Cocaine can affect the lives of so many people because of its addictive nature. Once someone chooses to detox off this drug, they experience an even bigger battle. Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can be challenging for those dealing with an addiction issue.
That’s why you should know the withdrawals of cocaine. This information could potentially save your life. Keep reading to learn more!
Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
Most of the symptoms of cocaine are not as intense as other drugs. Nevertheless, these symptoms should still be monitored to ensure a safe recovery.
- Lack of sleep
- Increased hunger
- Tremors
- Body aches and chills
- Low sex drive
- Exhaustion
These are some of the milder symptoms of cocaine withdrawal. As stated previously, there are life-threatening symptoms that occur in some patients. These symptoms should be monitored by a doctor or someone from an addiction treatment center.
Life-Threatening Symptoms
Life-threatening or severe symptoms are very dangerous, especially for those with other health complications. These health complications include -diabetes, heart issues, or high blood pressure.
- Strokes
- Heart attacks
- Seizures
- Increased heart rate or palpitations
These symptoms, if not treated correctly, could lead to death. That’s why medical detox is highly encouraged with histories of long-term abuse and health complications.
Mental Symptoms
Cocaine can affect your brain chemistry over time and cause mental health issues. These symptoms can be debilitating, especially when they’re paired with the physical symptoms of cocaine withdrawal. Here are some symptoms you should look out for:
- Night terrors
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Suicidal ideations
- Paranoia
- Short attention span
These symptoms can be hard to recognize, especially for those who already have mental health issues. Nevertheless, an increase in these symptoms could be due to cocaine withdrawal.
Cocaine Withdrawal Timeline
Cocaine symptoms can be overwhelming and hard to track. That’s why knowing the cocaine withdrawal timeline can be crucial. Those with a minor dependency may experience complete detox after 6 to 9 days.
However, these symptoms vary on length of use and amount of use. Therefore, those with a heavy dependency will experience a longer detox. Here is a 5 step guide to cocaine withdrawal time.
Week One
In the first week of cocaine withdrawal, the person will experience high levels of anxiety and paranoia. These feelings are also followed by restlessness and feeling disoriented.
Some may also experience increased hunger followed by nausea and even vomiting after a meal.
Week Two
In the second week, some may experience anger and night terrors. However, some individuals start feeling better, but this only lasts momentarily.
When the symptoms do come back, they become intensified. Feelings of agitation and sadness are also followed during this time.
Week Three
Week three is vital for a person’s recovery because many individuals begin to use again. Week three will bring on heavy levels of depression, which will increase a person’s desire for cocaine.
It’s also common for an individual to lash out towards their family and friends. This anger can become physical and sometimes violent if not dealt with correctly.
Week Four
Week four is when mood swings become intensified. The individual might also experience high levels of stress. It’s important to note that week four is when severe symptoms begin to arise, like suicidal ideations.
If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal ideations, seek help immediately.
Medical Detox
Many times when people abuse drugs, their bodies build up a tolerance. Therefore, their initial dosage is doubled and even tripled after long-term abuse. This can lead to having a dependency on the said drug.
This dependency is present in the mind and body. In other words, your mind begins to crave this, and your body does too. If you don’t feed into the addiction, you begin to feel withdrawal symptoms.
Cocaine users experience very unpleasant symptoms. Some of these symptoms may be life-threatening. That’s is when a medical detox becomes suggested. So what is medical detox?
Medical detox is a medicated process of detoxifying a person from a substance. This process is always done by a professional who is licensed to treat the physical symptoms of a withdrawal.
Do I Need a Medical Detox?
As stated previously, medical detox is not necessarily for everyone. However, many times cocaine users become discouraged from getting clean because of the detox process. Medical detox can help encourage the individual while also keeping them comfortable through this process.
Another factor to consider when thinking about a medical detox is the person’s mental health history. Many times users who struggle with depression and anxiety are more likely to have suicidal ideations or mental breakdowns during a withdrawal.
However, a medical detox professional will monitor the person’s state of mind at all times. Therefore, suicidal ideations are decreased and monitored, if present.
Another factor to consider is if the person has a polysubstance dependency which means they’re addicted to two or more drugs. This can make the detox process more challenging and dangerous. Medical detox is highly encouraged in these cases.
Lastly, if the person has had a relapse recently, medical detox is encouraged. Medical detox help with the initial detox process, but these centers also support their patients after the process.
Many times, an individual will feel isolated during and after an at-home detox. Therefore, they relapse again. However, with addiction treatment, the chances of relapse decrease!
A Clean Life Starts Today
Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can be hard to deal with, but you’re not alone! If you or a loved one has a dependency on cocaine, get help today!
The journey to a clean life can start with one phone call.
Contact us today for more information on detox programs and support.