Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
Cocaine recovery is not an easy process. After suffering from cocaine addiction for a long time, your body will be used to the substance and will require it. If it doesn’t get what it needs, you will go through several withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms can be very intense and will make recovery more difficult, especially for someone who has no support from friends or family. Although most symptoms are not physical, they can still be overwhelming, and the individual will end up going back to the addiction or getting into risky situations. In order to make sure the addict can maintain recovery and prevent dangerous scenarios, getting professional help is a must.
What Is Cocaine?
Cocaine is an overly addictive drug that is made from the coca plant. It is also called crack, coke, snow, blow, or rock. Two coca species are often used to create the drug, respectively Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense.
For thousands of years, South American people have been chewing coca leaves for their stimulant effects. Later on, about 100 years ago, the purified chemical called cocaine hydrochloride was isolated from the plant. Afterward, purified cocaine was added to multiple tonics and elixirs, which were then used to treat different illnesses. Sometimes, surgeons were using it to stop the pain, as synthetic local anesthetics didn’t exist at the time.
While the substance had many helpful attributes, research has shown that cocaine can result in addiction and when it’s used repeatedly, it can alter the brain structure. Over time, more people became aware of cocaine and all its effects, and some started abusing it willingly.
Nowadays, the substance is a Schedule II drug, which means that it has a very high potential to be abused. It may still be used for local anesthesia during surgeries like ear, eye or throat interventions, but due to the high abuse potential, it is used with caution.
Different Forms of Cocaine
There are different forms of cocaine. One of them is the powdered form, which is the most commonly abused cocaine type. Cocaine is either snorted, heated until sublimated and then inhaled, or dissolved and then injected into the veins. The other form is a solid rock crystal, which is smoked, causing strong and immediate effects.
People who use cocaine start abusing it because of the euphoric effects. The drug is known to bring a boost in attention, alertness, and energy, and it can also send high dopamine levels into the body too. Dopamine can improve someone’s mood, so people are more likely to use it to keep the pleasant feeling coming.
To increase profits, dealers tend to dilute the drug. Talcum powder, cornstarch, flour, and baking soda are usually used for this purpose.
When someone is using cocaine, they will show some clear symptoms of drug abuse. Most commonly, signs that someone uses cocaine include feelings of restlessness, energy, paranoia, irritability, as well as sensitivity to things like touch, light, or sound. When used for a very long time, it can lead to serious and even permanent health issues.
Using cocaine frequently could lead to headaches, heart attack, stroke, seizures, mood problems, HIV, hepatitis, lung damage, nosebleeds, runny nose, loss of smell, swallowing difficulty, and more.
Signs Of Cocaine Withdrawals
Cocaine withdrawal symptoms are pretty clear. For the most part, cocaine withdrawal manifests mentally or emotionally, rather than physically. Some withdrawal symptoms include:
Cravings
Cravings are some of the most common withdrawal symptoms of cocaine abuse. The structure of the brain changes because of cocaine consumption, with the body requiring it over and over again. Due to the high dopamine levels and euphoric feelings given by the drug, the individual will do anything to obtain it. Resisting cravings is very hard and almost impossible and sometimes it cannot be done unless the person receives professional help.
According to the American Addiction Centers, cocaine cravings may show up 90 minutes after using the drug. Therefore, quitting it for a longer period can increase the cravings and make them harder to handle.
Depression
Depression is also very common in cocaine withdrawal, and that is because the dopamine boost given by cocaine is not present anymore. The levels of dopamine will be lower; therefore the mood will not be improved either. As such, depression is very likely to occur.
Suicidal Thoughts
Feeling suicidal in cocaine withdrawal is likely too, particularly if depression is also present. The person will feel hopeless, and they will feel like nothing matters in life anymore. So, professional help is very important to prevent a tragic situation.
Getting Help
It is very important to seek professional help if you want to stop using cocaine or you have a loved person struggling with withdrawal symptoms. There are numerous rehab and detox programs that can help you improve your life and get rid of your addiction completely. While in rehab, the person will also be supervised so no self-harm or return to addiction occurs.
The Best Treatment Route
When the individual has relapsed during previous withdrawal attempts, they may end up needing medical detox, especially if they are dealing with mental health disorders at the same time. Apart from medication, you should also get counseling and other forms of therapy to treat the issues. Some sessions with a good therapist can help you change your life for the better.
So, the best route would be finding some cocaine addiction and withdrawal treatment centers in your area, as they can offer you the help you need.
How We Can Help
At Real Deal, we offer special attention to every single patient. We are focused on working with our clients in order to help them get rid of their addiction, but also to help treat withdrawal symptoms and improve their mental health. Our experts know what to do when a patient is dealing with cocaine withdrawal and will offer the right treatment to fix the problem.
Cocaine withdrawal can be hard to deal with on your own and you may end up relapsing. Seek help now! You have the power to make a good change in your life!