Cocaine is not a new drug. On the contrary, Coca, the primary ingredient in cocaine, has been cultivated in Central and South America has for more than 3000 years. Indigenous populations have long used the stimulant properties of the coca leaf as a natural remedy for ailments including fatigue and altitude sickness. For many years, cocaine was used in the medical setting and widely available across the United States without regulation, including as an ingredient in popular beverages. In the early 20th century, the view on cocaine use changed as people began to realize cocaine had harmful and addictive properties.
Long-term cocaine use changes how the body produces and releases dopamine and other chemicals responsible for producing feelings of euphoria, happiness, and pleasure. These changes quickly lead to an increasing dependence on cocaine to achieve these emotions. Once addiction develops, you believe you cannot feel happy without cocaine. Detoxing and participating in a therapeutic program to overcome cocaine addiction is the safest and most effective way to put these unhealthy perceptions in the past.
What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. Once extracted from the cocoa plant, cocaine appears as a white powdery substance that can be taken into the body in various ways. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 15% of Americans have tried cocaine at least once. Cocaine goes by several other names, including coke, crack, and blow, among others. Cocaine is classified as a stimulant, meaning it increases alertness and energy. The drug affects the brain’s neural pathways, making one feel talkative, euphoric, and often overly energetic.
Addiction to cocaine can be physical, meaning that your body craves the drug, but it can also be mental, which means one develops intense cravings for the drug’s effects. As previously noted, cocaine can be consumed in a variety of ways. Due to its powdery nature, it can be inhaled through the nose or liquefied and injected into a vein. It can also be injected via genital or rectal roots. Also, cocaine can be processed into a form called crack cocaine and smoked. Via any of these methods, addiction can occur quickly, in some cases, after just one use.
How Addictive is Cocaine?
Cocaine is very, very addictive. Unlike many other substances requiring an extended period of misuse and abuse for addition to develop, cocaine addiction can occur with just one use. The way cocaine affects the brain makes the first use the most powerful, but each use (at least at the same dose) comes with diminishing rewards. For this reason, people begin to use higher and more frequent doses to attain the same high they got from their first use, and tolerance starts to build almost immediately.
Can Cocaine Cause Withdrawal?
Choosing a rehab center specializing in cocaine addiction treatment is the best way to overcome a cocaine addiction. When you withdraw from cocaine, you may not experience many of the intense physical withdrawal symptoms that accompany detox from alcohol or other drugs. Cocaine withdrawal generally produces unpleasant and challenging physical symptoms instead. These symptoms vary widely and are based on several factors unique to the individual. In many cases, psychological withdrawal from cocaine is difficult to manage without guidance and mental health support.
How to Find Cocaine Rehab in Malibu, CA
The most effective cocaine addiction rehab programs are comprehensive programs that provide medically assisted detox services followed by an individually designed, evidence-based addiction treatment program. Because overcoming cocaine addiction can lead to challenging psychosocial symptoms choosing an inpatient or residential rehab where you have access to 24-hour physical and emotional support provides the best opportunity for recovery. Choosing an inpatient program ensures an adequate treatment duration to help you get sober and allows time to develop and practice the tools you need to maintain lasting recovery.
Deciding on the best program for you requires considering a range of factors. Some of the most important considerations are how long you have used, the severity of use, and how much or how often you use. It is also essential to consider your living environment outside of treatment (do you have sober support). Choosing a rehab program that specializes in cocaine rehab is vital to defeating addiction. It is also important to ensure the facility is equipped to treat other drug addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. A large percentage (sometimes as high as 50%) of those who struggle with cocaine addiction use other drugs and frequently experience co-occurring mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders and depression. If you are ready to begin your journey towards freedom from cocaine addiction, contact our Malibu, CA, cocaine rehab center today.
