Your Complete Guide to Cocaine Withdrawal and Detox

Exhaustion

One of the first withdrawal symptoms that you can expect during cocaine withdrawal is extreme exhaustion. The reason for this is cocaine is a stimulant, and when your body no longer has the amount of cocaine in its system to continue the stimulating effect, it will lead to your body crashing.

You’ll find yourself lacking the energy to do anything other than attempt to sleep, but other withdrawal symptoms will make this nearly impossible to do.

Depression and Anxiety

Most people use drugs to escape reality and avoid issues that they may have. Whether it’s issues with family or past traumatic events that took place in their lives. When you’re going through withdrawal and stop using cocaine, all the feelings of depression and anxiety come flooding back.

These feelings are the precise reason that you need to seek treatment because, without proper guidance, it can be challenging to sort through these mental health issues.

Overwhelming Cravings

The second your body no longer has any cocaine in its system, you’ll begin to crave the drug. And this is when you’ll begin to feel these feelings of withdrawal. Most people that are going through withdrawal will use it again to keep from being sick.

Over time as you continue down the road of recovery, you’ll be given the tools you need to fight these cravings and remain on the path of sobriety.

The first type of detox is medication-assisted detox, and this is when you’re being given medication that helps you slowly lower the amount of cocaine you’re using. Another form of detoxing is going cold turkey.

This isn’t recommended because you’re not getting the support you need to ensure that you don’t continue to use it. Another form of detox is medical detox, and this is when you’ll be placed in a medical facility during the detoxification process.

The reason for this is that detoxing can be life-threatening in some situations, and in the most severe, it can kill you. But, when you’re in medical detox, you will be monitored by doctors and nurses to ensure that you’re surrounded by people that can medically intervene to save your life if necessary.

Finding Your Facility

Before you can begin detoxing, you need to find a treatment facility that will work for you and your needs. When you’re speaking with the facility of your choosing, you’re going to want to ask them specific questions to get a better feel for the way that they do things.

Do they use medication during the detox process? Will you detox in a hospital or in the actual facility? Will you be required to participate in counseling sessions immediately following detox? Will insurance cover the cost of detox and treatment?

Having the answers to these questions will give you the answers you need to ensure you’re in a place that is equipped to help you. There are specific medications that are used for detoxing from stimulants, including cocaine.

Medication Use

The medication that is used during cocaine withdrawal will be used to help curve your cravings. When your cravings are under control, as stated earlier, you can continue the work you need to ensure that you can maintain your sobriety.

Depending on the factors mentioned earlier, you may not be placed on medication-assisted cocaine detox. It all depends on the facility where you detox and the most common methods that they use.

Withdrawal: Making Things a Little More Manageable

When it comes to cocaine withdrawal, it’s not going to be easy. Withdrawal is going to be one of the most challenging and overwhelming things you ever go through. But, once you get past symptoms that include exhaustion and cravings for the drug, you’ll be taking the steps that you need towards getting your life back.

If you’re seeking treatment and want to begin by going to detox, you need to contact Addiction Detox. We’ve got the resources and support you need to get you over the hurdle of withdrawal and into recovery.

You’re doing something that is taking a lot of courage and that’s asking for help to overcome an addiction that you’re powerless against. Let us be the shoulder that you need to lean on.

Medically Reviewed: September 25, 2019

Medical Reviewer

Chief Editor

About

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

Dr Ashley Murray obtained her MBBCh Cum Laude in 2016. She currently practices in the public domain in South Africa. She has an interest in medical writing and has a keen interest in evidence-based medicine.

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.