Detoxing from Cocaine
Cocaine Detox
Cocaine is a stimulant abused by in excess of 1.5 million people in the United States. While often seen as relatively safe because it acts quickly and wears off quickly, cocaine contributes to 500,000+ hospitalizations each year, especially when used in conjunction with other drugs and alcohol. Cocaine also heavily impacts the mental and physical health of users, causing long-term and lasting impact that affect the individual’s ability to live a happy and healthy life for years to come. For the people affected by cocaine abuse and addiction, there is help. The medical team at Beginnings Recovery is here to offer safe and supportive care throughout the detox process, so that you or your loved one can get clean and move into treatment.
Beginnings Recovery is situated in beautiful, Orange County, but we offer much more than a scenic and relaxing treatment facility. Our staff are fully qualified and licensed, and we focus on offering individual attention and custom medical are to each patient. We know that cocaine use disorder is a disease, and our compassionate staff are here to help each patient through with the maximum of dignity, comfort, and respect.
Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system, acting as a serotonin/dopamine reuptake inhibitor, and causing increased levels of both in the brain. Individuals experience a rush of confidence, energy, sexuality, and euphoria, alongside an increase in blood pressure and body heat. Over time, the brain and body become accustomed to these increased levels of dopamine, resulting in tolerance and withdrawal when ceasing the drug. As a result, most individuals experience withdrawal symptoms which can be moderate to severe, and which impact their mental and physical health.
Most individuals experience:
- Cravings of increasing intensity
- Emotional blunting or inability to feel
- Anhedonia or inability to derive pleasure
- Depression
- Lethargy and slow movement
- Dehydration
- Attention problems
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Agitation
- Paranoia
- Cold and flu symptoms (runny nose, chills)
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Insomnia or sleep problems
- Vivid dreams
- Mood swings and irritability
While none of these cocaine withdrawal symptoms is life-threatening, except dehydration if it becomes severe, it is important to ensure that an individual attempting to withdraw from cocaine does have medical attention.
Cocaine Detox Timeline
Cocaine detox is typically relatively fast, with early onset of symptoms beginning within 24 hours of the final dose and often disappearing within about 6 days. However, there are lingering side-effects of cocaine detox and some individuals may experience a longer withdrawal period.
- 1-3 Days – With some residual cocaine still in the body for the first 72 hours, withdrawal symptoms will be relatively light. Most individuals experience cravings of increasing intensity, feelings of guilt or remorse which can worsen into paranoia, nightmares or vivid dreams, hunger, irritability, and worsening confusion or disorientation. These symptoms will typically start after about 24 hours and worsen over the period.
- 4-7 Days – After the first four days, most cocaine is completely out of your system and withdrawal symptoms will increase to a peak. Most users experience worsening symptoms from the first few days alongside anxiety, apathy, depression, dysphoria, and paranoia. These can be moderate to debilitating, with some users experiencing hallucinations, extreme paranoia, panic attacks, and suicidal ideation. Most will experience a moderate version of each, alongside intense cravings for more cocaine.
- 7-21 Days – Withdrawal symptoms will start to disappear but may return several times over the course of the following two weeks. Most users experience a reduction of cravings, which return, sometimes stronger, than before. This period is crucial because individuals often feel better and like this is “easy” as their brain begins to balance serotonin and dopamine production. Here, many are at risk for relapse, especially when cravings and low-mood inevitably hit again.
- Acute Cocaine Withdrawal – Some individuals will experience stage two of cocaine withdrawal for several weeks. This drawn out period of intense withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous and may require medical attention.
It’s important to ensure anyone going through cocaine detox has access to medical care, monitoring, plenty of fluids, and food.
Is Cocaine Detox Necessary?
Cocaine has relatively moderate withdrawal symptoms, especially in comparison with drugs like opiates. This leads many people to wonder if they can simply detox on their own and go on with their lives. Unfortunately, the answer is often no. Detoxing from drugs on your own typically means relapse within the first week or after the second week, when cravings vanish and then return. For those who do make it all the way through detox, fighting cravings, stresses, and triggers without seeking out comprehensive therapy to tackle the behavioral, emotional, and mental problems underlying and caused by drug abuse mean that relapse is almost inevitable.
Cocaine detox includes medical care to reduce the severity of symptoms, psychological support and care to reduce the traumatic impacts of anxiety and paranoia, and assistance to prevent individuals from becoming a danger to themselves or others while going through detox. Each of these steps is important for ensuring the long-term wellbeing of the individual, so they have the tools to make a full recovery.
Cocaine Detox at Beginnings Recovery
Beginnings Recovery offers a comprehensive cocaine detox program at our treatment center in Orange County, California. Our trained staff included licensed therapists, nurses, and a board-certified specialist in addiction medication. We believe in providing the highest quality evidence-based care to each of our patients, which includes emotional support, therapy, counseling, and medical care.
Our team will walk with you to ensure your detox is as safe and as comfortable as possible.
Intake – During intake, we work to learn more about each of our patients, so we can offer a custom detox program to meet the patient’s needs. This includes dual-diagnosis, assessment of medical history, assessment of current cocaine usage, and the likely severity of symptoms and side-effects.
Detox – We offer ongoing support including counseling, therapy, and medical monitoring throughout detox. Trained staff are on-hand to prevent complications, ease side-effects, and offer support and care throughout the process. Counseling and therapy are available from day one of detox, to reduce the strain of a deeply traumatic process of withdrawal.
