Get a free mental health assessment and find out what treatment options are most suitable for you. We Level Up Florida can help with inpatient primary mental health therapy. Depending on the extent of secondary behavioral disorders such as addiction we can first help assess your condition and thereafter guide you to suitable treatment options.
How Addictive is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a white, crystalline powder derived from coca leaves. Its street names are Coca, Coke, Crack, Flake, Rock, Snow, and Soda Cot. It is a stimulant that reacts with the body’s central nervous system. Also, it affects the neuropathways in your brain by stimulating high levels of dopamine, a brain chemical responsible for pleasure and reward.
As a result, it produces energy and euphoria. However, research has since shown that cocaine is an extremely addictive substance if used repeatedly. More people experience hospitalization for cocaine-related issues than any other illicit substance. Is Cocaine addictive? Yes, Cocaine addiction can be hard to beat, but It’s treatable. By and large, cocaine addiction treatment is available for people who are ready to take their life back.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse [1], cocaine is a Schedule II drug. This means that it has a high potential for abuse. Cocaine can bring previous psychiatric disorders to the surface. Moreover, if your family member has had a psychiatric disorder, there’s a great risk for it to happen to you too. Examples of psychiatric disorders that may coexist with cocaine additions are PTSD, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, mood and personality disorder, and depression.
Cocaine Addiction Symptoms
Psychological symptoms of cocaine addiction
- Poor decision-making skills
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Hallucination
- Brief state of euphoria
- Sudden overabundance of confidence
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Aggression
Cocaine Overdose
Cocaine is one of the more dangerous stimulants, mainly because of the potential for overdose leading to death. This can occur due to a multitude of complications, including heart attack, seizure, and stroke.
Signs of Cocaine Addiction
- Increased agitation.
- Excessive enthusiasm.
- Disinhibition.
- Rapid movements.
- Involuntary movements.
- Changes in concentration
- Dificulty to be focused.
Causes of Cocaine Addiction
Several factors contribute to cocaine addiction. In truth, there’s no exact cause. Addiction is a chronic mental disorder just like depression and anxiety. Therefore once addiction kicks in though, it may not be a choice.
Physical symptoms of cocaine addiction
- Rapid heart rate and chest pain
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Dilated pupils
- Persistent nosebleeds
- Excessive perspiration
- Loss of appetite
- Bursts of energy
- Reduced need for sleep
- Insomnia
- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Stroke
- Breathing problems
- Hypertension
The causes and risk factors for cocaine addiction may include:
- Genetics and Environment. It is often hard to tell if genetics is the true cause of addiction. However, people who have parents who are addicts could be more likely to be in the same situation for other reasons in addition to genetics. Additionally, people who begin to experiment with drugs during their young teens are at a greater risk of developing addiction later in life.
- Psychological Disorders or Mental Illness. Usually, people are more likely to get addicted to cocaine if they have a mental health disorder. Major depression and anxiety are both common precursors to cocaine addiction. Additionally, those who abuse cocaine may be doing so in an attempt to self-medicate from mental illness.
- Cocaine could be a boof drug, which becomes a high lethal risk due to the physical characteristics of the anal cavity.
Cocaine Addiction and Alcohol
Using more than one substance at a time is known as polydrug use. Cocaine and alcohol are frequently used together. Alcohol, being a depressant has effects that are opposite to cocaine. Usually, alcohol can be a trigger for recovering cocaine users. Therefore, it is important to abstain from all drugs during recovery. Most of the time people who suffer serious psychiatric disorders self-medicate with cocaine, alcohol, or both before they receive appropriate psychiatric disorders treatment.
Mixing of alcohol and cocaine results in the production of a blood-circulated metabolite called cocaethylene, which has a higher addictive potential than either drug alone. Source – We Level Up Addiction Rehabilitation Center [3]. If you or someone you love has severe drinking and using addiction – cocaine addiction and alcoholism treatment is needed.
According to the National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information [4]. For the large proportion of cocaine-dependent individuals who also abuse alcohol, disulfiram combined with outpatient psychotherapy may be a promising treatment strategy. Disulfiram treatment was associated with significantly better retention in treatment. As well as a longer duration of abstinence from alcohol and cocaine use.
Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Drug addiction is a complex disease involving changes in the brain as well as a wide range of social, familial, and other environmental factors. Therefore, cocaine addiction treatment must also address co-occurring psychiatric disorders and polydrug abuse. It is also important that treatment be appropriate to the individual’s age and gender.
No single treatment is appropriate for everyone. Treatment varies depending on the type of drug and the characteristics of the patients. Potential patients can be lost if treatment is not immediately available or readily accessible. The earlier treatment is offered in the disease process, the greater the likelihood of positive outcomes.
Treatments That May Be Effective for Cocaine Addiction Include:
- Medically supervised detox. Detoxification is the part of meth addiction recovery where the body is given a chance to expel and process of the drug from its system. Going to a medical detox center for professional assistance can lessen the severity of the withdrawal and detox timeline. Also, it is the safest and the most comfortable way to overcome an cocaine addiction.
- Behavioral therapies or Psychotherapies – therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) help patients understand addiction along with other mental disorders. Also, it is designed to change the patients thoughts and behavior.
- Medications are a vital element of treatment for many patients, especially when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies.
Inpatient medical detox and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at our affiliated facility at Level Up West Palm Beach Rehab. For some primary behavioral health treatment clients, medical detox and or addiction rehab may be required first. If you have a co-occurring severe substance abuse diagnosis, please contact us prior to beginning inpatient mental health therapy. Treatment services may vary. Please call us to learn which treatment options are most suited for your individual needs.
Sources:
[1] National Institute of Drug Abuse – https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/principles-effective-treatment
[2] US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Mental Health – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1414771/
[4] National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9692270/