Tips to Help With Cocaine Addiction

Popularly known as ‘coke,’ cocaine is a highly addictive drug that is snorted, smoked, or even injected. It is extracted from coca leaves found in Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia. Consuming the drug affects the central nervous system, releasing high dopamine levels that control pleasure in the human brain. The dopamine buildup causes intense euphoria and alertness in the user, referred to as a high.

The unique property of cocaine addiction is that people who consume it might not even realize its severity. Because of its high abuse potential, people get addicted to cocaine in a short period. It can be challenging to deal with its abuse because by the time one knows of its addiction, it could be late to be sober.

Cocaine: Fast Facts 

• Scientific Title: Benzoylmethylecgonine
• Street Labels: White, Snow, Coke, Nose Candy, Blow, Toot, Yayo, Rock
• Drug Category: Restorative
• Effects: Seizures, Loss of Appetite, Impotence, Fertility Damage, Impatience, Loss of weight.
• Abuse Possibility: High
• How it’s consumed: Snorting through the nose, Injecting through syringes, Smoking
• Legality: Schedule II

People using cocaine can have increased heart rates, muscle spasms, and convulsions. Its abuse causes physiological and mental effects on a user’s body,  and in some cases, death. An addicted person might get very angry, anxious, paranoid, and hostile as well. Because the drug interferes with the brain processes, it can become a challenge for addicts to stop using cocaine, making them depressed or suicidal.

How to Get Rid of and Cope with Cocaine Addiction

1. Alerting People Around You

Getting over a cocaine addiction is a difficult step to take that requires a support system. Informing and keeping your close ones aware of your addiction is the first step to building your support system. It is one of the biggest secrets to a long term journey to quitting. It is best to turn to your friends and family to help you out of this turmoil.

Talk to them about your goals and aspirations to increase their positive support during such a time of emotional need. If you cannot talk to your friends and family, multiple support groups can give you encouragement to do better.

2. Treatment Facilities

A highly proven tip on getting rid of cocaine addiction is being admitted to a treatment facility. This step is efficient for those who have dangerous withdrawal symptoms related to a person’s emotional and physical well-being. These rehab facilities generally monitor and stabilize the withdrawal symptoms by managing cocaine consumption with time. Some treatment methods followed in these places are:

• Motivational Interviewing: This method has random negative drug tests that are rewarded with vouchers or prizes.
• 12-Step Programs: This method involves family and friends of the ones who are addicted as well, which makes it a wholesome treatment method.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This method focuses on the relationship of mind, thoughts, actions, and behavior of the person.
• Pharmacological Treatment: While there are no particular drugs for addiction, there are others who can help manage it.

3. Remove Triggers

While it is easier said than done, removing all triggers is one of the most effective steps to controlling and reversing cocaine addiction. This step, however, requires acceptance from yourself in regards to your addiction.

Identify and remove all objects, images, and people who may have an increased influence on your addiction. You can also delete any contacts you may have with your dealer. While recognizing your addiction is one of the most crucial steps, pushing yourself actively to remove any connections to cocaine is the best way to help yourself to get rid of cocaine addiction.

4. Keep Yourself Busy

Since cocaine addiction can have many withdrawal symptoms, you need to develop ways to deal with these moments. One of the best things to do is to keep a list ready with all the things you enjoy doing, or always wanted to do. Try signing up yourself to these activities that you have never done before to refer to them when you have the temptation to relapse.

These activities will keep you busy and help avoid any triggers. This time can instead be used to bond with your friends, family, and also meet new people. You will soon be able to realize all the free time you have to invest in exercising and improving your diet.

Friends and Family’s Support for a Cocaine Addict

Intervention

An intervention is a meeting of family, friends, and other close ones to voluntarily motivate the person with an addiction to either stop consuming cocaine or enroll in a treatment facility. While many people believe that an intervention is a big step done only when a person is in the most problematic stage of addiction, it is generally not the case.

This step needs to be planned carefully and organized so that the addicted person does not feel offended or discouraged. Each person is different, and hence having a pre-intervention meeting with everyone taking part can help you plan the most effective way to reach a person’s heart and conscience.

Sustaining Recovery

Although family and friends can generally be the best people to help build a support system, it is equally crucial for that system to be long-term and sustainable. Friends and friends can educate themselves about addiction, possible relapse, be patient even after the addiction is gone, be open to communication with the person who is addicted, be present during counseling and treatment sessions, and more.

The short-term removal of cocaine is important to get rid of the addiction. At the same time, it must be sustainable so that the person does not relapse. A support system doesn’t just help them get through their phase of addiction but also encourages them to mend relationships and build careers of their own.

Educating and spreading awareness through empathy is one of the best ways to help someone. Adopting a step as big as getting rid of addiction may not be easy, but this is the best decision to create a healthier life.