17 Jun

   

What To Expect When Detoxing From Cocaine

When detoxing from cocaine, the extent of the withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to more severe. The amount of cocaine taken, the frequency of use, and the length of the substance use disorder determine what symptoms one can experience. As a result, it is understandable that you want to know what to expect when detoxing from cocaine. 

What is Detox?

Detox is when alcohol and other substances commonly misused are flushed out of the body. Detox is also a popular diet routine when people want to remove toxins from their bodies. 

When detox is used to treat substance use disorders, its purpose is to monitor you through the withdrawal symptoms to minimize their effects. Once you have been safely detoxed from cocaine, the next step is to help you stabilize as you take the first steps on your recovery journey. 

What is Cocaine? 

Cocaine is a white powdery substance made from the coca plant’s dried leaves. Crack cocaine is another form of cocaine that is made by mixing baking soda with powdered cocaine and cooking until it solidifies. Once solid, it is broken into smaller pieces referred to as rocks. 

Both cocaine powder and crack cocaine are highly addictive stimulants due to the euphoric effects the drug creates once it reaches the brain. The effects of the drug are very intense but wear off quickly, leaving the person feeling tired and sad. 

As such, people who misuse cocaine tend to continue taking doses of it to maintain a longer euphoric state and avoid the letdown they experience once the drug wears off. 

Cocaine Withdrawal Timeline

Whenever the effects of cocaine start to wear off, a person will enter withdrawal and go through several stages as follows:

Crash

The crash is the first stage of cocaine withdrawal. The crash stage can start within 90 minutes up to 24 hours after a person last used cocaine. During this stage, the individual will feel extremely tired and have no energy. As a result, they may sleep for an extended period, sometimes a day or longer. They will also feel hungry because cocaine suppresses their appetite. 

Withdrawal

The second stage is withdrawal which beings with a few days up to two weeks after last using cocaine. Withdrawal symptoms can last several weeks, with post-acute withdrawal symptoms lasting several months. 

Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Withdrawal

The signs and symptoms of cocaine withdrawal tend to be more psychological than physical and can include:

• • Lack of Energy
• • Sleepiness
• • Increased Cravings for Cocaine
• • Irritability
• • Problems Concentrating and Focusing
• • Difficulty Thinking
• • Easily Angered
• • Vivid Dreaming
• • Night Terrors

Some people may also experience paranoia, depression, or anxiety depending on how long they misused cocaine, the frequency of use, and the amount taken each time they used. 

Extinction

In the extinction stage, the person starts to notice the withdrawal symptoms decline and gradually stop. However, intense cravings for cocaine can remain for several months or longer due to the high addictiveness of the drug.

What to Expect When Detoxing from Cocaine

It is vital to realize you will go through each of the three stages of cocaine withdrawal. The duration of each stage is directly related to how long you misused cocaine. For example, if you have a mild addiction to the drug, your detox may not be as long compared to someone who misused the drug every day for a year or longer. 

Regardless of how long you have been using cocaine, cocaine detox can often be an outpatient process from the comfort of your home with medical supervision. In addition, since the drug does not have severe physical withdrawal symptoms, one can safely detox from home without undergoing inpatient detox treatment. 

One should plan on taking time off work or school for a few weeks during the detox process. However, some people can continue working or attending school remotely from home. 

Treatment for Cocaine Addiction 

After completing cocaine detox, several effective addiction treatment options help prevent lapses and relapses. These include:

• • Counseling and Therapy: Various forms of counseling and therapy can be beneficial for learning more about the underlying causes of addiction and how to develop effective coping mechanisms. 
• • Medications: Certain medications are beneficial for people experiencing depression, anxiety, or paranoia during detox and post-detox. 
• • Support Groups: Joining a support group can provide further encouragement and support to reduce the risk of lapses and relapses.
• • Exercise: Regular exercise increases the release of natural “feel good” endorphins and can help counter cravings. 

Thus, you can take many avenues to treat cocaine addiction. However, detoxing from cocaine is a vital first step to long-term recovery. After that, you can combine different ways of treatment for all areas of your health.

Detoxing from Cocaine at Home in Beverly Hills, CA  

Now that you know what to expect when detoxing from cocaine, MD Home Detox can help you complete cocaine detox from the comfort of your home in Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles area. Our concierge-level medically supervised detox program is fully customizable and tailored to your specific needs. Our detox experts are with you every step of the way until your detox is complete. Then, thanks to our extensive network of referred professionals, we can help you continue your recovery from cocaine. 

Contact us today for more about detoxing at home or to start your at-home cocaine detox.