All About Cocaine Addiction, Treatment & Recovery

Cocaine addiction can devastate families and disrupt lives. Whether snorted, smoked, or injected, cocaine’s effects on the body are severe and should never be underestimated. For many individuals struggling with this addiction, treatment is the most effective way to regain control over their health and lives.

How Does Cocaine Abuse Occur?

Cocaine increases dopamine levels in brain circuits related to movement and reward. Normally, dopamine is recycled back into the cell that released it, stopping the signal between nerve cells. Cocaine prevents this recycling, causing dopamine to accumulate between cells and disrupting normal communication. This dopamine surge in the brain’s reward circuit reinforces drug-taking behavior.

Over time, the reward circuit adapts to the excess dopamine, becoming less sensitive to it. Consequently, individuals need stronger and more frequent doses to achieve the same high.

Signs of Cocaine Addiction Include:

Excitability
Weight loss
Insomnia
Runny nose or nosebleeds
Irritability and paranoia
Frequent nightmares
Nagging cough (from smoking crack cocaine)

Cocaine Addiction and Alcohol Use

For many individuals, cocaine addiction often starts with excessive alcohol consumption. Heavy drinkers may turn to cocaine to “sober up,” leading to even more drinking. However, this is a misconception. Using cocaine while drinking does not alter blood alcohol content. Instead, it provides a temporary boost in alertness, creating a false sense of sobriety.

Polysubstance use, or using multiple substances simultaneously, is particularly dangerous. It places additional strain on the body and can lead to severe health complications. For example, alcohol raises blood pressure, and combining it with cocaine increases the risk of dangerous cardiac events.

The dangers of mixing cocaine and alcohol are significant. If someone relies on cocaine to stay alert during binge drinking sessions, their risk of becoming addicted to cocaine is extremely high.

How Is Cocaine Addiction Treated?

The most effective way to treat cocaine addiction is through a rehabilitation program. At a treatment center, like Waterstone counseling centers, individuals receive tailored support and treatment to meet their specific needs.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine addiction surged. Treatment providers report that cocaine remains one of the most commonly abused drugs among their clients, with many individuals smoking crack and often using multiple substances.

Cocaine addiction is complex, involving biological changes in the brain as well as social, family, and environmental factors. Therefore, treatment must address the various issues caused by cocaine addiction. It’s crucial to match the best treatment program to the individual’s needs.

Treatment options for cocaine addiction may include:

Detoxification
Contingency management
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Therapeutic communities
12-step programs

Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

Individuals addicted to cocaine experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug. These symptoms can last from days to months, especially with long-term heavy use, and may begin even before the drug is fully out of the system.

Unlike heroin and alcohol withdrawal, cocaine withdrawal typically lacks visible symptoms like vomiting and shaking. However, it can cause:

Fatigue
Increased appetite
Slowed thinking
Trouble sleeping
Depression
Suspicion and paranoia
Agitation
Powerful cravings for more cocaine

While cocaine withdrawal is generally safe, there are no FDA-approved medications to alleviate its effects. Severe withdrawal symptoms may require inpatient treatment or hospitalization during detoxification. Detoxing at home can be risky if symptoms become severe, potentially leading to extreme depression, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts.

The initial phase of cocaine withdrawal, often called “the crash,” usually ends within a few days. However, other symptoms, such as cravings, irritability, and low energy, may persist for weeks.

After stabilization, treatment can continue in a partial care or intensive outpatient program.

Treatment for Cocaine Addiction

Many people hesitate to seek treatment because it often requires being away from work and family for extended periods. However, Waterstone offers various cocaine addiction treatment options in Connecticut to fit different lifestyles and needs.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient treatment is ideal for those who need the support of family and friends to increase their chances of success. It’s a great option for individuals with jobs, classes, or other commitments who are motivated to participate in treatment. Often used as a follow-up to more intensive programs, outpatient treatment has a proven track record for helping maintain abstinence.

Therapy for Cocaine Addiction and Abuse

According to the NIDA, the most successful treatment programs use evidence-based methods developed through scientific research. These methods include:

Behavioral Therapy: Focuses on individual counseling to help people develop skills to combat drug cravings and change behaviors contributing to drug abuse. It also addresses underlying mental health issues that can exacerbate addiction.
Contingency Management (CM): Uses motivational incentives to encourage abstinence. Patients earn vouchers for healthy activities (like gym memberships or dinners) in exchange for clean drug tests. This approach is effective in helping patients achieve and maintain abstinence.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Supports long-term abstinence and relapse prevention by helping patients recognize and avoid situations that trigger drug use and cope with related problems. CBT is often combined with other treatments to maximize benefits.
Therapeutic Communities (TCs): Drug-free residences where patients in recovery help each other change behaviors. TCs may require a 6- to 12-month stay and include vocational training and other supportive services to aid reintegration into society. They also provide support in legal, employment, and mental health areas.

12-Step Programs

Community-based recovery groups like Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Alcoholics Anonymous use a 12-step program to help maintain abstinence. These programs emphasize taking responsibility for one’s behavior, making amends, and self-forgiveness. For instance, the first step in Cocaine Anonymous states, “We are powerless over cocaine and our lives have become unmanageable.” Regular attendance at 12-step meetings provides support and accountability, benefiting participants through fellowship and shared experiences.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

MI is a counseling approach that helps individuals resolve conflicting feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation needed to change their behavior. This short-term process acknowledges the difficulty of making life changes.

Family Involvement

Having your family involved in your care is based on the idea that family members influence and are influenced by each other. Waterstone can explore how interactions among family members contribute to both family functioning and dysfunction.

Medical Treatment

Currently, there are no medications specifically approved to treat cocaine addiction. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is researching potential treatments. Antidepressants can be beneficial during the early stages of abstinence due to mood changes. There are some medications that are known to help lessen cocaine cravings, talk to one of Waterstone’s medical professionals to see if a medication could help you. While not yet available, medical treatments are also being developed for emergencies resulting from cocaine overdose.

About Cocaine Relapse

Cocaine use causes lasting changes in the brain, making addiction difficult to treat and relapses likely. Relapse, defined as returning to drug use after a period of abstinence, is considered part of the recovery process by many specialists. Relapse rates for cocaine addiction are similar to those for chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension. For most people who complete treatment, relapse is probable, indicating the need for treatment adjustments rather than failure.

The Effects of Cocaine and Relapse

Cocaine has a high relapse rate, with about 24% of individuals returning to weekly use within a year of treatment. For crack cocaine users, the first 90 days of recovery are the most critical for relapse. Higher relapse rates are seen in those with severe addiction problems and shorter treatment durations.

Terence Gorski, author of “Understanding Relapse,” views relapse as a process rather than a single event. It can start with a stressful event leading to more stress and poor choices, culminating in drug use to cope.

Signs of Cocaine Relapse

Awareness of relapse warning signs is crucial for those completing treatment. Common signs include:

Not continuing with aftercare programs (counseling, support groups, 12-step groups)
Feeling over-stressed and not using healthy coping skills learned in treatment
Engaging in other compulsive behaviors (gambling, overeating, overworking, overexercising)
Spending time with drug-using friends or in drug-using environments
Lacking support from family and friends
Returning to addictive thinking and negative thoughts
Isolating emotions from others
Glamorizing past use and minimizing negative consequences
Lying or engaging in secretive behavior
Believing in controlled use of cocaine or other drugs
Seeking opportunities to relapse

Attend One of Our Substance Abuse Treatment Centers to Overcome Addiction

Whether you’re attempting sobriety for the first time or returning after a relapse, you need personalized attention from treatment specialists. Located in three locations in Connecticut; Hamden, Madison and New London. Waterstone Counseling Centers provides a supportive environment for rebuilding and recovery.
Our addiction specialists possess both personal and practical experience in treating cocaine addiction. We design individualized treatment programs for each patient, ensuring that you or your loved one receives comprehensive care throughout the recovery process. Contact us today to start your journey to recovery, 203-245-0412.