Tachycardia (rapid heart rate), arrhythmia (irregular heart rate or rhythm), and malignant hypertension (severely high blood pressure) can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or death. Acute kidney failure (rather than slowly deteriorating kidney function) is a life-threatening emergency that’s also common with cocaine overdose. Many people may want to stop doing cocaine and try quitting without outside help, but due to cocaine’s addictive qualities, this can be very difficult without support. LifeRing is a secular recovery organization that aims to help people share practical experiences and access sobriety support. They offer meetings, support groups, and programs across the United States. You can find informative resources on their website, including videos and podcasts.
- There is no exact timeline for addiction treatment as care and recovery are highly individual.
- You have some 48 million Americans struggling with addiction, and only like 5 percent of them are getting any kind of help for that condition.
- Antidepressants and mood stabilizers can change how DNA is modified and which genes are expressed.
- These programs are generally more flexible, although they require a tight support network focused on treatment and recovery.
- So that means that we offer them one of three primary medications to treat opioid use disorder.
- Drug use affects all parts of your life, so examining what your use is costing you can help you find the motivation to get clean.
- This supports the individual to break the cycle of destructive behaviours and actions and form new healthier habits.
But these are a normal part of the journey; with effort and determination, you can lead a sober life. By Heidi Moawad, MD
Heidi Moawad is a neurologist and expert in the field of brain health and neurological disorders. Dr. Moawad regularly writes and edits health and career content for medical books and publications. There are a number of complications of cocaine addiction, and they can differ depending on your method of using the drug. The euphoric effects of cocaine use are accompanied by physical effects, including a rapid heart rate, sweating, and pupil dilation (widening of the pupils).
Tips For Recovering From a Crack Cocaine Addiction
It also looks at mistakes individuals have made in the past and how they can make amends. You’ll be given a key worker who will support you throughout your treatment plan. For example, you may need medication for the treatment of abrupt or severe changes in your blood pressure.
The social support provided gives the person encouragement to persevere when they experience intense mood swings. It is also important because a doctor can use small doses of medicines like acetaminophen to manage aches and pains. Without these forms of support, the person is more likely to give in to their intense cravings and relapse. Relapse is also more likely to lead to bingeing, which can cause an overdose. The best way to navigate triggers during recovery from cocaine addiction is to identify triggers, so you can anticipate and prepare for potential cravings and relapse.
5 action steps for quitting an addiction
A person may also overdose on crack cocaine, especially if they mix it with alcohol or heroin. Dr. Tetrault explains that cocaine is sometimes adulterated with other drugs, such as amphetamines or synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which can make it particularly dangerous. A person can overdose the first time they use crack cocaine, or any time thereafter. This, in part, is why working with counselors and doctors to detox safely is important.
- Over-the-counter pain relief can help with physical aches and pains.
- The drug is therefore eliminated relatively quickly from the body, so there is no longer a need to undergo a lengthy detoxification.
- This is a very high number of people who are dependent on this drug.
- The group is led by professionally trained staff and is a great opportunity to support and learn from each other.
- The version of a gene you’re born with can be modified in many ways before it becomes a functional protein, including exposure to alcohol and drugs.
The intense craving for the drug can be overwhelming, making it difficult to stop using. If you seek an inpatient program, you would be in a supervised setting where you are not able to obtain or use the drug. When you stop taking cocaine, you cocaine addiction treatment can experience severe withdrawal symptoms that need to be managed. As an individual develops tolerance to cocaine, they also become physically dependent on it. If the drug is discontinued, withdrawal symptoms, with physical effects, can occur.
How to Beat Cocaine Addiction & Recovery Challenges Ahead
Add this to the fact that cocaine use disorder often co-occurs with mental health disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety, and the recovery journey can become even more challenging. This is part of the reason cocaine or crack cocaine has a high relapse rate. There were roughly 1.9 million people addicted to cocaine in 2008, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This is a very high number of people who are dependent on this drug. It is considered by many as one of the hardest substances to beat.
Cocaine can also cause other adverse effects, such as anxiety, crawling sensations on the skin, hallucinations, and paranoia. Some of these feelings can persist, or might even increase, during the comedown (“crash”) as the euphoria is wearing off. SMART Recovery is an organization that provides resources for people with substance use disorders. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a global, community-based organization that provides a range of services to people with substance use disorders. Below are some addiction support groups that may be helpful for people with cocaine addiction.