If you yourself or someone you love has reached that pivotal point when they decide enough is finally enough, and it’s time to address their cocaine addiction, they’ve taken the first step towards a healthier and safer life. It’s a celebratory occasion, and one that deserves its moment, but making this decision is only the starting line in the race we run towards recovery. In this article we will prepare individuals going through cocaine addiction treatment process, including withdrawal symptoms, expectations, and recommendations to reaching the finish line of safety and sobriety.
When it comes to cocaine addiction, many think that this a drug with less intense and less dangerous withdrawal symptoms than that of either alcohol, opioids, or many other harmful substances. Those individuals are not wrong. There’s a vastly lower risk of death or even physically debilitating and harmful occurences that could lead to hospitalizations when quitting a drug like cocaine versus alcohol or opioids. However, going into quitting cocaine, and trying to do it cold turkey, thinking the process will be breeze sets many individuals up for failure and dangers that very much exist when quitting cocaine. Our recommendation is always for individuals to seek cocaine addiction treatment at an inpatient facility such as the one we have at Long Island Center for Recovery (LICR), but if you are thinking about quitting cocaine cold turkey, here are few areas to consider.
Withdrawal symptoms are far from a guaranteed and every individuals experience is different. However, even if the risks are lower than substances such as alcohol and opioids, there are still several withdrawal symptoms that present themselves when quitting cocaine, and here is a list of the most common:
All these withdrawal symptoms come with their own challenges, but the last symptom of increased cravings and relapse is by far the most likely, as well as the most dangerous. Many individuals report an increase in cravings for cocaine early on in their path to quitting. The body and brain have become conditioned to receiving the chemical interaction when using cocaine, and as a result of that absence, they both natural press for the chemical effects return. Outside of a treatment facility, it is just too easy to dip back in to the habit, especially if the individual goes into quitting cocaine with the mindset that it will be an easier withdrawal. You may think there are the same risks as alcohol or opioids, but the fear then goes beyond just relapsing, but this leap back into using so abruptly has the potential for cocaine overdose or possibly death. It’s just not a safe and structured environment for an individual to be in when dealing with such potentially harmful and life-threatening outcomes.
With many potential risks associated with continued cocaine addiction and trying to quit cocaine cold turkey, the safest and most effective option would be to seek treatment at a detox facility such as Long Island Center for Recovery (LICR). An inpatient facility such as LICR would monitor patients going through cocaine addiction treatment and detoxification, allowing clients to go through withdrawals in a safe and professional environment, and contrary to what you might have heard, while there is no FDA approved medications specific for treating cocaine addiction and withdrawals, our facility has the ability to prescribe medications that would help our clients through their cocaine withdrawals.
We hope this information was helpful in providing an understanding of the potential risks associated with quitting cocaine cold turkey. If you or a loved one needs any additional assistance with addiction treatment services, please reach out to Long Island Center for Recovery at 631-728-3100, and we’d be happy to assist you or your loved ones in any way possible.
References:
UFHealth: Cocaine Withdrawals
https://ufhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/cocaine-withdrawal
Across the category of addiction, an ever-evolving topic of discussion is one centered around the drug, Ketamine. Ketamine unfortunately falls into the category of a purposeful medication that is too often misused and abused by individuals beyond its intended and approved purposes. In this article, we will explore a brief background of what Ketamine is, […]
Read ArticleFill out our form, and we will contact you shortly or provide you with the information requested.