How to Choose a Cocaine Addiction Rehab Program

Most everyone knows the degree of havoc a cocaine addiction can wreak in a person’s life. While not the most commonly used drug, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as 1.9 million Americans used cocaine regularly in 2008.

Cocaine exists as one of the most powerful, addictive substances on the market, simply because of the aggressive rate at which this drug takes over brain and body processes. Choosing the right cocaine addiction rehab program is essential to overcoming the effects of this drug in a person’s life.

For help finding the right treatment for you call 800-895-1695 toll free anytime.

Cocaine Addiction Effects

Cocaine interacts directly with brain cell sites, triggering the release of dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmitter chemicals in large amounts. Not only do these interactions overwork brain cell sites, but also offset the brain’s natural chemical balance. During the initial stages of cocaine addiction rehab, many treatment interventions specifically address the chemical imbalances left behind by the drug’s effects.

Over time, the brain comes to rely on cocaine’s effects to carry its normal functions. According to the Medical University of South Carolina, this physical dependency only intensifies and eventually morphs into a psychological dependency with continued drug use.

Once a psychological dependency develops, cocaine has become an essential part of the addict’s daily life. Cocaine addiction rehab programs specialize in treating the physical and psychological effects of cocaine addiction.

Severity of Addiction

As with any drug, each person responds to cocaine’s effects in different ways based on:

• Physical health
• Psychological health
• Whether there’s a history of drug abuse
• Whether there’s a family history of drug abuse

In terms of physical and psychological health factors, people struggling with co-occurring conditions stand to develop more severe forms of addiction compared to other people. Likewise, someone with a personal and/or family history of drug abuse also stands to develop a more severe form of addiction.

Ultimately, addiction severity determines what level of cocaine addiction rehab a person should seek out. More than anything else, it’s essential to get the level of cocaine addiction rehab that best meets a person needs; otherwise, the likelihood of relapsing and resuming drug use only makes it that much harder to get well.

Types of Cocaine Addiction Rehab

Detox Treatment

Detox treatment marks the first step in the cocaine addiction rehab process. Detox focuses on breaking the brain and body’s physical dependence on the drug’s effects. During this time, patients receive round-the-clock medical care for withdrawal symptoms, which can be excruciating.

Withdrawal symptoms may take the form of:

• Severe depression
• Bouts of anxiety
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Mood swings
• Tremors
• Insomnia

While it is possible to detox on one’s own, by the time a person becomes addicted to cocaine, the power of the drug will likely overwhelm any will or resolve he or she has. For this reason, professional cocaine addiction rehab treatment becomes necessary.

Inpatient Care

People struggling with co-occurring medical and/or psychological disorders will likely require the level of care provided through inpatient cocaine addiction rehab. Likewise, someone who’s attempted drug treatment one or more times in the past will require the intensive level of care these programs provide.

Particularly in cases involving co-occurring psychological disorders, inpatient cocaine addiction rehab programs employ an integrated treatment approach that works to treat addiction and psychological dysfunction together rather than as separate conditions. We can help you find treatment. Call 800-895-1695 toll free anytime.

Residential Treatment

Long-term and/or chronic cocaine abuse essentially turns a person’s lifestyle upside-down, making it especially difficult for him or her to apply the principles learned in drug treatment in daily life. Under these conditions, the risk of relapse runs considerably high.

As part of the cocaine addiction rehab process, residential programs focus on helping addicts develop the types of behaviors, habits and overall lifestyle that support long-term abstinence. In order to accomplish these ends, residential programs require a person to live at the facility for the duration of treatment.

Outpatient Treatment

Compared to inpatient and residential treatment, outpatient cocaine addiction rehab programs don’t require patients to live at the facility, but rather schedule treatment sessions around their existing schedules. Consequently, a person has considerably more freedom, which can be a bad thing in cases where the addiction mindset is still at work.

For someone just entering cocaine addiction rehab, outpatient treatment should only be considered under the following circumstances:

• The person has a mild addiction problem or is still at the early stages of addiction
• He or she still has work and/or family obligations to meet
• He or she is currently residing in a sober home program

Ultimately, a person’s level or severity of addiction can be determined by the degree of damage the drug has caused in his or her life, such as job loss, divorce, problems with the law and financial difficulties.

Medication Treatments

Cocaine addictions can leave the brain in a deteriorated state to the point where serious psychological disorders take root. It’s not uncommon for addicts to develop clinical depression and/or anxiety disorders as a result of the chemical imbalance left behind by chronic cocaine use.

Under these conditions, cocaine addiction rehab programs administer medication treatments to help restore the brain’s natural chemical balance. According to the U. S. National Library of Medicine, medication treatments can be used to:

• Treat depression/anxiety symptoms
• Reduce ongoing drug cravings
• Provide relief in cases of severe withdrawal symptoms

For people coming off severe addiction problems, medication treatments can mean the difference between a successful cocaine addiction rehab process and an untimely relapse episode.

For help finding treatment call 800-895-1695 toll free anytime.

The Importance of Ongoing Psychosocial Treatment

Psychosocial treatment interventions play a crucial role within cocaine addiction rehab process. Psychosocial treatment focuses on undoing the psychological effects of addiction and providing addicts with the coping skills needed to maintain abstinence.

Psychosocial treatment inventions used include:

• Individual psychotherapy sessions
• Group therapy
• 12 Step support group work
• Drug education training and counseling

While all types of cocaine addiction rehab programs provide some level of psychosocial treatment, the importance of staying engaged in the recovery process once drug treatment ends is essential to maintaining abstinence for any length of time. Granted, not everyone will require ongoing psychotherapy or drug counseling, but continued participation in 12 Step support groups can prove invaluable in terms of helping a person stay engaged in the recovery process