cocaine detox in los angeles, woodland hills
Cocaine detox in Los Angeles can be uncomfortable but necessary first step toward recovery. Learn more about the detox process, and timeline for cocaine along with potential withdrawal symptoms.
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Cocaine Detox in Los Angeles
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
Due to its euphoric and stimulating effects, cocaine is a highly addictive drug. Cocaine is considered a ‘party drug,’ but continued use has the potential to lead to a dangerous addiction. People who regularly use cocaine may experience physical symptoms related to use. Nose bleeds, runny nose/frequent sniffing, decreased appetite, and sleep disturbances are common signs of cocaine addiction and/or abuse. When a person addicted to cocaine stops using, they experience cocaine detox symptoms. Chills, cravings, aches, fever, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and irritability are all signs of detox or withdrawal from cocaine.2
Cocaine use affects more than your body. Regular use of this stimulant drug can cause problems at school or work. Using cocaine leads to an increase in risky behaviors, mood and personality changes. Also, because it tends to be costly, cocaine can lead to financial problems.
Causes of Cocaine Addiction
Not everyone who uses cocaine will immediately become addicted. Repeated cocaine use causes changes in the brain’s reward pathway, which can lead to addiction. This is because cocaine use releases dopamine. Over time, the brain begins to adapt to the extra dopamine. This causes a person to do more cocaine to achieve the same high or feel good.3
How Cocaine Detox in Los Angeles Helps Treatment
Cocaine detox can be uncomfortable and dangerous. It is typically not recommended to undergo cocaine detox at home. People with severe cocaine addiction may be at risk for heart problems, seizures, and brain bleeds during detox and withdrawal.4
Due to these dangers and potential side effects, cocaine detox should be supervised by a medical professional. Detoxing at a hospital or detox center is often the safest choice because it allows for 24/7 medical monitoring. Another benefit of detox programs is the emphasis on transitioning into addiction treatment, which can help lower the chance of relapse after detoxification. Working with a cocaine detox program can help put you in touch with the right resources to make decisions for the next stages of substance abuse treatment.
How Is Cocaine Detox Monitored?
At Profound Treatment in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, a team of medical professionals will monitor the complete detox process. During a cocaine or stimulant 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 someone stops using cocaine, or the drug wears off, they experience what is sometimes referred to as a “comedown.” This stage of drug use is the beginning stage of cocaine withdrawal. Symptoms of cocaine withdrawal look different for everyone, and withdrawal timelines vary.
When Is Medical Detox Necessary for Cocaine Withdrawal?
For people who have a long and severe history of cocaine use, medical detox may be necessary. Medical detox is necessary when someone has taken too much cocaine and is experiencing cocaine toxicity. Cocaine toxicity is serious and can have life-threatening consequences. These consequences include seizures, irregular breathing, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, or coma.5
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.
In mild cases, these withdrawal symptoms can be managed at home. Staying hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, and eating right can help you get through detox at home. Additionally, taking over-the-counter pain relievers can help with any detox-related soreness.
How Long Does It Take to Detox from Cocaine?
Cocaine detox timelines look different for everyone, and symptoms vary. For most people, detox symptoms will appear as early as 90 minutes after the last use. These symptoms can linger for ten days or more.
Factors that Affect Cocaine Detox Timeline
- 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 co-occurring mental illness. This can make the process more intense, as symptoms of mental illness intensify during withdrawal.
Cocaine Detox & withdrawal Timeline
While the length of detox varies, the drug withdrawal and detox timeline can be broken into three phases. These include a crash, a craving, and an extinction phase.
The Crash Phase
Commonly referred to as the “comedown,” the crash phase is the start of detox. Symptoms of withdrawal come on fast during this stage and are at their most extreme. The crash can last for a couple of hours or a couple of days.
The Craving Phase
Withdrawal symptoms become less intense during this portion of cocaine detox, and the craving phase begins. During this phase, fierce cravings for cocaine are to be expected.
The Extinction Phase
The extinction phase is the last phase of cocaine detox. By this time, withdrawal symptoms and cravings have become less severe. As time goes by, these symptoms will disappear completely.
How Long Do Cocaine Withdrawals Last?
The average withdrawal period for cocaine is around ten days. For some – withdrawal can last much longer. Those with severe cocaine addiction typically experience significantly longer withdrawals. Some people develop post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). PAWS can make withdrawal symptoms last anywhere from weeks to years.
What Treatment is Available After Cocaine Detox in Los Angeles?
Drug detox is not a substitute for a substance abuse treatment program but is an important first step. After detoxification, it is important to get addiction treatment. Transitioning to a rehab program will enable you to create a successful recovery. Treatment options for cocaine addiction include inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, and therapy.
Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment is the most intense level of treatment for cocaine addiction and substance use disorder (SUD). Inpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs are longer-term stays at a rehab facility. This type of care offers round-the-clock care through withdrawal into recovery, where clients have the opportunity to start learning skills to use in their daily lives, and attending therapy to treat addiction and co-occurring conditions. Inpatient treatment programs provide opportunities to learn new skills and oftentimes, living with peers through this shared therapeutic experience can provide a sense of community that is beneficial to recovery.
Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatment is an option for those who cannot commit to an inpatient stay or do not require round-the-clock care and supervision. Unlike inpatient or residential drug and alcohol treatment programs, outpatient treatment can be done from home. Outpatient programs do ask for regular meetings with a substance abuse professional. One-on-one therapy, group therapy, and homework are all typical parts of outpatient programs.
Individual or Group Therapy
Individual and group therapy plays a key role in addiction recovery. One-on-one therapy helps people understand their addiction. Also, individual therapy teaches coping skills and can help you create a plan for challenges that may arise in sobriety.
For cocaine addiction treatment, contingency management (CM) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are commonly used therapeutic modalities. Group therapy is also used in the treatment of cocaine addiction. Group therapy has been shown to be helpful in treating substance use disorders, as it provides community and accountability, both of which support recovery.
Begin Profound Healing with Cocaine Detox in Los Angeles
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/research-topics/cocaine
- 5https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430976/
- 6https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24652395/
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