Cocaine may have gotten its hooks in you and you might feel like it is impossible to give up. Feeling like this has a profound impact and can impact both your personal and professional life. Whether you have decided to seek help or want to know more before making plans, we can assist you.
This article will help you understand what you need to know both before and during any detox or withdrawal process you choose to undergo. Before the end, you will understand more about your current experience. You will also learn what to expect when it comes to cocaine withdrawal symptoms and the best way to handle them.
Breaking Down Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
The process of cocaine withdrawal is one of the main steps you will need to take in your journey toward sobriety. It involves a range of symptoms that begin to emerge as the cocaine levels in your body diminish.
Unlike other drugs, cocaine withdrawal tends to have more psychological and emotional symptoms. It may help to know, however, that these symptoms rarely lead to direct physical danger.
Despite this, their psychological nature may mean you need help handling them during rehab. Getting through withdrawal is still a hard process. Despite this, it is an important step toward long-term recovery and freedom from addiction.
Understanding the Reasons Withdrawal Occurs
Being aware of the reasons cocaine impacts your brain can empower you by helping you start detox with a better-prepared outlook. You can also enter with a better goal-oriented mindset, knowing what you need to overcome.
As cocaine stimulates the brain, it does so by triggering reward centers. This can lead to an intense euphoria not only in general but also from engaging in activities.
Over time, cocaine use can change the brain’s chemistry and thought patterns. This can mean your ability to experience what others would consider “normal” pleasure is lower. As a result, you may need a readjustment period to regain the same joy you once felt during these activities before
Physical Symptoms
Cocaine often boosts energy levels. So, when the drug leaves your body, you may feel fatigued. Many people also have an increased appetite as their metabolism starts to adjust to the lack of the drug.
In general, though, you can expect your body to feel more lethargic in comparison to when on cocaine.
You are also likely to also experience either insomnia or hypersomnia. These may vary from person to person, with some suffering from both over time.
Psychological Symptoms
As your brain starts to recover, it will respond in a variety of ways, each of these can cause you to experience challenging or intrusive thoughts.
Depression is a common therapy problem for those undergoing withdrawal. It often requires intervention and can intensify as a person acknowledges the ongoing nature of their situation.
At the same time, due to the lack of a substance such as cocaine in the body, people are likely to suffer from difficulties concentrating. Memory problems may also appear, which means more stress for anyone already suffering the effects of withdrawal.
Cocaine withdrawal can cause a wide range of mental health issues. For this reason, it is sensible to investigate professional counseling and therapy. Many expert detox centers offer such services to ensure you come out of the process with a healthier mindset.
Emotional Symptoms
During the withdrawal process, you may experience many strong emotions. These may be anger, sadness, or even a form of emotional numbness.
Some people also experience a sense of loss or emptiness. This “grief” is representative of the discontinuation of using a substance that was once a large part of someone’s life. If a person once considered the use of the drug to be a positive part of their life on occasion, this can make it harder to overcome these feelings.
Effective Detox Planning
Planning for detox, especially in a rehab center, means developing a robust system to ensure safe and effective withdrawal. Such a plan addresses both physical and psychological aspects of detox, ensuring you do not miss anything.
Remember, though, that such a plan must be flexible. It needs to adapt to your needs as they change and as you learn more about your capabilities during the withdrawal process.
The Benefits of Making a Holistic Plan
As you start the detox process, it is important to develop a personalized plan with the help of a professional. This can help you reduce the chances of withdrawal overwhelming you.
Try to incorporate healthy habits into your process. This can include things as simple as regular exercise, balanced meals, and ensuring you try to get enough sleep. Together, these can put your body in the best position to recover from the strain of withdrawal.
Setting Realistic Goals
Have a series of goals you want to achieve while in detox. Such things might include short-term steps such as managing daily withdrawal symptoms. Long-term goals might mean staying sober or even reaching out to start rebuilding personal connections.
These goals should be “SMART”, which means:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
This will ensure you can both achieve them as well as celebrate when you complete them.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Research and reach out to clinics to learn more about medication-assisted treatment. Many professional rehab clinics offer this kind of help.
It can give you a better chance of managing withdrawal symptoms and increase the chance of success.
MAT can help stabilize your brain chemistry as well as ease physical and psychological symptoms. This reduces the struggle you need to face, making it more likely you can stick out the whole process.
Medication use should not occur alone, though. Medical professionals must monitor the use of prescribed medicines to make sure you use them both safely and effectively.
Family and Community Support
Having family or peers available can help you by giving you access to emotional support. While your relationships may have faced difficulty due to the use of drugs, it may help for them to see your process too.
While others will be in the rehab center, and you may find valued connections, they will also be going through similar struggles. As such, you should not rely on them alone.
Make sure the people who support you are not going to tempt you back into drug use, though. You must ensure you give yourself the best opportunity to succeed.
Therapy and Counseling as Powerful Withdrawal Methods
Both therapy and counseling are crucial during rehab. They give you tools to help address emotional and psychological challenges as you go through withdrawal.
For example, many therapists leverage cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapeutic method can help to change sufferers’ negative thought patterns. Over time, they can ensure you cope better with many personal issues.
Group therapy is also available at many such locations. This can give you peers with whom you can relate and share steps you have taken to help you in your journey.
Another option in many locations is to undergo family therapy. This can help you to repair relationships that may have come to harm in the past.
These family members may then offer you a supportive environment when you leave rehab. As such, it can boost your long-term chances of success further if you rebuild those bridges.
Managing Cravings During the Withdrawal Timeline
It is very common to feel cravings for the substance you used to use once you start the withdrawal process. Try to recognize triggers that put you in that mood, and avoid them if possible. With this information, though, you can also start to develop strategies to cope with such feelings.
If you start to develop intense cravings, try to seek out help from therapists or support groups. They can often give you more direct guidance to resist the urge or at least offer emotional support.
Long-Term Strategies for Managing a Withdrawal Syndrome
Even after finishing rehab for cocaine addiction, you will need to work to ensure you maintain sobriety long-term. Before you leave a detox center, ensure you have a plan to continue participating in therapy and support groups. These will give you a sense of normalcy when it comes to handling your drug problem.
You will also want to have a relapse prevention plan in place. If you know your triggers, understand the support you need to help you. If you do not, try to have people who can work with you to ensure you get through the challenge.
Finding the Best Detox Assistance in Arizona
Before you start this journey to sobriety, remember that cocaine detox is not a sprint. When the process is over, you will still need help to remain free from the draw of this drug. This is where the support of somewhere like the Purpose Healing Center can help you handle the worst cocaine withdrawal symptoms.
We can empower you with personalized detox plans and aftercare, helping you build tools to take you forward toward sober living. So, contact our team of experts today and book a tour of one of our facilities to see what we can do for you.
480-579-3319