Treatment and Recovery National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA

People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medicines with behavioral therapy ensures the best chance of success for most patients. Treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery. Cocaine causes many types of intermediate-term alterations in brain cell functioning. For example, exposure to the drug can alter the amounts of dopamine transporters or dopamine receptors present on the surface of nerve cells. The changes involving genes, however, are particularly intriguing.

COCAINE’S LONG-TERM EFFECTS: CHANGES IN NERVE CELL STRUCTURE

• Early rudiments are found in worms and flies, which take us back 2 billion years in evolution.
• Cocaine may not have the same physical withdrawal symptoms as other drugs; however, the emotional toll can be just as difficult to manage without help.
• This means you need more of a substance to get the same effect you once did.

The effect is intense and virtually immediate, as with injected cocaine, but the “high” lasts only around 5 minutes. When the mixture is heated, it makes a crackling sound, hence the name. Crack producers make crack with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or ammonia and water, and it is heated to remove the hydrochloride. When Coca-Cola was first produced, it contained 9 milligrams of cocaine per glass. In 1903, this ingredient was removed, but the drink still has coca flavoring.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

Sessions with a trained therapist can help you make changes to your behaviors and thought processes. You may need to stay in a rehabilitation center (also known as rehab) for intensive therapy and support. If you do attend rehab, continuing treatment afterward (aftercare) is important to help you avoid relapse. The most important part of any treatment plan is to give up the drug right away. Many people who are addicted to cocaine go through a phase called withdrawal when they first do this.

Why Is Cocaine Addictive?

In a 2021 national survey, about 4.8 million people in the U.S. ages 12 or older said they had used cocaine in the past year. The rate was highest in the age group (1.2 million cocaine addiction treatment people or 3.5%), followed by those over age 26 (3.6 million or 1.6%). When injected, it goes directly into your bloodstream for a very strong and near-instant effect.

Behavioral warning signs to watch for include:

In order to prevent a potentially tragic outcome, it is beneficial to recognize the warning signs that a loved one or family member may be abusing cocaine. If you believe someone has overdosed on cocaine or another substance, take them to the nearest emergency room or call 911 immediately. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Anyone who is concerned about cocaine use should see a doctor or a local support group for beating addiction. Depending on the nature of the abuse, some patients who seek help will be advised to attend a residential rehabilitation program, or a structured day program.

What’s the difference between crack and cocaine?

Cocaine addiction treatment may include a combination of inpatient treatment, behavioral therapies, and more. Although potential pharmaceutical treatments for cocaine dependence are ongoing, there are currently no medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) available for either cocaine detoxification or longer-term treatment of cocaine use disorders. Symptoms of stimulant withdrawal are often treated supportively with rest, exercise, and a healthy diet. In severe cases of agitation, sleep disturbance, or depression, physicians may enlist supportive medications.

Risk and protective factors may be either environmental or biological. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs involving families, schools, communities, and the media are effective for preventing or reducing drug use and addiction. Although personal events and cultural factors affect drug use trends, when young people view drug use as harmful, they tend to decrease their drug taking. Therefore, education and outreach are key in helping people understand the possible risks of drug use. Teachers, parents, and health care providers have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction. Behavioral therapies help people in drug addiction treatment modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug use.

• Drug use can have significant and damaging short-term and long-term effects.
• Because addiction can affect so many aspects of a person’s life, treatment should address the needs of the whole person to be successful.
• Cocaine withdrawal can sometimes have severe symptoms, but many detox programs exist to help you through it.
• Behavioral treatment includes psychotherapy and other psychosocial interventions.

Recognizing unhealthy drug use in family members

• Withdrawal symptoms may include drowsiness and fatigue, increased appetite, depression, irritability, mood swings, nightmares, and drug cravings.
• These include people who also abuse alcohol and cannabis, as well as individuals who have depression.
• Cannabis often precedes or is used along with other substances, such as alcohol or illegal drugs, and is often the first drug tried.