How Long Does It Take to Detox from Cocaine?
Table of Contents
What Is Cocaine Detox?
Cocaine detox is the body’s way of cleaning cocaine and its associated toxins out of your system. Symptoms of detox begin within just 90 minutes from the last use. These symptoms can last up to ten days or longer. 1

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Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction
Causes of Cocaine Addiction
How Cocaine Detox Helps Treatment
Cocaine detox can be uncomfortable and dangerous. It is not recommended to undergo cocaine detox at home. People with severe cocaine addiction are at risk for heart problems, seizures, and brain bleeds during detox.4
Due to these dangers, cocaine detox should be supervised by a medical professional. Detoxing at a hospital or detox center is the safest choice because it allows for medical monitoring. Another benefit of detox programs is the emphasis on transitioning into addiction treatment. Working with a cocaine detox program will put you in touch with the right resources to make decisions for future treatment.
How Is It Monitored?
A doctor and a team of nurses monitor the detox process. During detox, you will be supervised 24/7. This ensures that you remain safe during detox. This also allows for withdrawal symptoms to be managed through prescription medication.
What Is Cocaine Withdrawal?
When Is Medical Detox Necessary for Cocaine Withdrawal?
Symptoms of Cocaine Withdrawal
- Increase In Appetite: Cocaine use has appetite-killing effects. When withdrawal sets in, the opposite is true. It is normal to feel extra hungry during a cocaine comedown. This hunger is your body’s way of making up for the lack of calories during use.
- Strong Cocaine Cravings: Cocaine cravings are intense during withdrawal. Many feel triggered to use cocaine to address withdrawal.
- Suicidal Thoughts: Cocaine use causes dopamine levels in the brain to drop. This can leave individuals feeling hopeless and depressed. Often, this can escalate to suicidal thoughts and urges.
- Aggressive Tendencies and Irritability: Having a shorter fuse is common during withdrawal. Many feel flashes of anger during withdrawal. Luckily, this symptom usually goes away with other withdrawal symptoms.
- Agitation: Feelings of restlessness and mental agitation are common withdrawal symptoms. Feeling antsy or anxious is also common.
- Extreme Fatigue: Cocaine use is hard on the body and can lead to exhaustion. When someone comes down off cocaine, they often experience extreme fatigue. This type of fatigue extends beyond feeling tired. Muscle soreness and weakness are common, due to cocaine’s effects on muscles.
How Long Does It Take to Detox from Cocaine?
Factors Affecting the Detox Duration Process
- Length of Use: People with an extensive history of cocaine use usually have longer detox timelines. This is because long-term cocaine use changes your brain. It can take some time for your brain to heal from use.
- Size of Dose: Those who take larger doses of cocaine are likely to have a longer detox timeline. Larger doses take longer to be broken down by the body.
- Polysubstance Dependence: People who use cocaine are often addicted to other drugs like alcohol, marijuana, or opiates. Different drugs have different withdrawal timelines. This can cause the detox process to be longer and more severe.
- Environment: Staying in a triggering or frustrating environment can also affect detox. An environmental trigger can lead to relapse, which means restarting detox.
- Co-Occurring Mental Health: Almost two-thirds of people who are addicted to cocaine also have another mental illness. This can make the process more intense, as symptoms of mental illness intensify during withdrawal.
Detox Timeline
The Crash Phase
The Craving Phase
The Extinction Phase
Duration of Withdrawal

What Treatments Are Available After Detox?
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment is the most intense form of treatment for cocaine addiction. Inpatient treatment programs are longer-term stays at a rehab facility. This type of treatment provides round-the-clock care through withdrawal into recovery. Inpatient treatment programs also provide opportunities to learn new skills. Also, living with others going through recovery can provide a sense of community.
Outpatient Treatment
Individual or Group Therapies
Begin Profound Healing
At Profound, we understand that your cocaine detox process and treatment plan should be as unique as you are. Our holistic approach to treatment addresses the whole person through creating a custom treatment plan. We offer both residential and outpatient programs as treatment options following cocaine detox. Call us and begin healing today.
Resources
- 1https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/cocaine/what-to-expect-from-cocaine-detox
- 2https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/signs-of-a-cocaine-addiction
- 3https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/signs-of-a-cocaine-addiction
- 4https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine
- 5https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430976/
- 6https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24652395/
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