One of the most addictive substances available today is cocaine. Millions of people are addicted to cocaine, and most never enter addiction treatment and begin their recovery. People avoid entering treatment because they don’t want to face potentially painful cocaine withdrawal symptoms.
At Woodland Recovery Center, we provide detox and cocaine addiction treatment for people who want to overcome cocaine withdrawal symptoms. If you or someone you care about might benefit from cocaine addiction treatment in Mississippi, contact our team today by calling 662.222.2989 or reaching out to us online.
How Cocaine Affects the Body
Cocaine is a drug that can leave your system relatively quickly, though that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not detectable by certain tests for more extended periods. Scientists know the “half-life” for cocaine, which is the amount of time it takes half of the drug to leave your system, is only ninety minutes.
That might seem relatively fast, but put that into context by thinking about how long the high of using cocaine last. There are three ways people are usually doing cocaine: snorting cocaine, smoking cocaine, and injecting cocaine. Each method has different lengths of effect, which are also determined by how much cocaine is being consumed and how often.
Some facts about the effects of cocaine use include:
- Snorting cocaine can affect you for between fifteen and thirty minutes.
- Injecting cocaine typically brings a short period of euphoria within thirty seconds and can last as long as twenty minutes.
- Smoking cocaine nearly immediately affects someone and lasts between five and ten minutes.
These methods are also affected by the amount of cocaine consumed and physiological differences. In general, our bodies can tolerate different levels of nearly any substance due to how we have developed throughout life.
Signs of Cocaine Withdrawal
The cocaine withdrawal stage can last ten weeks, a little longer than two months. Common cocaine withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Insomnia
- An intense cocaine craving
- Paranoia and anger outbursts
- Weight loss
- Fatigue or lethargy
- Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
At Woodland Recovery Center, our cocaine addiction treatment programs focus on helping people manage cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Our multidisciplinary team of cocaine addiction treatment specialists can help you find a path to recovery.
How Long Does Cocaine Withdrawal Last?
Cocaine withdrawal can vary drastically from person to person but usually lasts anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Symptoms vary in severity but often include mental and physical symptoms such as:
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleeping problems
In addition to these classic withdrawal symptoms, some people can experience painful psychological symptoms, including paranoia and depression. The most important thing to remember during withdrawal is that it will eventually pass with the help of proper medical care and professional counseling. Do not be discouraged or overwhelmed—seek support in whatever capacity that works best for you so you can make a full recovery.
Cocaine Crash
First, you experience what’s called a “crash.” Rapidly stopping cocaine use, hefty cocaine use, will bring this stage around quickly. It depends on how much cocaine someone is using. If a person is snorting cocaine and experiencing a high of thirty minutes, they may begin doing cocaine shortly after the initial dose. Reports show the crash can happen within an hour or a few days of stopping cocaine use. A crash occurs when the body has no cocaine and reacts to the brain trying to return to normal dopamine levels.
However, those normal levels don’t feel normal due to the constant cocaine use. The crash brings with it several side effects, including:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Feeling exhausted in general
- Hunger and an increased appetite in general
- Depression
- A general lack of motivation
One of the more confusing aspects of the crash is it can produce a lack of desire for cocaine. Because this can happen within hours or the first few days after using, it may feel like no more than an alcohol hangover. The next stage, the full withdrawal phase, will feel much worse.
The End of Cocaine Withdrawal
Sometimes called extinction, this is the last stage of cocaine withdrawal. The final phase of the cocaine detox timeline can last up to twenty-eight weeks. That’s potentially around seven months of occasional cravings to consume cocaine again. It can also come with a lack of motivation or slight depression.
It can be incredibly challenging for someone to move past cocaine withdrawal. If someone has become addicted to cocaine, stops consuming it, and has to go through potentially seven months of feeling the urge to use it again, they will face many challenges.
One of the challenges to staying sober is external influence. That’s a significant part of what will influence the urges during the final stages of cocaine withdrawal, and it’s a tough one. Maybe an object reminds you of cocaine or even an emotion you had. Trying to move past these cues and reframe your life in a way that cocaine isn’t featured can be stressful, discouraging, and feel impossible.
So, how do people do it? How do they get past all those roadblocks and start moving freely again? Asking these questions is a big part of it. Another way is to possess the strength for change. You have the strength. We know you do. If you need cocaine addiction treatment, our Woodland Recovery Center team can help.
How to Stop Taking Cocaine
Stopping cocaine use can be challenging, but taking control of your health is worth the effort. The first step is to understand why you started taking cocaine and how it works in the brain to create feelings of pleasure and motivation. Once you have identified the reasons for wanting to stop, develop a plan with strategies to help you avoid triggers and cope with cravings. Find supportive people in your life who can offer guidance and support throughout the entire journey.
It’s also helpful to seek professional help from a doctor or a therapist specializing in addiction. Regular check-ins with them will also help hold you accountable as you take every step towards freeing yourself from cocaine use.
Find a Cocaine Addiction Treatment Program at Woodland Recovery Center
Our Woodland Recovery Center team understands that it can be intimidating to enter into addiction treatment. That’s why we ensure that our comprehensive care for cocaine addiction gives people the tools they need to begin their recovery. Please learn more about our programs and services when you contact us at 662.222.2989 or connect online.
