Cocaine leaves the body remarkably quickly, so detox happens fast. For those who are severely addicted to cocaine, this can make for a real challenge.
Symptoms of Cocaine Detox
Cocaine is a powerful and highly addictive drug. Its short-acting nature drives people to use again and again in short periods of time, which leads to dependence remarkably quickly. Once someone quits, withdrawals can last anywhere from 1-3 weeks. The most common withdrawals are cravings, high anxiety, insomnia, or long periods of sleep.
Primary symptoms of detox may include:
- agitation and restless behavior
- depressed mood
- fatigue
- generalized malaise
- increased appetite
- vivid and unpleasant dreams
- slowing of activity
Cravings don’t end once all traces of cocaine have exited the system; psychological cravings continue for months, normally. Because cocaine eats away at the brain’s pleasure center, it can be difficult to feel joy for some time, which can make life seem too dull to endure without the aid of more cocaine.
Other symptoms of cocaine withdrawal include;
- anxiety
- body aches
- challenges in concentration
- chills
- depression
- exhaustion
- inability to feel pleasure
- intense craving for cocaine
- pain
- tremors and shakiness
Cocaine detox: How long?
A cocaine crash can last anywhere from 9 hours to 5 days; acute detox lasts about a week. Post-acute withdrawal symptoms tend to go on for months or even a year after last use, depending on the user. (Psychological treatment can be used to deal with these symptoms indefinitely — during and after rehab.)
There are also some medicines that may help. Whether a medicine should be used is up to the physician, obviously. Some common ones include euphoria blockers, just in case of relapse, as well as medications for controlling cravings.
Drug detox is only the prologue for rehab, and rehab is only the beginning of a much longer journey. To get started, give us a call.