Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug due to its action in the brain and body. It comes from refining the leaves of the coca plant into various forms that individuals may snort, smoke, inject, or rub on their gums. It also goes by the names crack, blow, snow, coke, and rock.
Those who have a cocaine addiction may require professional support for a full recovery. A thorough rehab program should include methods to provide care from detox through outpatient care to prevent relapse.
What Is Cocaine Addiction?
Cocaine addiction occurs when the body and mind both become reliant on using cocaine to feel normal. The more frequently someone uses cocaine, the greater the chance they will become addicted to it. The brain rewires itself to depend on the chemical changes the cocaine does to it. Over time, the individual requires greater doses of cocaine to feel high. Occasionally, these higher doses can lead to overdose and death.
As dire as the possibilities might be, addicts will often show signs of drug abuse before overdosing. Possible behaviors or physical changes that someone has a cocaine addiction include the following:
- Paranoia
- Staying out late or isolating themselves
- Frequently borrowing money
- Losing weight
- Nausea
- Restlessness
- Higher body temperature and blood pressure
- Dilated pupils, even in bright light
- Anxiety, irritability, or aggression
What Are Cocaine Effects on the Body?
In someone who uses cocaine, the drug increases amounts of the brain’s natural reward hormone, causing feelings of mental alertness and happiness. This high does not last very long, and it depends on the amount of the drug used and the form of intake. Therefore, people who snort coke may have a longer-lasting high than those who smoke or inject it.
Despite the positive feelings people get from using cocaine, it does cause severe effects on the body by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and mood. As the body becomes more adapted to the natural reward hormone released by cocaine use, the individual needs to take more to get high. Regularly increasing the dose can lead to the most severe consequences of cocaine addiction — seizures, stroke, hallucinations, and heart attacks. In these cases, without immediate treatment, fatality may result.
Cocaine effects even continue when individuals stop taking the drug. Because cocaine directly impacts the brain, stopping its use suddenly causes withdrawal symptoms that include depression, increased appetite, insomnia, and fatigue. These uncomfortable side effects of stopping the drug cause many people to give up their recovery efforts by taking coke again or leaving their detox centers. However, stopping this early in the recovery process will not lead to progress. Detox is difficult, but with support from medical professionals trained in motivating clients, moving through detox to other phases of recovery from cocaine addiction is possible.
Benefits of Rehab for Recovering from Coke Addiction
Going to an addiction recovery center offers multiple benefits over quitting alone for anyone trying to stop cocaine use. Some of the benefits of rehab include the following:
- Motivational, professional staff members
- Medical supervision during detox
- Support throughout the process from detox to aftercare
- Mental health support through various therapies
- Education for family members of clients
To gain the benefits of rehab from crack cocaine use, clients first go through detox, a residential program, partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), outpatient program, and finally, aftercare. This long sequence helps with relapse prevention by ensuring that clients have full support and can function independently after rehab without using cocaine.
Contact Liberty Bay Recovery Near Portland, Maine, to Unlock the Benefits of Rehab for Cocaine Addiction
Make the move today to begin rehab for cocaine addiction. Phone (855) 607-8758 or use our online form to contact us at Liberty Bay Recovery Center. You can find out how out professionally assisted rehab can help you in your recovery from cocaine addiction. Start your new life with a phone call to us at Liberty Bay Recovery, serving Portland, Maine, and surrounding areas.
