Cocaine Detox in Laguna Beach, CA

Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug that has been around for thousands of years. Derived from coca leaves, it has been used for various reasons throughout the years. People used to chew on the leaves for their energizing effects. Later, the cocaine was extracted from the leaves and put in medicine.

Today, most cocaine is sold illegally by dealers who may cut it with other substances, such as baking powder. Occasionally, doctors may use it as a local anesthesia.

Due to the highly addictive nature of this substance, people benefit from going through a cocaine detox program to gain sobriety.

Cocaine Detox

Cocaine works on the brain’s limbic system. This system comprises the parts of the brain that regulate emotions, such as pleasure and motivation. When you do cocaine, it gives this system a short-term boost, and you experience euphoria. This intense sense of well-being creates a desire to continue doing cocaine, leading to addiction.

The first step to quitting cocaine is beginning the detox process. Cocaine detox takes you through the withdrawal process. As cocaine is eliminated from your body, you’ll have the medical and therapeutic support needed to get through this initial stage.

Once the drug is out of your system, you can move forward with a comprehensive treatment program and do the therapeutic work of inner healing.

What’s Involved When You Detox From Cocaine?

Effective cocaine detox may include more than one type of treatment regimen. A detox specialist will assess your specific cocaine use disorder to determine the best course of action. However, two main treatments work well for cocaine use disorder. These treatments may be used together or separately.

Treatment Using Medication

Much research has gone into finding a medication that consistently works for cocaine withdrawal and addiction. Because of the complexity of cocaine addiction, the FDA hasn’t approved a medicine for cocaine use disorder. However, that doesn’t mean researchers aren’t making progress in studying what medications help ease the discomfort of cocaine withdrawal, help with cravings, and aid in relapse prevention.

Some of the medications that researchers have found promising in dealing with cocaine withdrawal symptoms include the following:

• Propranolol.
• Baclofen.
• Tiagabine.
• Topiramate.
• Disulfiram.
• Modafinil.
• TA-CD.

Treatment Using Therapy

Most cocaine detox programs will transition you to an inpatient or partial hospitalization program (PHP) after completion of your withdrawal. This involves therapy that helps you delve into the root causes of addiction. Evidenced-based therapies that’ll be a part of the program include the following:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy.
• Dialectical-behavioral therapy.
• Family therapy.
• Group therapy.
• Individual therapy.
• Contingency Management or motivational incentives.

Through therapy, you’ll also learn about the social effects of addiction on yourself and others.

Cocaine Detox Symptoms

During the cocaine detox process, you’ll experience a range of cocaine withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms vary in intensity and type and depend on factors such as:

• How long you’ve been doing cocaine.
• How much cocaine you’ve been taking.
• Whether you were doing cocaine with any other drugs.
• Whether you have co-occurring disorders.

Withdrawal from cocaine is typically characterized by physical and psychological symptoms, which may include some or all of the following:

• Cocaine cravings.
• Anxiety.
• Moodiness and irritability.
• Depression.
• Tiredness or other changes in sleep patterns.
• Aches and pains.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Slower thoughts and movements.
• Increased hunger.
• Paranoid thoughts.

Cocaine Detox Timeline

Detox from a stimulant like cocaine typically takes at least one week for the primary physical withdrawal. You may begin experiencing symptoms a few hours after your last use of cocaine. These initial symptoms are referred to as the acute withdrawal phase. You may feel extremely anxious about getting more cocaine during this time. This phase may last a few days or one week.

After the acute withdrawal phase, you enter the craving phase that involves intense cravings for cocaine. Some people may feel tired or unmotivated during this period due to the lack of the stimulant. The length of the craving phase varies but may last for several weeks or a few months.

The final phase of cocaine withdrawal is sometimes called the post-acute stage or the extinction phase. It’s characterized by mild cravings that may be managed through outpatient therapy and support.

This phase can last throughout your life. So, learning your triggers and managing them will be critical to sobriety. 

Tips for Staying Sober After Detox

Once you complete the detox for cocaine, it’s vital that you take steps to stay sober. Since mild cravings can be lifelong, you benefit from staying on guard so that you won’t suffer a relapse. The following tips can aid you in your goal to stay sober:

• Continue with outpatient treatment and therapy.
• Join a support group, such as Cocaine Anonymous.
• Discover what triggers you to crave cocaine and learn strategies to overcome it.
• Avoid places and people that encourage you to use cocaine.
• Keep supportive family and friends nearby.
• Have a plan if you relapse.
• Never give up.

Seek Treatment at California Detox

Begin the journey to cocaine detox by contacting our rehab facility specializing in cocaine addiction. At California Detox, our trained clinicians will guide you through the alcohol detox & cocaine detox process and assist you with transitioning to the next level of treatment.

We provide treatment for the initial detox program and the step-down treatment programs, as well as inpatient and residential follow-up treatment.

Our goal at California Detox is to make sure that you stay healthy, happy, and sober. Get in touch with one of our admissions representatives for more information and start the healing process today.