Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Why Treatment Can Help When Addicted to Cocaine

Once addicted, it is extremely difficult to stop using cocaine without professional help.

An addiction as overwhelming as that of cocaine requires a holistic treatment approach which addresses several facets of the person that have suffered damage and need help to heal.

Ideally, the person who has been devastated by cocaine addiction needs to begin the journey of recovery surrounded by a caring community, consisting of experienced and dedicated professionals and other recovering addicts, who are traveling on the same healing road.

10 Acre Ranch offers help and a lifeline for those who seek cocaine addiction treatment

The natural beauty of our secluded location, along with frequent interaction with counselors and other recovering individuals in our “social model” treatment program, can do a lot to help rebuild a lost spiritual connection or start a new one.

Twelve step meetings and sponsorship are but one crucial part of the treatment component here.

Group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, one-on-one counseling and rational emotive therapy are just some of the counseling strategies we implement. We also provide a delicious, nutritious, healthy diet and a physical recreation program to help rebuild the physical damage that results from cocaine addiction.

What Exactly is Cocaine?

Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug, classified by the federal government as a “high abuse, high dependency-risk stimulant.” The powdered form of cocaine can be inhaled through the nose (snorted) or dissolved in water and then injected directly into a vein. It can also be injected just under the skin, which increases the duration of the high and can also lead to infection or other medical complications.

Crack is a street form of cocaine that is processed into a rock crystal and then smoked, most often using a pipe.

Given the higher level of concentration, long-term crack cocaine users may experience even more dramatic symptoms and complications.

Smoking crack cocaine on a regular basis will damage the heart, creating structural damage including scar tissue caused by minor heart attacks the user experiences without being aware of them. Eventually, smoking crack can cause the heart to fail or rupture, resulting in death.

Cocaine-Related Psychosis is a Real Thing

Cocaine has numerous effects on various neurotransmitters in the brain; however, the most dramatic effect is the increase of dopamine. Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter involved in the pleasure centers of the brain. Its release is associated with pleasure and a sense of well-being. This is the “rush” that the cocaine user seeks.

Excessive use of cocaine increases dopamine levels and then the brain is depleted, leading to strong mood swings. Users commonly appear “out-of control,” exhibiting symptoms such as:

Cocaine addiction can damage another chemical in the brain which controls pleasure and pain – endorphins. Cocaine mimics the body’s naturally occurring endorphins but cocaine is much more powerful. Cocaine attaches to the endorphin receptors, crowding out the body’s naturally occurring pleasure and pain chemicals. This can cause you to flatline emotionally, losing the natural ability to feel pleasure and pain.

The Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine abuse permeates all aspects of the user’s life, including: