Cocaine is a highly addictive substance that causes short bursts of energy and intense pleasure. Many people need to take more cocaine over time to experience the same effects of the drug. Cocaine addiction occurs when a person cannot stop using cocaine despite the damage their drug use has done to their relationships, health, and ability to function in daily life.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that cocaine floods the brain with dopamine and then prevents the brain from returning to its normal dopamine levels. This causes the brain’s reward circuits to become less sensitive to dopamine, so a person must take larger and more frequent doses of cocaine to experience the same euphoria they once did.
Tower Behavioral Health provides inpatient care for adults of all genders age 18 and older who are struggling with cocaine addiction that co-occurs with various mental health concerns. Our expert team can help you get on the path to recovery from co-occurring addiction.
Signs & Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction
If you are concerned that someone you know might be using cocaine, there are certain warning signs and behaviors that might indicate that they have developed cocaine addiction. Cocaine use disorder, the clinical term for cocaine addiction, can be devastating, so it’s important to talk to your loved one if you think that they need professional help.
These are examples of the warning signs and symptoms of cocaine addiction:
- Enlarged pupils
- Upset stomach
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Shakiness or muscle twitching
- Restlessness or irritability
- Sudden bursts of energy or alertness
- Frequent runny nose or nosebleeds
- Cough that doesn’t go away
- Intense sensitivity to sound, light, and touch
- Irrational or extreme distrust of others
- They stop eating or eat less than they used to
- Sudden and significant weight loss
- Risky or dangerous behaviors that they normally wouldn’t engage in
Cocaine Addiction Statistics
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 1 in 5 overdose deaths in 2017 involved cocaine.
- Overdose deaths involving cocaine increased by more than 34% in 2017.
- About 5 million Americans, or about 2% of the population, reported using cocaine in 2016.
Effects of Untreated Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine can affect people in different ways depending on how much and how often they are using the drug. The impact of cocaine addiction also depends on a person’s medical history and their unique life experiences.
Without treatment, the effects of cocaine use disorder typically worsen, causing significant harm to the person abusing cocaine and those closest to them.
These are examples of the effects of untreated cocaine addiction:
- Chronic respiratory problems
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Bloodborne illnesses, such as HIV or hepatitis C
- Collapsed or scarred veins
- Loss of smell
- Malnourishment
- Heart attack or stroke
- Development of movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease
- Development of other mental health conditions
- Worsening symptoms of other mental health conditions
- Death by overdose
Benefits of Co-Occurring Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Battling cocaine addiction that co-occurs with a mental health concern might seem overwhelming, but there is hope. With the help of the experts at Tower Behavioral Health, you can discover your path to recovery from co-occurring cocaine use disorder.
When you seek co-occurring cocaine addiction treatment at our inpatient center in Reading, Pennsylvania, you will receive round-the-clock care from our multidisciplinary team. We will support you whenever distressing feelings and emotions start to overwhelm you and help you develop new coping tools to manage the symptoms you’ve been facing.
We have created a safe environment in which you can access crisis stabilization for the debilitating symptoms that have kept you from functioning. With professional treatment, you’ll have the opportunity to regain control from a disease that has disrupted your everyday life.
Throughout your time in co-occurring cocaine addiction treatment, you can meet others who share similar experiences. This can break the isolation you’ve been living with and allow you to build your support network.
Therapies Used in Co-Occurring Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Everyone’s recovery journey is different, so we tailor each person’s co-occurring cocaine addiction treatment specifically to them. Before you begin co-occurring cocaine addiction treatment at Tower Behavioral Health, you’ll complete a detailed screening process that helps us understand what led you to seek care with us.
The information we gather during your screening shapes the co-occurring cocaine addiction treatment plan we create for you. Elements of your care may include group therapy, individual therapy, family meetings, music therapy, and art therapy.
During your stay at our inpatient treatment center in Reading, Pennsylvania, you may also engage in motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
We may also prescribe certain medications to support you through your recovery from co-occurring cocaine addiction. Your care team will collaborate with you to determine the therapies and interventions that are the best fit for you.
This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at Tower Behavioral Health.
