Cocaine Rehab in Arizona
- ADDICTIONS
Long-term recovery from cocaine addiction.
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What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug that is commonly snorted, injected, or smoked. It can also be rubbed on the gums and absorbed into the bloodstream. It comes from the coca plant found in South America and can be processed into several different forms.
Cocaine is white in appearance and usually takes the form of a fine powder. Street names for it include coke, C, snow, powder, or blow. If the powder is processed into a crystal form (often with other ingredients processed in), it becomes what is known as ‘crack.’ Crack cocaine kicks in more quickly than its pure counterpart and is smoked instead of snorted.
Cocaine was used medicinally before the 1900s, but it has since been classified as a Schedule II drug because of its dangerous effects and potential for dependence.
Cocaine affects dopamine in the brain, the chemical controlling the pleasure and reward system. Usually, the brain releases dopamine in response to potential rewards, such as food or sex. When the reward is gone, it moves the dopamine back into the cell that released it. Cocaine prevents dopamine from moving back into the cell, creating a buildup in the nerve cells. In this way, cocaine produces euphoria or a ‘high’.
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Cocaine Side Effects
Because cocaine is highly addictive, users become very dependent on the drug and need it to accomplish everyday things. Some significant behavioral changes indicate cocaine use. Here are just a few:
- Unexpected energy in the morning or evening
- Rapid speech
- Unusual enthusiasm
- White powder below nostrils
- Repeated trips to the bathroom or other secluded places
- Unexpected interruptions to drive somewhere or meet someone
- Significant increase in sexual drive
- Paranoia
- Suppressed appetite
- Weight loss
Another common effect, aside from erratic behavior, is an empty bank account.
The effects of cocaine subside after only 30 minutes. Users need to take regular hits in order to maintain their high. Unless users are particularly well off or selling the drug themselves, they are hard-pressed to afford a cocaine habit.
If you’ve been struggling with cocaine addiction, a cocaine rehab treatment center in Arizona like ours at Terra Nova may be able to help.
How Cocaine Use Impacts Mental Health
There are several dangers that accompany cocaine use. Mental health is especially susceptible to short-term and long-term neural damage from cocaine. This is primarily due to the fact that the cocaine effects directly modify chemicals in the brain.
Besides dopamine, cocaine also affects serotonin and norepinephrine. When in balance, these chemicals properly regulate the brain’s pleasure and reward system. However, these three chemicals are greatly increased as soon as cocaine enters the system.
When these chemicals spike to an inordinate level, it can cause major psychiatric problems, such as psychosis.
There are several mental health problems that can arise from even short-term use, such as:
- Cocaine intoxication delirium
- Cocaine-induced psychotic disorders with hallucination and/or delusions
- Cocaine-induced mood disorder
- Cocaine-induced anxiety disorder
- Cocaine-induced sexual dysfunction
- Cocaine-induced sleep disorder
Cocaine can damage the brain significantly, especially when used in combination with alcohol and/or other drugs.
Cocaine and Alcohol
Comorbid addictions are always dangerous, but alcohol and cocaine are especially so. It generates a chemical called cocaethylene that is stronger than cocaine and longer lasting. Cocaethylene can cause long-term neurological and cardiac problems. Because cocaethylene is stronger than cocaine, users will often combine alcohol and cocaine to experience an even more euphoric high. Cocaine users frequently abuse alcohol.
Alcohol slows brain functions, and cocaine speeds them up. As users drink more and more, they use cocaine to counteract the drunk feeling and maintain an ‘even’ high. After using cocaine and alcohol, addicts become bolder and as a result, have the propensity to behave dangerously.
Even though users feel ‘even keeled’ or ‘sobered up’ after using cocaine, alcohol remains in their system, making them a risk to the others around them. It is not uncommon to encounter users that become angry and physically violent when combining alcohol and cocaine.
Long-Term Effects
Long-term use of cocaine can have several adverse effects on the body and mind. Chronic cocaine use can lead to cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, gastrointestinal issues, and malnutrition. Cocaine use can also cause the heart muscles to thicken and blood pressure to spike, leading to long-term heart problems. In addition to physical health problems, long-term cocaine use can also lead to neurological problems such as intracerebral hemorrhage, bleeding within the brain, and balloon-like bulges in the walls of cerebral blood vessels. Studies have shown that cocaine speeds up HIV infection, increasing the potential for contracting Hepatitis C, regardless of the method of use.
Chronic cocaine use can also lead to paranoia, hallucinations, depression, or psychosis. Other long-term effects of cocaine use may include social and financial problems, legal problems, and relationship problems. Cocaine use can also lead to addiction, which can be difficult to overcome without professional help. It is important for individuals who are struggling with cocaine addiction to seek professional help as soon as possible. Treatment for cocaine addiction at a cocaine treatment center in Arizona may include behavioral therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and support groups.
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Recovering from Cocaine Addiction
Withdrawal from cocaine is commonly exhibited as severe fatigue, loss of interest, craving cocaine, and lack of motivation. For example, addicts may experience increased interest in a subject while on cocaine but have no interest at all after the high has worn off.
While on cocaine, users might be excited and energetic but off cocaine, all they want to do is sleep. Part of withdrawing from cocaine is simply getting good sleep. This can be done safely in detox, with the supervision of medical professionals.
After completing detox, patients are admitted into 30- or 90-day programs. This time is used to bring the chemicals in the brain back into balance. It is also used to treat addicts holistically by tackling the emotional and mental components that occur alongside addiction.
Paying for Treatment
We Work With Most Major Insurance
Terra Nova Behavioral Health works with most major insurance carriers to help cover most of the costs associated with treatment at our program. Get a free insurance verification right now to find out your personal options for treatment.
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What We Can Do to Help
Terra Nova Treatment has on-site psychiatrists and Doctor of Psychology-certified specialists to help treat patients with medication and therapy. After a patient’s initial assessment, we constantly monitor their behavior and mental state. This allows the clinical team to create the best treatment plan for each patient.
We are an inpatient/outpatient rehab and JCAHO Accredited Arizona Treatment Center. We offer world-class alcohol and drug treatment in beautiful Prescott, AZ.
