Understanding Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that traps more and more people into its web each year. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “among people aged 12 or older in 2021, 1.7% (or about 4.8 million people) reported using cocaine in the past 12 months.”
While cocaine addiction can wreak havoc on a person’s life, it is treatable. With proper support, lifestyle changes, and a commitment to recovery, many people who have struggled with cocaine addiction at some point can lead happy, healthy, sober lives. Read on to learn about cocaine addiction treatment in Los Angeles.
Cocaine: The Basics
Cocaine is a stimulant that’s classified as a Schedule II narcotic by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Schedule II drugs are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. Derived from the leaves of the coca plant, cocaine is snorted, smoked, or injected.
Cocaine is typically either sold in a white powder form or produced as crystals/rocks (known as crack). Cocaine is also known as blow, coke, rock, and/or snow.
In addition to the effects associated with the high of cocaine use, there are many unpleasant side effects.
While these differ from person to person, side effects may include physical effects such as tremors, muscle twitches, raised blood pressure, raised body temperature, nausea, fast/irregular heartbeat, decreased appetite, and/or constricted blood vessels.
Psychological and emotional side effects may include restlessness, irritability, paranoia, sensitivity to light, sound, and touch, extended wakefulness, and/or aggressive behavior.
Both the high and the short-term side effects of cocaine use pass quickly and can lead the user to use it many times over a short period. Users may get high, then use it repeatedly within a span of just a few hours.
A single dose of cocaine produces a high that lasts for an hour or less – sometimes, the high can be as short as a few minutes. Many people who use cocaine take their next dose the moment they feel their previous high beginning to fade. This behavior can continue for several hours or even days. Using it repeatedly for some time can result in a crash, during which the user feels depressed, anxious, and fatigued.
When the body and brain are coming down from several hours or several days of a cocaine binge, the body is not only exhausted from processing cocaine – it’s also exhausted from the lack of sleep experienced during cocaine use. Basic levels of functioning may feel nearly impossible as the body recovers and works to get back to normal during a crash.
There are many different ways that people use cocaine. Some people inhale cocaine through the nose. The drug can also be taken orally, either by rubbing cocaine in powder form on the gums or by swallowing it. When the drug is crystallized into crack, or when cocaine is in freebase form, it can be smoked. Lastly, cocaine can be dissolved in water, heated, and then injected into a vein. Injecting cocaine and smoking crack are the fastest ways to create an intense high.
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Why Do People Use Cocaine?
Cocaine increases the activity of the central nervous system. There are many reasons why people use cocaine. Many users report that they feel an enhanced sense of self-esteem, higher levels of both mental and physical performance, and higher productivity levels.
Some people find that the enhanced sense of self-esteem they feel when using cocaine makes it easier to enjoy themselves in social situations. Over time, people may feel that they aren’t able to have fun when they’re out with friends or in other social situations unless they use cocaine.
The effects of cocaine set in nearly instantly after the drug is ingested. Effects can include a sense of euphoria, happiness, and pleasure, increased mental alertness, extreme energy, increased desire to talk and socialize, and dilated pupils.
In addition to using cocaine to experience a greater sense of comfort and extroversion in social settings, some people also use cocaine to increase their productivity. Cocaine use is sometimes used by people who need to stay awake for long periods at work, especially if they operate heavy machinery or work in situations where staying alert is a safety issue.
People who become addicted to cocaine may find that they’re struggling to keep up with the level of productivity that they achieve when they’re high. They may feel that they need to be high to meet the expectations they’ve set for themselves socially or at work, and it can be hard to admit to themselves and others that things have spiraled out of control.
Fortunately, the 24/7 hotline at Harmony Place is ready to help. Cocaine addiction treatment in Los Angeles can help people regain control over their lives.
Treatment for Cocaine Addiction in Los Angeles
There are several ways to treat cocaine addiction. Most people begin with medical detox. This can be a tough process, and it’s important to work with a treatment team.
There are currently no medications that are approved to help with cocaine detox, but therapy and comfort medications can be given to help make the process more comfortable.
Our cocaine addiction treatment in Los Angeles may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works to help patients change their thought patterns, allowing them to change their behaviors.
- Community reinforcement: This modality of therapy works to create a positive support network around the patient. This may include working with friends and family to strengthen and rebuild relationships that were lost due to the patient’s addiction.
- Contingency management: Finding ways to reinforce behaviors that fight addiction is key. Contingency management rewards behaviors like passing drug tests, going to meetings, taking medications, managing stress in a healthy way, etc.
- Motivational interviewing: This modality of therapy is used to help patients understand how their addiction is hurting their relationships and goals. Motivational interviewing can help people who are struggling with addiction to regain their self-esteem and begin to feel positive about their recovery.
