Cocaine is indeed one of the most fast-acting and highly addictive substances. The stimulant drug affects the central nervous system ranging from mild irritation to extreme effects. While its effects are fast and short-lasting, the symptoms may be quick and unexpected. The symptoms can also remain in the user’s system for a long and remain detectable on drug tests for several days.
Heavy cocaine users should understand there is a way out of the addiction. Detox is an effective strategy to remove cocaine from users’ systems. The detox process can help them recover and regain control over their lives. When considering how to detox from cocaine, families of people with drug problems need to select a detox facility that is well-monitored and medically assisted.
What is Cocaine Detox?
This is a restrained removal of cocaine from a patient’s system once they want to stop using it. The process is accompanied by a series of withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety and fatigue. Detox is the only effective process for recovering from cocaine. Detox from cocaine focus on a treatment approach that helps patients transition safely to a particular level of care where they can manage their health by themselves.
What Happens During the Detox Process
Patients can experience various psychological and physiological symptoms. Patients should know that the effects of the detox process depend on the amount and the duration they use cocaine.
However, during the early stages of the process, dopamine drops significantly, which may lead to the following:
- Exhaustion
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Nausea and headaches
- Shaking and shivering
- Irritability
- Intense craving for the drug
- Depression
Intense craving during detox is a leading cause of relapse. Choosing a residential addiction treatment center for the process is essential to reducing relapse. Support from specialists and a drug-free environment can be significant barriers to drug access.
In addition, detoxing from cocaine is also very uncomfortable for heavy and prolonged users. But a controlled environment can ensure that patients are safe and comfortable.
Treatment Options After Cocaine Detoxification
Managing withdrawal symptoms after detox from cocaine is essential to enhance full recovery. When left alone after detox, patients are likely to reuse the drug due to the intense urge created as cocaine leaves the bloodstream.
Effective management to full recovery can be achieved via various treatment options, including:
Inpatient Treatment
This option includes around-the-clock medical supervision of patients in a medical setting. This setting can be effective for patients with a long history of cocaine use and those who have used large amounts for a short period. This group includes people with little to no home support system or severe addiction. It is the best setting for chronic users of cocaine due to the controlled environment.
Intensive Outpatient Rehabilitation
This is a less controlled setting compared to the inpatient setting. Intensive outpatient rehab doesn’t require patients to remain at the facility 24/7. Instead, patients attend individual or group therapy sessions for around four to six hours a day weekly.
Relapse Prevention Therapy
This setting focuses on training skills and behavioral activities to improve patients’ self-drive, mental health, and thoughts. The primary objective is to help patients manage cravings and avoid relapse. Patients with higher risks of relapse can be given relapse-prevention medications like topiramate to prevent cravings.
Treatment Methods
These settings use various approaches to facilitate gradual recovery while assisting patients where necessary. Effective treatment methods for cocaine addiction include:
- Use of medications. Although there is still no FDA-approved medication for overcoming cocaine addiction, a medicine used for other purposes can be used to achieve various objectives. For instance, antidepressants are used to reduce depression resulting from withdrawal.
- Rewards and Incentives. Extrinsic motivation encourages patients suffering from cocaine addiction to remain strong amidst intense cravings for the drug. Simple rewards and incentives can help patients develop coping skills against cocaine triggers and cocaine cravings.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This treatment focuses on strengthening behavior change by trying to suppress the self-sabotaging cocaine use behavior while teaching patients survival mechanisms outside the rehabilitation center.
How Long Does it Take to Detox from Cocaine?
Many people ask, “How long does it take to detox from cocaine completely? Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question since different people react differently to the detox process. The detox duration depends on various factors, such as the amount of cocaine the patient has used and the frequency of use.
The average duration of detox is around 5-7 days for many people. However, it may take up to three weeks for some. Therefore, the first detox should be done 8-12 hours after the last cocaine dose.
Bipolar Disorder Treatment Center
People with bipolar disorder are more likely to abuse drugs to regulate mood and energy fluctuations than any other group. Research by the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry shows that around 70% of people with bipolar disorder symptoms also exhibit a history of drug abuse.
In addition, cocaine is more prevalent in people with bipolar disorder than in the general population. A combination of bipolar disorder and the effects of cocaine can amplify symptoms of the mental condition. The intersection of these disorders can impair judgment and decision-making, resulting in reckless behavior.
Effective bipolar disorder treatment centers also consider the prevalence of substances such as cocaine addiction in patients before administering treatment. Co-occurring disorders can be effectively treated in a professional setting specializing in treating substance addiction and underlying mental health conditions. Detox from cocaine is always the first treatment for patients with co-occurring symptoms.
After detox, a patient mays begin treatment for both symptoms concurrently. A treatment facility may apply various treatment approaches for optimal effectiveness.
The type of treatment used may depend on multiple aspects, such as:
- Patient’s overall health
- Physical symptoms
- Goals for recovery
- Mental health diagnosis
- Social needs
- Underlying threats to maintain sobriety
Detox from Cocaine and Effective Treatment
Detoxing from cocaine is an essential and the only effective treatment for cocaine addiction. Since cocaine is a fast-active and substantially addictive substance, patients require intensive care during and after medical detox. Severe withdrawal symptoms are the leading cause of relapses among cocaine addicts in the United States. Therefore, patients need to look for an approved and recognized treatment center to enhance their recovery from cocaine addiction.
Inland Detox in Temecula, California, offers detox for many drugs, including cocaine. If you or a loved one are struggling with cocaine abuse, contact us today to begin the substance recovery process. Our team can answer any questions you may have and give you a better understanding of our detox and inpatient program.