Many of us are aware that cocaine is a highly addictive and illegal drug. Quitting isn’t easy. Once you’ve faced your fears and admitted that you have a problem, you should speak to our cocaine abuse team. We’ll give you all the advice you need on the next stage of your recovery: cocaine detox.

Individuals suffering from Cocaine Addiction account for roughly 15% of all admissions into United Kingdom-based drug rehabilitation centres. Cocaine addiction is a major social problem in modern-day Britain.

Similar to addiction to heroin and alcohol, addiction to cocaine causes chemical changes in the brain. Therefore treatment for cocaine addiction must include a thorough programme of detoxification and subsequent behavioural therapies in order to be successful.

To remove cocaine abuse from your life completely, you must first face the challenging cocaine detox phase. Many addicts delay battling their addiction because they know how hard a detox can be.

When patients are undergoing a cocaine detox, they’re likely to suffer from many physical and mental side effects. It’s important that when you attempt to go ‘cold turkey’, you do so at one of our world-class treatment centres.

This way you’ll have all of the medical supervision you need and won’t be putting yourself in danger. You’ll also have the best chance of finally overcoming your addiction with our supervision.

The battle ahead is a demanding one, but it’s one that you can win. Our team at Ocean Recovery have years of experience in helping patients through the supervised detox phase. When you arrive at our addiction centre you’ll be given time to settle into your new luxurious surroundings.

You’ll spend time with doctors and nurses who will explain the full detox process to you. When you’re ready, you’ll face the detox with our helping hand, and come clean with no drugs in your system, ready to begin your rehabilitation. Let’s have a look at what’s involved in a cocaine detox.

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What Is Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine is a dangerous drug in that it produces a powerful, but short-lived high. Our bodies build up a tolerance to the drug very quickly. This means that more and more of the drug is needed to achieve the same high, and many people will quickly become addicted. Eventually, addicts will need cocaine in their system to feel ‘normal’.

There are serious long-term and short-term effects of cocaine addiction. Extended cocaine abuse can damage blood vessels and create unhealthy blood pressure. At its worst, cocaine addiction can cause a dangerous overdose and even organ failure.

Strokes and heart attacks are rare, but they are certainly possible. All the while, the cravings for cocaine are extremely strong. It’s important that if you’re suffering from cocaine addiction that you seek professional help as soon as possible.

How Cocaine Addiction Works

Cocaine is classed as a stimulant and is produced from the raw leaves of the cocoa plant. Cocaine has a number of ‘street names’ such as ‘candy’, ‘Charlie’ and ‘snort’. Cocaine is either snorted or injected.

Cocaine releases ‘dopamine’ in the brain and blocks dopamine re-uptake. Therefore more cocaine is required to avoid intense feels of depression and anxiety due to a lack of dopamine. Users ‘crash’ when cocaine is withdrawn. Cocaine user feels highly lethargic up to several days after cocaine was consumed.

Health Consequences Of Cocaine Addiction

Medium-to-long-term cocaine consumption leads to a number of health problems including:

 

  • Paranoia
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Confusion
  • Hallucinations
  • Tremors
  • Weight loss
  • Convulsion
  • Vomiting
  • Nasal cavity damage
  • Heart problems
  • Mucous membrane damage
  • Mood swings
  • Overdose and death

The Cocaine Detox Process

Before your cocaine rehabilitation programme begins our admissions officer will guide you through assessment. A note of your medical history is taken. This information is used to draw up your personalised cocaine rehabilitation plan.

Once you are admitted into our rehabilitation centre you receive a 24-hour a day medically supervised detoxification programme. Cocaine-related withdrawal symptoms are closely monitored by our medical team.

Once an addict decides to battle their illness, they cannot avoid the detoxification process. The detox stage involves safely removing the drug from an addict’s body, minimising the impact of the withdrawal. With a clear mind and without the effects of the drug in their system, patients are then ready to begin the next stage of recovery.

Cocaine withdrawal is not as dangerous as the withdrawal process of substances like heroin or alcohol. However, it isn’t without its dangers. Let’s have a closer look at the three well-identified stages of cocaine detox.

Stage 1 – The Crash

This is the first stage of a cocaine detox and will normally occur around 24 hours after the drug has left the user’s system. At this stage, the noticeable symptoms are far more mental than physical. They can include some of the following:

  • Fatigue
  • Restlessness
  • Mood swings and irritability
  • Lack of motivation and extremely ‘low’ feelings
  • Depression

This stage is crucial. Normally, this is when cocaine addicts will seek to use the drug again, and remove all of these negative feelings. There will be powerful cravings for cocaine and an almost uncontrollable desire for the drug.

Stage 2 – Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

After the initial crash, the reality of life without cocaine begins. The symptoms of cocaine detox are much more distinguished during the Withdrawal Stage, and can include the following:

  • Tiredness and lethargy
  • Anxiety and paranoia
  • Further depression
  • Inability to sleep and unusual sleeping patterns
  • Intense cravings for cocaine
  • Mood swings
  • Anger
  • Agitation
  • Anger
  • Suicidal thoughts

Medications are offered during detoxification in order to ease withdrawal symptoms. You receive many nutritious meals throughout the day. Vitamin and mineral supplements are supplied.

The Withdrawal Process is also an important stage and is done under medical supervision with Ocean Recovery.

Stage 3 – Extinction

This is the final stage of cocaine detox and the longest part of the recovery. It can last many months and is when most patients will relapse and turn back to substance abuse. There are fewer side effects at this stage of the recovery such as:

  • Continued anxiety
  • Poor sleep
  • Less intense cravings
  • ‘Low’ mood and feeling

All of these symptoms will occur because of the harmful effect that cocaine has on the body and the mind. Specifically, it creates a chemical imbalance in the brain. Your brain recognises when any substance makes it feel good and will continue to crave that substance.

What Happens After Detoxification?

Once your condition stabilises during detoxification you join therapy and counselling sessions. Sessions ensure psychological components of addiction are tackled. Therapy sessions are conducted on a one-to-one basis with our psychologist or in small groups.

What Happens After My Programme Concludes?

Once your cocaine rehabilitation programme concludes a comprehensive aftercare and relapse prevention plan will be drawn up. We encourage clients to work within their community.

We maintain a close working relationship with Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous groups throughout the UK.  Aftercare is free for an entire 18 months following rehabilitation.

Cocaine Treatment Here at Ocean Recovery

Helping a Cocaine Addict

The comedown from cocaine is a steep one and can quickly take users into a dark depression. Often, people that are addicted to cocaine won’t realise that their comedown is part of the initial stages of withdrawal. They can suffer from suicidal thoughts which they aren’t prepared to handle.

It’s extremely important that anybody going through a cocaine detox does so in the hands of our trusted professionals at Ocean Recovery Centre. Our highly trained staff will be with you every step of the way, and can help you get your life back.

Once you’ve completed your detox, you’ll take part in group therapy sessions and workshops. We make sure that you have an increased appetite as part of a balanced and healthy diet, as there are often physical symptoms of cocaine abuse.

You’ll exercise regularly, benefit from holistic treatments, take part in behavioural therapies and learn from former addicts in friendly support groups. You’ll leave our rehab clinic with all the tools you need to leave your addiction behind. For many patients, it’s a second chance that they never thought they would get.

Call our team today on 01253 847 553 or text HELP to 83222 today to find out more about our treatment facilities. You’re closer to a healthier life than you might believe.

Are You A Family Member Of A Cocaine Addict?

If you are a family member of an addict, we offer an intervention service. Call today on 01253 847 553 to enquire.

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: March 17, 2022

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.

Dr Alexander Lapa - Clinical Reviewer at Ocean Recovery

Dr Alexander Lapa (Psychiatrist) - Clinical Reviewer - Last reviewed:

MBBS, PG Dip Clin Ed, OA Dip CBT, OA Dip Psychology, SCOPE Certified

Dr Lapa graduated in Medicine in 2000 and since this time has accrued much experience working in the widest range of psychiatric settings with differing illness presentations and backgrounds in inpatient, community and secure settings. This has been aligned to continuation of professional development at postgraduate level in clinical research which has been very closely related to the everyday clinical practice conducted by this practitioner as a NHS and Private Psychiatrist.
He is fully indemnified by the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) and MIAB Expert Insurance for Psychiatric and Private Medical practice. He is fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK with a licence to practice.

Dr Lapa is approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act (1983)

Member of Independent Doctors Federation (IDF), British Association for Psychopharmacology (BMA) and The Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO)

Dr Lapa’s extensive experience has also concentrated on the following areas of clinical practice:
– Assessment, Diagnosis and Pharmacological Treatment for Adults with ADHD.
– Drug and Alcohol Dependency and maintaining abstinence and continued recovery
– Intravenous and Intramuscular Vitamin and Mineral Infusion Therapy
– Dietary and Weight Management and thorough care from assessment to treatment to end goals and maintenance
– Aesthetic Practice and Procedures