anxiety
- Euphoria
- Agitation
- Overconfidence
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, then you should consider cocaine addiction treatment. That being said, these signs alone are not a diagnosis – be sure to speak to a medical professional for advice.
What is a Detox?
Detoxification is the act of cleansing your body of a substance. In terms of a cocaine detox, you will stop taking cocaine to allow your body to free itself of toxins.
The cocaine detox process is the first stage of cocaine addiction treatment and aims at addressing the physical aspect of addiction – physical dependence.
During a cocaine detox, you may experience withdrawal symptoms that can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful, but the worst will usually occur within the first couple of days, and they usually diminish with time.
Detoxification is the stage before you complete cocaine addiction rehab and recovery. When going through detoxification, it’s recommended to have medical supervision. A medically-supervised detox involves the monitoring of withdrawal symptoms, as they can sometimes be rough and even dangerous. This can help you to manage symptoms of withdrawal better.
We recommend that you detox from cocaine as part of a larger treatment programme. This is because detoxification does not address the social, behavioural and psychological aspects of addiction, and instead only focuses on the physical aspects.
It is important to detox from a substance before proceeding to further stages of cocaine rehab. It can be difficult to undergo addiction therapy, for example, whilst still experiencing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
If you’re considering undergoing a medically supervised cocaine detox and addiction treatment, look no further than Help4Addiction.
How Long Does a Cocaine Detox Take?
You now understand what a drug detox entails and the purpose of drug detoxification, but how long does it take to detox from cocaine? How long does cocaine recovery take?
The length of time it takes to complete a cocaine detox can vary. Factors such as your personality, addiction history, height and weight can all determine how long it takes to detox from cocaine.
There are different detox treatment plans for cocaine addiction available. There are seven-day detox programmes, 14-day programmes, and 28-day programmes. The seven-day programmes are more suitable for those with a mild addiction or with a brewing addiction, whereas the longer detox plans are ideal for severe cases of addiction.
Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can be tough to deal with, which is why longer detox programs are generally recommended.
Upon completing your cocaine detox, you will be directed to either an inpatient program or outpatient rehab programme to combat other aspects of your cocaine addiction.
Can I Detox From Cocaine at Home?
In short, yes – you can detox from cocaine at home. However, a home detox is not suitable for everybody. In most cases, we recommend a residential treatment program to overcome cocaine addiction.
When going through detoxification, it’s recommended to have medical supervision. This is to monitor the withdrawal symptoms, as they can sometimes be rough and even dangerous. Contact our team at Help4Addiction to learn more about medical detox.
It’s important to consider temptation when detoxing from home. If you are around others that partake in substance abuse/ cocaine abuse, you may wish to consider detoxing in another environment.
If you do decide to detox from home, make sure that you remove any substances from your home that could be considered a temptation.
Cocaine Rehab vs Cocaine Detox
Cocaine rehab and cocaine detox are two different stages of the addiction recovery process, each serving distinct purposes.
Cocaine detox refers to the initial phase of treatment, aimed at safely removing the drug from the individual’s system.
Detoxification involves managing withdrawal symptoms and ensuring the person’s physical stability. It focuses primarily on addressing the physiological effects of cocaine use and helping the body adjust to functioning without the drug.
Medical supervision and support are crucial during this process to ensure the individual’s safety and comfort. On the other hand, cocaine rehab refers to the comprehensive treatment program that follows detoxification. Rehab focuses on addressing the psychological, emotional, and behavioural aspects of cocaine addiction.
It involves therapy, counselling, and various evidence-based interventions designed to help individuals understand the underlying causes of their addiction, develop coping mechanisms, and learn skills to prevent the risk of relapse.
Rehab provides a supportive and structured environment for individuals to work through their addiction, make positive changes in their lives, and develop strategies for long-term recovery.
While detoxification is an important initial step in the recovery process, it is not sufficient to address the underlying issues that contribute to addiction. Rehab offers a more holistic approach, providing the tools and support needed to maintain sobriety and make lasting changes in one’s life.
Both detox and rehab are integral parts of the treatment process for cocaine addiction. Detox sets the foundation for rehab by helping individuals become physically stable, while rehab addresses the psychological and behavioural aspects necessary for sustained recovery.
The combination of detox and rehab provides individuals with the best chance of overcoming cocaine addiction and achieving long-term sobriety.
Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
During cocaine withdrawal, we recommend that you have medical supervision – especially if you’re trying to break a long-term or strong addiction.
Throughout the withdrawal process, you may experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, from mild symptoms to severe cocaine withdrawal symptoms. You could experience a variety of psychological withdrawal symptoms, behavioural withdrawal symptoms, and physical withdrawal symptoms.
The physical and mental effects during withdrawal are almost the exact opposite of what the primary effects of the drug are – for example, cocaine can make you feel energised, but withdrawing from cocaine can leave you feeling fatigued.
Detoxing from stimulants such as cocaine doesn’t usually cause life-threatening effects, but it can still be difficult to deal with withdrawal symptoms.
You should expect to experience cocaine cravings whilst withdrawing from cocaine, which can persist throughout the acute withdrawal phase. These intense cravings will improve over time, as will other symptoms.
There are typically two stages of cocaine withdrawal – the instant and the initial phase. Within 6-12 hours after stopping cocaine use, you may experience sadness, agitation, anxiety, and strong cravings.
The initial phase starts after 24 hours of withdrawal, lasting up to a week. A person may experience both physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, exhaustion, and depressive symptoms.
However, the psychological symptoms of cocaine withdrawal such as depression can last for months.
Some cocaine withdrawal symptoms to expect include:
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Intense cravings
- Nightmares
- Trouble concentrating
- Difficulty experiencing sexual arousal
- Suicidal thoughts and struggles with mental health
- Muscle aches
- Chills
When withdrawing from stimulants such as cocaine, you may experience depression and suicidal thoughts. Having a therapist or mental health professional on hand can help to treat these psychological symptoms.
What To Expect From Cocaine Rehab
There are different types of cocaine rehab to choose from. Many people opt for residential rehab (inpatient rehab), as this removes them from their previous environment and gives them a chance to recover from addiction in a safe and supervised environment.
Others, however, prefer to undergo outpatient rehab. If you opt for outpatient rehab, you will reside at home and travel to your scheduled rehab appointments.
The cost of rehab can vary depending on the length of your stay, the treatment provider and the facilities available. Private residential treatment will typically be more expensive than outpatient rehab. Luxury rehab is typically the most expensive option as it has more facilities available.
Cocaine detox is only one part of cocaine addiction treatment – the first stage. Upon detoxing from cocaine, you may move on to the next stages of your treatment plan.
Addiction Therapy
Therapy is an integral part of drug rehab, to be completed after detoxing and withdrawal. Not only can therapy help to treat existing mental disorders, but can ease ongoing psychological withdrawal symptoms. Therapy can also effectively treat dual diagnosis.
The key goal of therapy is to improve your general well-being. Talking therapies such as CBT can teach you effective coping techniques that you can use in your day-to-day life, and can also be used to prevent and manage relapse.
One size does not fit all when it comes to addiction therapy – what works for you may not work for everybody else. Some therapy options may include CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), group therapy, counselling, interpersonal therapy, family therapy, and many more.
Aftercare
Secondary treatment, also referred to as aftercare, aims at streamlining the recovery process. Many people choose to receive secondary treatment during early recovery for additional support – whether it be in the form of ongoing therapy, support groups, online support or telephone support. Having a solid support system in place is imperative for long-term recovery.
Leaving rehab can be daunting, especially moving from a residential rehab centre back to your everyday life. Aftercare can provide you with ongoing support throughout your recovery.
Help4Addiction Can Help You
At Help4Addiction, we understand the difficulties that people face when coming to terms with their addiction. This is why we dedicate ourselves to helping people find the treatment they need to overcome their addiction, whether it be inpatient drug rehab or outpatient treatment.
We will begin by discussing your treatment options – as well as determining your preferences and requirements. This will help us to find the right cocaine addiction treatment program for you to stop your drug use once and for all.
Contact us today to learn more about the cocaine detox process, and to learn more about the services we offer. Get your cocaine use and cocaine addiction under control today and find the right drug detox for you.
The majority of people who opt for treatment for their cocaine addiction will experience positive results, so get the ball rolling today.
We can also help you to detox from other drugs – whether you’re looking for a heroin detox, prescription drug detox, or even an alcohol detox, we are here to help.
About Author
Nicholas Conn
Nicholas Conn is a leading industry addiction expert who runs the UK’s largest addiction advisory service and is regularly featured in the national press, radio and TV. He is the founder and CEO of a drug and alcohol rehab center called Help4addiction, which was founded in 2015. He has been clean himself since 2009 and has worked in the Addiction and Rehab Industry for over a decade. Nick is dedicated to helping others recover and get treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. In 2013, he released a book ‘The Thin White’ line that is available on Amazon.
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