Cocaine Withdrawal Treatment
Anyone who has become dependent to cocaine will experience withdrawal when they abruptly stop using the drug, and the initial "crash" that individuals experience is most often what causes them to relapse if not in a drug rehab setting. Acute cocaine withdrawal symptoms can be intense, and individuals will experience depression symptoms, extreme agitation, and other psychological symptoms which present challenges in the beginning stages of abstinence from the drug. However, such symptoms and cravings to use cocaine may persist for many more weeks and months following these acute stages of withdrawal. This is why all stages of cocaine withdrawal should not only be professionally overseen and managed by detox and addiction specialist, but also why individuals should expect to receive cocaine withdrawal treatment and further addiction treatment for several weeks if not months when recovering from cocaine addiction.
Cocaine withdrawal treatment presents its own unique challenges whether or not someone is in treatment when withdrawing from the drug. While most drugs cause pronounced physical symptoms of withdrawal while the individual detoxes, cocaine isn't typically going to cause any of these physical symptoms and instead causes symptoms which are more psychological in nature. This occurs as a result of the drug's effects on the brain chemistry of the user, and when coming off of cocaine it can take quite some time for these things to readjust on their own to normal function so that the person can once again experience happiness which isn't chemically induced. It doesn't happen overnight. So as the body and mind readjust to normal function without cocaine, individuals may feel extremely depressed and agitated and have intense cravings for cocaine. These symptoms will taper off over time but can be very burdensome, which is why relapse rates are so high unless individuals receive actual cocaine withdrawal treatment and further treatment for their addiction.
Because of the unique challenges that cocaine withdrawal presents, cocaine withdrawal treatment focuses on providing the most serene and stress-free environment possible, so that the individual can get through cocaine withdrawal without any unnecessary distractions. In the normal course of things back at home, this very likely wouldn't be possible. Life triggers and stressors, which can be different for each and every person, are going to provide an opportunity for individuals to turn to cocaine as a solution. And being outside of a cocaine withdrawal treatment setting, they will have easy access to cocaine and any other drug, making the risks of relapse much higher. In cocaine withdrawal treatment, anything which causes stress or cravings is addressed with measures to alleviate these issues and circumstances without the use of drugs, such as ensuring the individual is receiving proper rest, nutrition, etc. There are even cocaine withdrawal treatment options which incorporate meditation, yoga, and other alternative and holistic remedies which have been shown to nurture an effective withdrawal process.
Cocaine withdrawal treatment which also offers complete physical detox has been proven to be one of the most effective options available. In such facilities, individuals are put through a detox process involving a thorough sauna regimen to sweat all residual drugs and toxins from their bodies. Because residual drugs and toxins can stay trapped in fatty tissues for years and cause drug flashbacks and other problems in the future, completely purging one's body of these substances can greatly improve one's chances of staying clean because it also reduces the possibility of persistent cravings.
When someone addicted to cocaine doesn't seek cocaine withdrawal treatment, it is very common for these individuals to turn to other drugs to ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Individuals withdrawing on their own may self medicate with alcohol or prescription drugs for example in an effort to alleviate cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol and prescription drugs such as Xanax may provide a temporary alleviation of symptoms, taking this route can make the situation much worse because it isn't actually addressing the problem. The substances which are being used to self medicate oneself through cocaine withdrawal often just become a new problem which must be addressed. It isn't worth putting oneself at risk of consequences associated with a new addiction or dependency issues, when effective cocaine withdrawal treatment is available.
It is also important to note that individuals will need further treatment for cocaine addiction and dependency beyond the treatment offered for withdrawal if they have any kind of expectation to remain clean. The reasons they began using cocaine, which are very unique for everyone, should be addressed immediately following cocaine withdrawal treatment. Actual treatment goes beyond addressing the physical symptoms associated with cocaine addiction, and focuses more on which things and people triggered and will continue to trigger cocaine use if not resolved. This could be as simple as addressing very obvious issues in one's life such as family and relationships issues, or may lead to a past failure or even a devastating loss. Whatever the case may be, these things can take time to uncover and address, so individuals should expect to spend several weeks beyond cocaine withdrawal treatment in rehab to ensure everything is thoroughly addressed. Even though it may seem like a big commitment, this is the best approach to ensure individuals don't experience a relapse as soon as they leave treatment.
Cocaine withdrawal treatment and the treatment needed to actually completely resolve cocaine addiction are available in many different facilities and there are varying approaches to this. While there are many 12-step programs available these programs are not the only option, and there are alternative programs which actually have higher success rates than 12-step and other programs which use the disease model. Choice model programs and other alternative treatment programs base their treatment models off of the premise that individuals will be able to recover from addiction fully, and won't have to be labeled an addict for the rest of the lives. These programs use behavior modification techniques and other treatment methods so that a person accepts full responsibility and regain the control that drugs once had in their lives.