Cocaine is currently a Class A controlled substance in the United Kingdom and is a highly addictive stimulant. It can be consumed in a few ways and has many street names. The way most people consume cocaine is by snorting it and it is through this consumption method this page will be written from. As the different consumption methods can change the side effects and psychological and physical effects.
The Psychological Effects Of Cocaine Addiction
As cocaine use continues and begins to become more frequent you will probably experience a variety of psychological effects, both behavioural and personality changes. Additionally, some may start taking cocaine to alleviate mental health issues but cocaine has been proven to result in mental health problems, depression, anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks.
In very extreme cases some people can develop cocaine psychosis, which can causes delusions, hallucinations and extremely aggressive behaviours. Sufferers of cocaine psychosis have described the experience as ‘losing touch with reality’.
The Physical Effects Of Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine addiction can also seriously affect your physical health. Cocaine erodes tissue, especially skin tissues, which can lead to the development of gangrene, a deadly infection. This is particularly risky in cases that cocaine has been consumed via swallowing. When swallowed cocaine can also cause stomach ulcers as it damages the tissue in the stomach and bowel.
The parts of the body that cocaine comes into direct contact with are not the only organs affected by cocaine. The heart can be severely damaged by cocaine, as the drug causes the heart to swell, which can lead to cardiac arrest. This can also happen after just a one-off consumption but it is more likely to happen to a repeated user. Chronic cocaine use can also lead to strokes or seizures.
Treatment For Cocaine Addiction
All the rehabilitation facilities included on this site may have slightly different approaches to treating cocaine addiction but there are certain elements that will remain the same no matter the programme you select.
Once you have selected your ideal rehabilitation centre you will give an admission date. Then upon arrival, you will have a full clinical assessment, as the facility staff will need to know the severity of your addiction to create the right treatment plan.
You will usually then undergo a detoxification programme. Detox is the process of removing all traces of the substance from your body. This can be difficult depending on the drug and the severity of the current addiction. But undergoing detoxification within a rehab is very beneficial as there are medical staff members that can prescribe medication to alleviate any physical or psychological withdrawal symptoms you may experience.
After detoxification, you will then begin your treatments and therapies to deal with the causes of your addiction and how you will maintain sobriety once you leave the facility. During this section of your recovery journey, you will create a relapse prevention plan and arrange aftercare service, again each rehabilitation centre will have slightly different options for aftercare and relapse prevention.
We have clinics available that treat the physical and psychological aspects of cocaine addiction. Contact us today to start your recovery journey!