Dealing with a cocaine addiction can be troubling for the individual in question and the people around them. We can provide support to help you live a healthier life that is free from addiction. In this blog, we’re going to let you know all you need to know about a cocaine comedown.
What is cocaine?
Drugs are chemicals or substances that change the way that the brain works and create an imbalance. Many drugs can be used to benefit your health; however, these will only be prescribed by a medical professional.
Unfortunately, many drugs can be purchased illegally from people who may be known as drug dealers. These people generally do not have your best interest at heart. Many of these dealers will have no idea how or where the drug was made, leaving you open to many risks.
Cocaine is an extremely powerful stimulant drug which can change your perception of the things around you and other aspects of life. In the UK, cocaine is labelled as a class A drug, meaning it is one of the most dangerous drugs on the market.
Another reason that cocaine is labelled as a Class A drug is because it has a high potential for misuse.
How does cocaine affect the body?
Cocaine affects the body in many ways. Individuals experience the ‘high’ from cocaine as the body releases its stores of happy chemicals: serotonin and dopamine.
For the average person who does not take cocaine, the happy chemicals are recycled with the uptake inhibitors in the brain, leading to our mood remaining consistent. In contrast, when a person does take cocaine, the brain inhibits the recycling of these chemicals, causing a depletion and lower mood.
It can take three days for the effects to start wearing off so the body can create more of these happy hormones. This delay can lead to low mood and the body crashing. It’s also worth noting that the brain’s chemicals can take up to six weeks to recover. When it comes to rehab, it’s better to abstain from drugs prior to starting so that the body has the opportunity to take away what should not be there.
What is a cocaine comedown?
Cocaine has many effects that can change the way we think about things. Because of this, it can have very serious consequences when it ‘wears off’. Some people may experience hangovers from alcohol consumption, and cocaine can cause the same kind of symptoms.
Depending on your cocaine usage, these comedown effects can be extremely intense. Unfortunately, this can lead to many people taking more of the drugs to try and offset the symptoms of the comedown. This is known as bingeing.
How long does a cocaine comedown last?
If you’ve never experienced a cocaine comedown before, you may have many questions. One question you might have is about how long these effects will last.
There’s no way of knowing exactly how long your cocaine comedown will last. Some people may experience the comedown for a few hours, whereas others may experience the symptoms for a few days. For some people, it can even take six weeks for the brain chemicals to return to normal. There are many unpleasant symptoms that you may experience during a cocaine comedown or a cocaine crash.
Cocaine comedown symptoms
Feeling extremely tired
Despite feeling extremely tired after taking cocaine, you may feel as if you cannot sleep. This is because cocaine and other drugs affect the chemical balance in our brains, which can make it difficult to relax and sleep.
Nasal congestion
Cocaine is taken through the nose, which can cause issues such as a runny nose and flu-like symptoms. This is caused by the shrinking of blood vessels while taking the drug and the wider opening of the blood vessels when dealing with the aftermath of cocaine.
Feeling depressed
Serotonin is the chemical in our brains that helps us to feel more positive. Some people who experience depression may have low levels of serotonin, which leads to lower mood. There are various reasons why low serotonin may occur, along with other changes to your neurotransmitters.
Feeling as though your brain is slow
You may experience some brain fog after taking cocaine. This can lead to slow thinking and even struggling to make decisions. It can also make it difficult to recall information.
Feeling hungry
Despite eating your usual diet, when experiencing a cocaine comedown, you might also feel as if you are more hungry. This can lead to eating more and therefore affecting your calorie intake.
Experiencing aches and pains
Changes to the neurotransmitters and chemicals in your brain may cause you to feel pain in a different way. For example, you may feel pain more or less intensely. Read our blog on what is coke jaw and why does it happen?
What is bingeing with cocaine?
As cocaine is a very powerful drug, it begins working quickly and also can wear off quickly. Unfortunately, this can lead to people taking more of the drug and ‘bingeing’ it. While people may do this to avoid some symptoms, it can bring many others, and make the original symptoms more intense. Here are some symptoms you may experience with a cocaine binge or substance abuse.
- Panic attacks and anxiety
- Shaking
- Hallucinations
- Feeling irritated
- Trouble sleeping
- Restlessness
- Feeling paranoid
Drug abuse can cause many physical and mental health risks, and cocaine withdrawal can exacerbate them.
How do I know I need help with my cocaine addiction?
Accepting that you need help with cocaine addiction can be extremely difficult, but acceptance is the first step to recovery. There are many signs that you can look out for that may indicate that you should get some help with your cocaine intake. Here are some things to look out for.
- Feeling as though you should cut down on your cocaine intake
- Having family members or friends express their worry about your cocaine intake
- Frequently struggling with the effects of cocaine
What will happen if I get help with my cocaine addiction?
At Acquiesce, we offer incredible support for dealing with cocaine addiction. Our treatment works in steps to ensure that you can work effectively through each problem, building healthier habits to last a lifetime.
Our treatment programmes are completely bespoke to address your unique needs and challenges. When in recovery with Acquiesce, you will have access to a range of evidence-based therapies from our 12-step recovery program. These therapies are designed to help you understand the root causes of your addiction, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and build a strong support system.
Withdrawal symptoms from cocaine
These withdrawal symptoms are psychological, so you can come straight into rehabilitation rather than using medication.
- Feeling extremely depressed
- Feeling exhausted
- Experiencing strange dreams
- Feeling uncomfortable with aches and pains
- Having an increased appetite
Another aspect of our Acquiesce treatment includes regular therapy sessions. These sessions will be with our qualified therapy team, who can help you to understand the root cause of your addiction. Once these elements have been identified, they will work closely with you to build healthier habits. These habits can help you to avoid relapse of your cocaine addiction.
In addition to personal therapy, we also offer support groups where you can discuss your experiences with others receiving treatment for drug abuse.
Our therapy sessions provide individuals with the opportunities to manage emotions and life. We understand that addiction can suppress your feelings and emotions, and in early abstinence from substances, these emotions can become quite overwhelming. Therapy allows you to gain the tools and techniques to help you manage your emotions better as opposed to using alcohol and drugs. We would also like to reiterate that it is completely normal to feel like this, and we can help you to deal with things better.
Why choose Acquiesce for your cocaine rehabilitation?
Acquiesce is an effective rehab centre in Bolton, rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC. We offer rehabilitation treatments for a wide range of substances, from drugs to alcohol and gambling.
- We offer personalised treatment plans
- We offer a supportive environment for all rehab patients
- Our treatment plans are holistic – we focus on all areas of addiction to help you overcome it
- We provide fantastic aftercare support to guide you in case of relapse
How long is the cocaine rehabilitation programme?
There is no set time frame for how long your cocaine rehab will take. We can be flexible depending on your requirements. We offer highly effective services and have a 98% success rate, which is much higher than the national average success rate of 60 – 70% for substance addiction rehabilitation.
What to do about cocaine drug addiction and cocaine comedown
If you or someone you love is suffering from a cocaine addiction, it’s crucial that you seek advice. We understand how challenging this can be to deal with, and we also know that it’s best to find healthy ways of dealing with it as soon as possible.
Our team is ready to help you. We can complete an initial consultation before creating a personalised plan for you or your loved one. Read our blog on personal stories of recovery from cocaine addiction.
We hope this blog has been helpful regarding a cocaine comedown. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information regarding our cocaine rehabilitation services. Our private rehab centre is the perfect location to help you overcome addiction and build better habits to support your future.
