Cocaine Addiction Treatment Los Angeles
What is Cocaine Addiction?
Cocaine, which most frequently comes in the form of a white powder that users snort, is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that there are 1.5 million people in the country who use cocaine regularly. Young adults under the age of 25 are particularly prone to using cocaine. Despite its euphoric effects, the consequences of cocaine addiction can be severe.
Chronic use can cause people to find it nearly impossible to quit. Cocaine withdrawal is an arduous and excruciating experience that most people go to great lengths to avoid. People suffering from drug addiction instead end up with an alternative that is far more drawn out, facing destructive consequences for both their physical and mental health. Cocaine addiction devastates people’s lives, destroying relationships, making it difficult to hold down a job, creating legal difficulties, and sometimes even causing life-threatening overdoses. At any level of addiction, however, individuals suffer from the demoralizing understanding that no matter how much they want to stop using, they are unable to do so on their own.
To treat cocaine addiction, it is essential to seek outside help. Personal willpower is rarely a good substitute for the social support system and behavioral therapies that addiction treatment facilities provide. Individuals hoping to become drug free have a number of treatment options, including residential treatment programs that are highly structured, to outpatient programs that can be readily integrated into a patient’s life. In any kind of addiction treatment program, however, people seeking relief from the pernicious cycle of addiction will have access to a number of resources, including mental health counseling such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), support groups, and life skills mentoring. Getting help via a treatment program is the first step not only to long term sobriety, but to a new and more fulfilling life.
Commonly Abused Substances
Signs of Cocaine Addiction
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also known as the DSM-5, is the book used by members of the American Psychiatric Association to diagnose patients with specific mental health disorders. People suffering from cocaine addiction can be diagnosed with substance use disorder, the term psychiatrists use, if they suffer from two or more symptoms from a list of eleven. These criteria consist of the following:
Risks of Cocaine Addiction
While the most glaring risks of severe addiction are the physical consequences, most notably overdose, cocaine abuse dramatically changes a person’s lifestyle. Because cocaine is a highly addictive substance, a person who is addicted to cocaine generally finds that drug-seeking behavior comes to take precedence over other activities. As a result, some of the most life-altering effects of cocaine addiction are the person disasters that individuals suffer such as loss of work, divorce, loss of child custody, financial difficulties, incarceration, and even homelessness.
Individuals with severe cocaine addictions are prone to developing mental illness. Cocaine abuse can also exacerbate pre-existing mental health disorders. Ironically, this can make cocaine more appealing to users, who may continue to use it as a form of self-medication. This can further entrench them in the cycle of addiction. Over the long term, a person addicted to cocaine can find themselves living lives that they would have one point considered unthinkable. The only solution to the vicious cycle is seeking help.
The Physical Dangers of Cocaine Abuse
Long-Term Use and Severe Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine Addiction and Mental Health Disorders
Individuals who suffer from cocaine use disorder alongside another mental health condition or conditions are known as “dual-diagnosis” or “comorbid.” These mental health problems vary widely and include bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), among others.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 9.2 million adults in 2018 were diagnosed as dual-diagnosis. Addiction and mental health are deeply interrelated. Those with substance use disorder are at an increased risk of experiencing mental illness. Many individuals with mental disorders are also drawn to drink cocaine as a way of self-medicating, which can lead to dependence and ultimately addiction.
It is essential that treatment programs work individually with dual-diagnosis individuals to treat their underlying mental health conditions if any progress is to be made in addressing their cocaine use disorder. People with co-existing conditions are a unique population requiring integrated care.
The Dangers of Quitting Cocaine By Yourself
Anyone who suffers from a physical dependence on cocaine has probably had the disheartening experience of trying and failing to quit. Because cocaine releases large quantities of dopamine, it hijacks the reward centers of the brain that control motivation. For this reason, willpower is rarely sufficient to stop using. Over the short term, it is sometimes possible for people to refrain from using cocaine. Inevitably, however, cocaine addiction rears its ugly head again and a return to substance abuse is inevitable. For any heavy cocaine user, outside help via support groups such as Cocaine Anonymous is essential for long-term recovery
Further, an individual dependent on cocaine is bound to experience a variety of complications and difficulties during withdrawal that call for supervision under trained medical and addiction professionals. These dangerous symptoms of withdrawal include paranoia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, hostility, and depression. Medical experts advise that anyone interested in quitting cocaine seek out a licensed cocaine detox facility where an individual can get proper care.
Symptoms of Cocaine Withdrawal
Cocaine Withdrawal Timeline
Cocaine Addiction Treatment at Create Recovery Center
Create Recovery Center’s Cocaine Addiction Treatment Program is carefully supervised by medical professionals and counselors trained to handle addiction. Our safe, nonjudgmental environment is a perfect place to recover and develop the tools to treat a substance abuse problem. Create Recovery Center takes a holistic approach to each person. Case workers work individually with each patient to ensure that their program of recovery takes into account their unique needs and personal circumstances.
At Create Recovery Center, we understand that achieving sobriety is not merely a matter of quitting cocaine. Long term sobriety requires learning and developing the tools necessary to live healthy and fulfilling lives. To that end, Create Recovery Center works to ensure each patient is ready and prepared for life outside of a treatment center.
Services we offer include:
Create Recovery Center offers treatment programs for patients who are interested in developing a new way of living. Whether you are transitioning from a residential program or you are entirely new to sobriety, our outpatient treatment program and aftercare services will provide you with the tools and the support you need. If you are ready to begin the process of obtaining freedom from the pernicious cycle of cocaine abuse, contact us today. Long term sobriety is yours if you want it.