(ThyBlackMan.com) Cocaine is a growing concern today, with many individuals falling prey to its addictive tendencies. With more than 7.5 million people in the world having had used cocaine at least once in their lives, the drug is hugely trafficked
Being a stimulant, cocaine enhances the concentrations of feel-good receptors in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin. This over sensitization causes the stimulant to block these neurotransmitters and, consequently, lead to neuroadaptation, resulting from increased drug use and a high tolerance for the drug.
The continuous intake of cocaine eventually leads to alter the brain’s neurological systems and affects the systems that aid in decision-making, pleasure, or memory. This lessens the desire to stop taking the drug, eventually leading to severe addiction. And require cocaine rehab treatment.
Cocaine risk factors
The highly addictive properties of cocaine make it have some adverse side effects and risk factors that seek to hinder the individual’s progress and life trajectory. Addicts who have used the drug for long develop a tolerance to it, making them strive to seek stronger drug variations and take larger quantities than before.
The increased quantities cause permanent, irreversible damages to the body and may even result in eventual death, as the body cannot efficiently sustain the high doses of the drug.
Cocaine is used through snorting or injections. Continuous snorting of the drug may damage the nasal membranes permanently, leading to loss of smell or frequent nosebleeds or pain. Individuals who resort to injecting the drug into their system face the possibility of contracting diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis from sharing the needle. As addicts normally abuse the drug in groups, the risk is significantly higher and can lead to the entire group contracting the same disease.
The use of cocaine has several physical, emotional, and psychological effects that hinder individuals from living to their best potential. Cocaine addicts are always on the prowl for the drug and spend a considerably huge time looking for ways to acquire it. As a result, they neglect their career and societal responsibilities and use up all their money to purchase the drug.
Addicts will be prone to heart attacks, losing weight due to reduced appetite, convulsions, and blurred vision. Cocaine also affects an individual’s emotions by eliciting bouts of paranoia, mood swings, and hallucinations. This inevitably affects the individual’s social and family life, making them hugely dependant on the drug and its effect on their body.
Treatment process
Despite the above risk factors, several credible cocaine addiction treatment centers specialize in treatment.
An individual looking for cocaine addiction treatment will first enroll in a credible and professional treatment center and get a physician’s consultation. The physician will conduct a medical history and consider drug usage length. The patient’s physical, emotional and psychological state is considered to determine the best treatment. Afterward, a customized structured treatment plan is employed to help the patient commence treatment right away.
Cocaine treatment requires inpatient rehabilitation due to the addictive tendencies of the drug. Most inpatient treatments take between thirty to ninety days, depending on the addiction’s severity.
Medical detox is normally the first step in cocaine addiction treatment. This helps stop any drug intake or effect in the body—a professional presence aids most detoxification treatments due to the drug’s severe withdrawal symptoms. There are currently no known medications to treat cocaine addiction. However, various antidepressants and other medications are used with therapeutic interventions.
After detoxification, the patient begins rehabilitation therapy which comprises of the following techniques:
- Cognitive Behavioral therapy
This treatment helps the addict understand some of the reasons, obstacles, and triggers that make them dependent on the drug. This helps them understand the cause of the problem and make conscious and informed decisions to stop usage and embrace a healthy life.
- Community-based groups
These groups help create a supportive social structure around the patient to relate to other individuals dealing with the same problem. For instance, Cocaine Anonymous uses a twelve-step program that ensures participants continue living drug-free even as they are ingrained back into society.
- Contingency management
This strategy seeks to reward positive outcomes and behaviors with incentives. This helps the patient maintain healthy living patterns with the hope of a reward.
- Alternative therapies
Some unconventional therapies might be employed, including art therapy, hypnosis, acupuncture, or holistic medicine, to help treat a patient. These are, however, dependant on the level of addiction and the receptiveness of the technique.
- Aftercare programs
These range from support groups to halfway houses which the patient enrolls and lives in as they transition into the outside world. These houses offer accountability and are designed to help the patient keep up with their drug-free lifestyle.
Finding the right treatment center
The many cocaine addiction treatment centers available have made it possible for cocaine addicts to access affordable and quality treatment. However, when looking for the right treatment center tailored to your needs, certain aspects are considered:
- Treatment options
Cocaine treatment requires a structured and personalized approach to get the best results. Therefore, it is best to look for an evidence-based treatment center that employs the treatment options mentioned above and focuses on the individual’s positive result outcome.
- Licensing and certifications
It is important to check the required certifications, licenses, and accreditations of the treatment center before enrolling. This will help identify the ethical centers to visit and find out the ones with the best performance standards and results.
- Treatment success rate
Addiction treatment varies from patient to patient. Treatment providers have varying definitions of treatment success; however, it is important to check research-based methods the center has employed by reviewing their data and statistics.
- Insurance cover
Most insurance companies do not cover addiction treatment. Therefore, it is vital to check with your provider first before enrolling. However, most addiction treatment centers offer structured payment methods for the patient, which gives them a leeway of partial payments to be made during the duration of their stay. This helps to cushion the patient and give them an affordable option to receive treatment.
Staff Writer; Calvin Ford