According to NIH, cocaine overdoses claimed more than 15,000 lives in 2019! These lives could have been saved with timely intervention and treatment. At ChoicePoint, we aim to help people recover from addiction, so they can start their journey towards a happy, prosperous, and addiction-free life. In this blog on how to quit cocaine, we will equip you with both the knowledge and resources you need in order to overcome cocaine addiction and enjoy lifelong sobriety.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Learn How Cocaine Is Affecting Your Health
Let’s start by researching some information on cocaine. With some background knowledge about cocaine and its side effects on your health, you will feel more committed to begin the treatment without any delay.
Let us give you a headstart with authentic information on the most frequently asked questions about cocaine.
What Is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a drug. Yes, But what type of drug?
Cocaine is a stimulant. It alerts or stimulates body response. After initial use, it makes you feel happy and energized. It does so by causing the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. However, frequent use of cocaine causes the buildup of dopamine in the body. Usually, it is recycled, but due to cocaine abuse, excess buildup of this neurotransmitter between nerves disrupts their communication. Hence, it leads to confusion and poor coordination.
Over time, the body develops a tolerance to it, which means that a greater dose of cocaine can produce the same desired effect. The short-term feeling of euphoria that cocaine produces pushes people towards using this drug more frequently, leading to addiction.
However, these short-lived effects are nothing in comparison to long term damage it causes. Do not give in to cocaine abuse. Let a clinical consultant at ChoicePoint help you overcome cocaine addiction. Call us at 844.445.2565.
How Do You Know If You Are Suffering From Cocaine Addiction?
Look for these signs of cocaine addiction:
- You experience a relapse every time you try to quit
- You are neglecting your social responsibilities
- You experience intense discomfort when you are not taking cocaine
- You are becoming short-tempered and neglecting your loved ones
Another quick way to diagnose if you are suffering from addiction is through medically designed assessment tests. You can check your substance dependence level through ChoicePoint’s free addiction self-assessment quiz.
How Cocaine Affects the Body?
The effects of cocaine depend entirely on the intensity of addiction. As discussed earlier, cocaine stimulates the release of dopamine. Dopamine produces a very short-lived feeling of euphoria. After some time, these effects begin to wear off. Cocaine also stimulates other neurotransmitters in our nervous system, such as acetylcholine. Increased stimulation of these neurotransmitters may result in side effects such as hypersensitivity, abnormal heart rhythms, dilated pupils, etc.
Cocaine abuse also leads to poor muscle coordination and seizures. But, all these effects can be avoided if you seek medical help. You can schedule an appointment with ChoicePoint medical staff to discuss your customized treatment plan. Call us for immediate help at 844.445.2565.
Step2: Prepare Yourself For the Treatment
It is essential to mentally prepare yourself for the treatment. You might be looking for some home remedies on how to quit cocaine, but cocaine abuse and addiction can not be treated at home without medical assistance. This is also because of withdrawal symptoms. If withdrawal symptoms are not treated, please remember it might lead to a relapse.
What Are Withdrawal Symptoms and How Can You Overcome Them?
Withdrawal symptoms are physical and mental discomfort you experience when you try to quit cocaine. These could be the most uncomfortable experience during the process of how to quit cocaine. You can overcome withdrawal symptoms through an effective detox. Usually, cocaine withdrawal symptoms last for about 7-14 days. However, there is no set timeline. It depends on the severity of addiction and how long you have been using it.
Common Withdrawal Symptoms of Cocaine
If you or a loved one is suffering from withdrawal symptoms, ChoicePoint can help! With a personalized detox and addiction treatment plan, we can help you recover.
Some Pointers to Help You Prepare for the Treatment
It will be helpful for you if you plan ahead and devise a strategy about how to quit cocaine. First, it is important to take some time for yourself to self-reflect.
- Try to identify what is pushing you towards addiction?
- Plan about what you can do to avoid the triggers?
- Plan out activities you love the most to keep you away from triggers.
- Seek out new hobbies to keep you occupied.
- Make a diary, keep track of your activities.
- Make a checklist and hold yourself accountable.
And most importantly, look for addiction treatment centers as medical help can only speed up the recovery process.
Some points to consider while planning a treatment are:
- Financial aspects of treatment.
- Look for insurance-covered treatment.
- Which treatment, in-patient or outpatient, is more suited for you.
- Search for quality and result-oriented treatments.
Considering all these aspects will help you find addiction treatment centers so you can begin your recovery process. Prepare yourself to receive treatment because if you commit to it, nothing will get in the way of a speedy recovery.
STEP 3: Get Help From Medical Professionals to Help You Quit Cocaine
Now that you are mentally prepared, let’s plan to begin the journey towards recovery. Look for treatment options. The best treatments to help you quit cocaine are:
1. A Complete Detox
The most authentic answer to how to quit cocaine is through medical detox. Detox helps to get rid of all the residues of cocaine in the body. It prepares your body for further treatments.
During addiction, your body begins to depend on cocaine for normal functioning. A detox helps your body to adjust without cocaine and return to its normal functioning.
Furthermore, a detox will help you:
- Minimize discomfort associated with withdrawal symptoms
- Significantly reduces the chances of relapse
- Reduce frequent cravings
- Build a strong foundation for future treatments
2. Medication-Assisted Treatment
Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs for cocaine treatment. However, there are research-backed, safe medications that can help you overcome cocaine addiction. These include:
- Dopamine receptor stabilizers such as bromocriptine and baclofen reduce cravings and stabilize dopamine levels.
- Antidepressants such as desipramine can be given to manage withdrawal symptoms related to anxiety.
- Opioid treatment medications such as buprenorphine have shown potential in the treatment of cocaine abuse.
- Benzodiazepines are also sometimes prescribed to combat anxiety-associated withdrawal symptoms.
3. A Drug Rehabilitation Program
A drug rehabilitation program is led by medical professionals to help you quit cocaine while minimizing any discomfort associated with the recovery process. During your time in rehab, you will receive complete treatment to cure all of your addiction issues. Furthermore, it also focuses on improving your mental health.
Some of the treatment stages you can expect during rehab are:
- Initial assessment
- Diagnosis
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Medical counseling and guidance
- Recreational activities to boost productivity
- Aftercare strategies
Some people fear the unknown and delay their treatment because they worry about the cost associated with it. Also, they worry about how long is rehab because of social commitments. The good news is that with new insurance policies, many insurance companies cover the cost of rehab.
As far as the duration of rehab is concerned, it depends upon the severity of the addiction. You can read our detailed blog on the duration of rehab and insurance coverage. This will help you gain all the information on rehab so you may plan ahead.
A Glimpse of ChoicePoint’s Addiction Treatment Programs
ChoicePoint offers all-in-one addiction treatment programs. It means that our treatment package will include everything starting from diagnosis to detox and therapy.
We accept all types of insurance programs. In addition, our dual diagnosis treatment will take care of your mental well-being and addiction issues. For your convenience, we have designed flexible telehealth addiction treatment programs that best fit the present-day needs of patients.
Benefits of Telehealth Cocaine Addiction Treatment
STEP 4: Therapy Is the Way to Go
Therapy is the key to sustainable recovery. Treatments are an effective way to treat physical and mental symptoms, but therapy is essential for self-improvement. During therapy, you can open up to your therapists. You can let go of all troubles that are bothering you. A therapist can even help you identify the problems which you are unaware of and help you make peace with them.
Some therapy services that can help you quit cocaine and sustain recovery:
1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Almost 16.2 million Americans have had a major depression at least once in a lifetime. Depression is a significant factor that leads to addiction. CBT is a behavioral therapy that influences your thought patterns. It helps you control negative thoughts and turn them into positive and productive ones. It helps you control your emotions. When you quit cocaine, due to withdrawal symptoms, you feel short-tempered. CBT is a great way to overcome any emotional distress.
2. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
DBT aims to help control emotional stress. It also works great to improve overall well-being. DBT is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy; It focuses on treating self-destructive behaviors.
After quitting cocaine, a DBT can help you retain sobriety by:
- Treating any traumas that might have led you to cocaine use
- Reducing dependency on cocaine
- Anger management
- Helping you control any negative thoughts
A Setting That Works for You
You can avail therapy in a group, family, or individual setting. Some people prefer individual therapy because they feel more comfortable in a private setting. However, others prefer group or family therapy because they rely on group support to keep them motivated throughout the treatment process.
ChoicePoint offers family, group, and individual therapy services via telehealth addiction treatment programs. All aspects of your treatment can be completed online, at the comfort of your own home.
Furthermore, you can also partake in outpatient treatment options at ChoicePoint’s Addiction Treatment Center’s Fair Lawn location in Bergen County, New Jersey. So let go of all troubling thoughts by connecting with our licensed online therapists. You can schedule an appointment by calling us at 844.445.2565, and our compassionate therapists will take care of you.
STEP 5: Concrete Strategy to Prevent Relapse
Now that you have learned how to quit cocaine, the final and most crucial step is aftercare. After treatment, you can make your recovery long-lasting with a strong aftercare strategy. At ChoicePoint, we equip our addiction warriors with the latest strategies to prevent relapse. Some of these strategies include:
- Result-oriented medical counseling.
- Complete guidance to help you transition back to social life.
- Effective trigger-coping strategies.
- Follow-up appointments for monitoring and accountability.
At your end, you can make a recovery lifelong by making sure to:
- Consult with your doctors if you crave cocaine.
- Never miss follow-up appointments.
- Cut ties with toxic relationships.
- Adopt productive habits.
- Surround yourself with your loved ones so they can help you recover.
- Communicate your feelings with your therapists.
Final Verdict
We have given you information on the most effective steps on how to quit cocaine. A take-away from this article is that you should always trust a medical consultant with your health. And never think you are too late for recovery. It is never too late to rebuild your life.
ChoicePoint aims to make quality addiction treatment accessible for all. With our cutting-edge remote treatment options, we can begin your treatment wherever you are and will provide you medical assistance whenever you need it.
ChoicePoint wishes you a happy recovery, hoping that you will get the medical assistance you need by scheduling an online appointment or calling us at 844.445.2565.
Medical Disclaimer:
ChoicePoint aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use disorder and mental health issues. Our team of licensed medical professionals research, edit and review the content before publishing. However, this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For medical advice please consult your physicians or ChoicePoint's qualified staff.
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