Cocaine, derived from the coca plant, is highly addictive. It is an illegal drug known by many names such as flake, crack, coke, C, blow, and snow. Although highly addictive, it is possible to undergo treatment and recover from the addiction.
Diagnosing Cocaine Addiction
For a doctor to diagnose cocaine addiction, they must first go through your health history and current usage. By doing so, they determine the extent to which you have developed a dependency on the drug so that they can come up with the best treatment options. Ultimately, a user must be willing and ready to commit to quitting the drug habit. That is the only way treatment will be successful.
Treating Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine addiction had adverse effects on the users’ mental, physical, environmental, social, and familial factors. There are various treatment methods used in treating cocaine addiction, and the treatment options have various components.
1. Treatment facilities
Many residential treatment centers offer treatment to people struggling with cocaine addiction. Depending on the severity of the individual’s addiction, treatment in these facilities can take a few weeks up to a year. These treatment facilities also provide vocational rehab, therapy, and group support.
2. Behavior treatment
Behavior treatments have proved successful in helping people struggling with cocaine addiction. This treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis, but it’s also available in inpatient programs. Behavioral therapy is done alongside taking medications.
To encourage the individual undergoing recovery, reward systems are put in place, and the patient is encouraged to meet these goals that help them stop abusing cocaine. This form of treatment is key in helping the individual quit the habit and stay clean after rehab.
3. Medications
During detoxification, a patient is likely to undergo adverse withdrawal symptoms. This is why doctors use pharmaceutical drugs to aid in the treatment process. These include drugs such as antidepressants. The doctors can analyze and determine the drugs and dosage you need to go through the detoxification process safely.
4. Alternative therapies
There are alternative therapies that can also be incorporated as part of cocaine treatment addiction. These include acupuncture, herbs, exercise, and hypnosis. The effectiveness of these alternative therapies has not been scientifically substantiated, even though some people claim to have realized success from them.
Cocaine Rehab Aftercare
Aftercare is the ongoing management of individuals recovering from substance abuse. This management begins after the patient has received formal treatment in a rehab facility. The key reason for going through this program is to help the individual develop skills to help them cope with the cues that could lead them to a relapse.
After cocaine abuse, the brain can undergo changes that are not reversible. During aftercare, the individual is equipped with tools that help them cope with everyday pressures that could cause them to relapse.
The best aftercare interventions focus on supporting groups, coping, overcoming denial, treating depression, and self-reliance.
It is important to note that cocaine addiction is a chronic illness that causes a permanent disruption of the brain’s reward mechanisms. Even after going through treatment, you will struggle with cocaine cravings now and then. It also compromises one’s ability to reason and make judgments.
Continuing Care Alternatives
To give aftercare a good chance to ensure the person recovering from cocaine addiction stays sober, there are specific care options available.
The first is the 12-step programs where an individual gets to share, get encouraged, and be part of a community of individuals recovering from cocaine addiction. This is a safe space and one where an individual can express themselves without fear of judgment, and this can be key in helping them recover and stay sober.
There are also group therapy sessions and counseling interventions that play a crucial role in recovery. Some of the proven therapies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This therapy is instrumental in helping individuals manage cravings associated with cocaine abuse.
Patients are taught how to change their thinking patterns and behavior by replacing their behaviors and thoughts with healthy ones. They are also guided through identifying the triggers that make them want to take cocaine and how to manage these triggers so that they don’t succumb to the stressors.
Family counseling systems are also very instrumental. They bring together the person going through treatment with their family members who are part of their recovery journey. When the family can understand what the person struggling with addiction is going through and how they can support them, they are better positioned to offer the proper support to help them stay sober.
They also learn the skills that will guide them so that they don’t become stressors that could become triggers that cause a relapse. Sometimes family members also become enablers and make it difficult for the person suffering from addiction to stay clean consistently. Upon getting family therapy, every family member is left equipped with the skills and tools needed to help you in your sobriety journey.
What Next?
If you or a loved one has been suffering from cocaine abuse, they must seek help before things spiral out of control. Cocaine addiction is a serious illness that demands treatment from a credible treatment facility and under supervision by qualified physicians.
At the beginning of treatment, it is essential to seek treatment in an inpatient facility where you can safely take through the detoxification process. Because the withdrawal symptoms are very harsh, this process must be done under medical practitioners’ watchful eye.
Many treatment facilities offer both inpatient and outpatient care. Some are free, while others demand payment. Either way, if you are serious about getting help, you will find a treatment center that will be ideal for you. It is essential to involve your doctor or counselor when looking for a treatment center because they know the facilities in your area that are best suited for your needs.
