Are you struggling with an addiction to cocaine or know someone else who may be struggling? Quitting is the only way to regain control of your life. But many are afraid of the withdrawal symptoms. What are the signs of cocaine withdrawal and how can you deal with them – and the addiction?
What Makes Cocaine so Addictive?
Cocaine affects the pleasure center of the brain and, in particular, the release of dopamine. Typically, your brain releases dopamine as a reward for exercise or eating a satisfying meal. Cocaine interrupts the regular cycle of dopamine release and causes a build-up of the substance in your system. Doing so leads to a glut of the neurotransmitter, which makes you feel happy, energetic, and euphoric.
But the crash comes pretty quickly. If you snort cocaine, the high lasts about 20 to 30 minutes. If you smoke it in the form of crack, it lasts only about ten minutes. Because you like the way the drug makes you feel, you binge on it. When you finally stop, the withdrawal symptoms can be tough to deal with.
Typical Signs of Cocaine Withdrawal
Whereas before, dopamine was plentiful in your system, it’s now scarce. In many cases, the drug rewires the brain to make dopamine dependent on the presence of cocaine. You experience deep depression and marked tiredness without it. You feel like you have no energy to do anything.
Your thinking is sluggish, which results in frustration and anxiety. You can’t sleep well, but when you finally do nod off, your dreams wake you up. You try to make up for the dopamine scarcity by eating more and deriving enjoyment in this way. Now, you gain weight and are even more depressed.
If you go for too long without the drug, you become agitated, and your thinking revolves around cocaine. The focus of your day becomes the drug. Before long, you give in and buy another dose. The cycle now repeats itself.
How to Deal with an Addiction to Cocaine
You might be worried about the signs of cocaine withdrawal, but you can deal with them at a detox center. There, experts work with you to break the physiological dependence on the drug. Unless you want to experience these symptoms again in the future, it’s imperative that you also break the psychological addiction. This process takes place at a good-quality rehab facility.
There, therapists work with you to discover treatment models that motivate you and help you overcome addiction. For example, art therapy is a common experiential setting that assists individuals to express themselves nonverbally. For those who have a difficult time with formal one-on-one settings, this form of treatment offers solutions. The creativity involved in the process also opens the door to communicate about your signs of cocaine withdrawal.
Of course, experiential therapy is only one modality. Others include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy that lets you uncover negative patterns in the way you think, feel, and act, which influences drug use
- Living in consciousness is a treatment model that seeks to empower you to regulate your emotions without reaching for chemicals
- Yoga is a holistic modality that teaches you stress management and encourages discipline and reflection
- Life skills training shows you how to go through daily tasks without using
- Program participant education helps you to understand what the signs of cocaine withdrawal tell you about your body
Relapse Prevention Techniques
The goal of treatment is to encourage individuals to recognize the danger of a cocaine addiction. Also, you find out how you can achieve dopamine release naturally and in a healthy way. Drug users will learn that living sober is far more enjoyable than the vicious cycle of addiction. However, it takes more than intellectual understanding to counteract the danger of relapse.
At Healing Springs Ranch, compassionate therapists and addiction experts work with you to customize a treatment approach that works. If you ever feel like you need additional help, come back to the center for continued aftercare. You don’t have to continue dealing with a cocaine habit that’s slowly killing you. Call 866-656-8384 today to get started on a new, drug-free life.