Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Cocaine rehab is a unique type of rehab because cocaine is a unique drug. It is a powerful, addictive stimulant. Many cocaine addicts relapse after completing a stint in rehab. In addition, it is a very seductive drug that needs specialized therapy.

Drug addiction is a progressive, fatal disease. It needs rehabilitation and a willingness to work a program of recovery. Rehab for drug abuse teaches the person about the condition. The first step is to do a thorough assessment and evaluation for are any co-occurring psychiatric disorders.

Legally, it is a Schedule II drug, meaning it has a very high potential for dependency and abuse.

It accelerates the entire mind and body. It can make a person feel full of energy, happy, and on top of the world. It can make someone feel “invincible.” People become addicted to these feelings of joy and euphoria. It can be sexually stimulating as well.

The process of rehabilitation for substance abuse is both educational and therapeutic. Experts now know drug abuse is a brain disorder. Drug use alters the chemical and physical structure of the human brain. What that means is to be successful, a person must stop using illegal drugs and rebuild their brain with healthier habits, thoughts, and actions.

Users have significant mood swings, including;

euphoria
paranoid
angry
nervous
afraid

After the “high” of the cocaine wears off, a user will seriously “crash” and feel tired and sad. Then, at some point, the cravings to do more comes on to get that adrenaline “rush” and feel good again. It puts you on an emotional roller coaster that’s difficult to control.

Good programs incorporate evidence-based practices. Evidenced-based therapy includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational enhancement therapy (MET). The addicted person needs to understand the disease concept and be willing to work on changing their lifestyle.

Substance abuse is often a symptom of an underlying psychological condition. Many addicts have a “co-occurring disorder,” such as depression, bipolar, anxiety, or PTSD. In some cases, the person has been using drugs and or alcohol to “self-medicate” the undiagnosed or untreated psychiatric issue. Suitable facilities will do a thorough assessment and evaluation to diagnose any possible co-occurring disorders. Any psychiatric matters should be addressed simultaneously, along with substance abuse.

Today’s best programs take a long-term approach to recovery. It’s best to should start in a residential facility, if at all possible.

Most experts agree 30 days is the minimum length of stay in a program. If someone has tried and failed before, then even longer is recommended. Once the inpatient phase is completed, “stepping down” into a sober living environment is ideal.

It should include enrolling in an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) as well as a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Levels of Care

There are four levels of programs. Each different level has its type of therapies and criteria for admission.

Detox

Detox is always the first step. Cocaine does not require detoxification. However, in some, cases people who have used cocaine and other mood-altering substances might require detoxification.

Outpatient

Outpatient, also known as an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), consists of going to therapy (usually groups), 3 to 5 times a week.

Partial Day

Partial day programs, also known as partial hospitalization (PHP), consists of attending therapy daily for half of the day, usually in the morning.

Inpatient – Residential

People attending inpatient residential treatment reside inside the facility and participate in the program on a full-time basis.