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Cocaine is a well-known stimulant drug people take to feel euphoric, confident, and energized. Using cocaine leads to dangerous consequences, and cocaine addiction treatment may be necessary. Of people over 12 years old in the United States in 2021, 4.8 million people reported using cocaine in the past year. Fortunately, cocaine addiction treatment is available and helps thousands of people go on to lead healthy lives each year.
What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant. It energizes the nervous system and causes the brain to release a flood of the feel-good chemical dopamine. The excessive levels of dopamine produce an intense euphoria, as well as heightened alertness and energy levels.
How is Cocaine Used?
Cocaine is usually snorted as a fine white powder but may also be processed into a crystalline form (crack cocaine). Crack cocaine is heated, and its vapors are inhaled. Cocaine may also be dissolved in water and then injected into a vein. Dealers sometimes mix cocaine with fentanyl, a dangerous opioid painkiller responsible for an epidemic of overdose deaths.
Effects of Cocaine Abuse
Cocaine is a habit-forming substance. Once a person starts using it, it’s incredibly challenging to stop. For many users, cocaine use is closely tied to specific situations, like partying. Other cocaine users use the stimulant effects as a productivity booster in their busy lives.
Someone with a cocaine problem often appears nervous or twitchy as though they drank too much coffee, as cocaine is a stimulant drug. You may notice enhanced irritability or agitation if someone hasn’t used cocaine for a while due to its withdrawal effects.
Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a person with cocaine use disorder often shows these signs and symptoms:
Behavioral symptoms
- Increased secretiveness and lying
- Trying and failing to control their cocaine use.
- Reckless and risky behaviors
- Financial problems
Physical symptoms
- Sweating
- Runny nose
- Nose bleeds
- Rapid heart rate
- Litle or no appetite
- Little or no need for sleep
- Insomnia
- Dilated pupils, bloodshot eyes
- High blood pressure
- High energy levels
Cognitive Symptoms
- Mood swings
- Restlessness
- Increasingly poor judgment and decision-making
- Euphoria
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Depression
- Anhedonia
The immediate effects of cocaine use are euphoria and a boost in energy levels. Once cocaine is processed out of a person’s body, a cocaine user will come down from the high, experiencing a debilitating “crash” or intense depression. Cocaine withdrawal effects may start, such as feeling ill, tremors and shakiness, or intense cravings for more of the drug.
Despite its stimulating effects, long-term cocaine use can lead to severe depression and anxiety. Cocaine can cause elevated paranoia and a tendency towards physical aggression. These may be signs to look for when suspecting a loved one is using cocaine.
Signs You Need Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Drug abuse recovery professionals use set criteria to determine if an addiction needs professional intervention. The requirements generally include:
- Using larger amounts of cocaine or for a more extended time than initially intended.
- Difficulty cutting back or stopping cocaine use.
- Spending a lot of time in the cycle of getting, using, and recovering from cocaine use.
- Continuing to use cocaine even though your home, work, or school life is suffering.
- You continue using cocaine even though your social and interpersonal life has worsened with your drug use.
- You’ve decreased involvement in social activities, tasks, or other activities you once enjoyed due to cocaine use.
- You’re still using cocaine even though it has worsened your overall health or a preexisting medical or mental health condition.
- You’ve developed a high tolerance for cocaine, meaning you need more of it to produce the desired effects.
- You experience withdrawal symptoms, such as shakiness and nausea, when you stop using cocaine.
Cocaine Addiction Rehab NuLife Behavioral Health Massachusetts
The intensity and duration of cocaine addiction treatment depend on the severity of the substance abuse. Someone enduring a more extended period of addiction may need more intensive treatment services. Someone with a more recent relationship with chronic cocaine use may require weekly outpatient therapy for checking in.
Flexible Levels of Care
At NuLife Behavioral Health Massachusetts, several tailored levels of care are available for clients. When screening for addiction treatment, an intake coordinator will help you or your loved one choose the appropriate types of therapy.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Partial hospitalization programs are a step-down level of addiction rehab, second only to residential treatment, in the time commitment necessary. The most significant difference is that PHP patients go home each evening. This program is ideal for people who need more intensive help than traditional outpatient services but don’t require full-time residential care. PHPs provide a balance of structured behavioral therapy and the opportunity to utilize real-life experience to build resilience against relapse triggers and build coping skills.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Similar to drug rehab but with the freedom to live at home, an IOP is another approach to addiction recovery. IOPs are ideal for people stepping down from a PHP and need continued support. IOPs meet multiple times weekly for 2-3 hours, allowing participants to continue their jobs and home lives outside the program.
Intensive outpatient treatment provides clients with a structured environment to support their recovery as they bridge the relationship between full-time treatment and pursuing a healthy life outside of treatment with less intensive programming and support. IOPs promote the use of healthy coping mechanisms and relapse prevention, as well as counseling services to address underlying psychological issues.
Treatments for Cocaine Addiction in Framingham and Worcester Massachusetts
Each of these types of therapy is offered in NuLife Behavioral Health’s IOP, PHP, and regular outpatient treatment programs.
Individual Counseling: One-on-one sessions with a licensed professional help you explore the issues contributing to your cocaine habit.
Group Therapy: In group settings, you can share experiences and coping strategies with others who are going through similar struggles. Peer support is a crucial element in long-term recovery.
Family Therapy: Family therapy aims to repair and improve family relationships.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This form of talking therapy (psychotherapy) helps you identify and change habitual, harmful thought patterns that fuel your addiction. CBT is one of the most effective treatment methods for substance abuse.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Beneficial for those dealing with emotional regulation and anxiety management, DBT teaches mindfulness and stress management skills.
Holistic Healing: Beyond traditional therapies, NuLife also offers experiential therapies like art therapy, music therapy, and even pet therapy to provide a well-rounded treatment experience.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment: Depression and anxiety often accompany cocaine addiction. For those dealing with co-occurring mental health conditions, NuLife offers specialized treatment plans.
Relapse Prevention: Relapse prevention strategies are integrated into all levels of care at NuLife. This includes education on triggers and coping mechanisms.
Insurance Verification: NuLife offers insurance verification services to help you understand your coverage and any out-of-pocket costs you may incur.
Outpatient Program
Outpatient addiction programming focuses on helping clients identify addiction relapse triggers. They will also engage in therapeutic services to build coping skills and address underlying mental health issues contributing to addiction.
Outpatient programs are less intensive than PHP and IOPs but continue to work with clients to integrate what they have learned into their everyday routines and lives. The program allows clients to continue regular treatment with a more flexible schedule and the ability to check in with updates on progress and the effectiveness of their new skills in all settings.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
TMS is an optional, research-supported, non-invasive treatment approved by the FDA for use with several psychological disorders. TMS uses powerful, focused magnetic fields to stimulate groups of nerves within the brain that are underactive or inactive. TMS sessions take place on an outpatient basis and require no downtime. A person can have a TMS session and return to their daily routine.
Treatments for Cocaine Addiction in Framingham and Worcester Massachusetts
Treatment for cocaine addiction is potentially lifesaving. While treatment focuses heavily on healing the addiction, addressing any underlying mental health concerns is critical. By treating the “whole person,” this approach to cocaine addiction treatment allows providers to get a better picture of individual needs and seek lasting healing.
Co-occurring disorders, or dual diagnosis, are common among people battling cocaine or other drug addictions. Many people who abuse cocaine may also have mental health conditions like anxiety, PTSD, or depression. According to a U.S. National Survey on Drug Use in Health conducted in 2021, approximately 9.2 million people over 18 have a co-occurring disorder.
Getting Help for Cocaine Addiction
The levels of care at NuLife Behavioral Health Massachusetts treatment center provide flexibility for people seeking cocaine treatment. Our outpatient cocaine treatment programs are ideal options in cases where residential treatment isn’t necessary or if a full-time commitment isn’t possible.
If you or a loved one is ready to seek treatment for cocaine addiction, contact us at NuLife Behavioral Health Massachusetts now. We can help you seek the care most appropriate for your needs and circumstances and begin to rebuild a healthy foundation for lasting recovery.
Learn More About Recovery from Cocaine Addiction at NuLife Behavioral Health Massachusetts
If you or someone special in your life is using cocaine, learn how our cocaine addiction treatment program can be the first step toward recovery. Contact us using our secure online form or call us at 888.568.2057 today.
