Cocaine usage was regarded as socially acceptable until the 1980s when the epidemic of cocaine addiction swept the country. The drug of choice for Hollywood and celebrities, in general, was cocaine. Cocaine addicts even touted the drug’s virtues and attempted to encourage its usage, only to subsequently regret their folly.
Every year, millions of individuals abuse cocaine, and many get addicted to it. Cocaine addiction causes a slew of health and societal issues. In 2011, cocaine was the cause of roughly 40% of 1.3 million trips to the emergency room for drug abuse-related injuries and overdoses. Between 2001 and 2014, cocaine overdose accounted for 4,000 to 7,000 deaths, with the rate of death from overdose now increasing yearly. If you’ve been abusing cocaine and realize you’ve developed a problem, it’s important to seek treatment before things get out of hand.
Table of Contents
What Is Cocaine?
The drug is derived from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylon coca Lam), which is grown in the Andean nations of South America.
Cocaine is a powerful, euphoria-inducing stimulant substance with a high potential for addiction. It’s commonly abused in two forms, powder form or salt form most commonly referred to as crack. Other street names for the drug include: Blow, bump, dust, rail, coke, C, or big C.
Powder cocaine can be inhaled through the nose or dissolved in water and injected into a vein. It can also be ingested or applied to the gums. It is often combined with fillers like sugar or flour to lengthen the product’s supply and maximize dealer revenues. The drug might also be combined with other medications like stimulant amphetamines or synthetic opioids like fentanyl. This poses a high risk for an accidental overdose with users ingesting other powerful chemicals unknowingly.
Crack is cocaine that has had impurities removed with solvents. The drug resembles little, unevenly formed rock fragments. Its name is derived from the sound it makes while being smoked. “Crack” became popular in the 1980s due to the inexpensive street price and the speed at which the drug entered the bloodstream via the lungs.
Cocaine use disorder can develop after short durations of use. Taking cocaine is extremely life-threatening and prolonged cocaine use only increases this risk. Individuals with a cardiac problem or high blood pressure who use cocaine put themselves in tremendous danger since the substance promotes accelerated heart rate and elevated blood pressure.
Side Effects Associated With Cocaine
Some of the signs of cocaine abuse aren’t as obvious to outsiders. For instance, if you’re abusing cocaine, you may experience symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Financial troubles
- Stealing
- Selling of personal property to afford drugs
- Extreme weight loss without exercising
- Risky behavior
- Nausea
- Stomach pains
- Rapid heart rate
- Loss of sexual desire or impotence
These symptoms can significantly impact a person’s wellbeing. However, quitting cocaine isn’t always simple. It may be necessary to consider treatment options.
Half-Life Of Cocaine
Cocaine’s half-life is closer to one hour. This closely mirrors how cocaine produces a short, quick, and intense high for its consumer. Cocaine is rapidly absorbed after smoking, with plasma concentrations peaked after 5 minutes or 30-40 minutes if taken nasally.
Cocaine can persist in your system for up to 5.5 hours after you consume it, but it also has an active metabolite called benzoylecgonine, which takes longer to entirely leave the system. This metabolite can take 48 hours to leave the body.
Getting Rid Of Cocaine From Your Body
The safest way to detox from cocaine is with the help of an addiction treatment center. Medication-assisted therapy can counteract the symptoms of withdrawal. Most of the withdrawal symptoms that an individual will experience from cocaine are psychological. They may experience slowed thinking and have difficulty concentrating. They may be either restless or exhausted, depending on the physiology of the patient. Depression and anxiety are also common, as are an increased appetite and nightmares.
It’s critical to follow these guidelines while detoxing or attempting to cleanse the body of cocaine:
- Exercise. It’s crucial to sweat it out and keep active.
- Keep your mind occupied with a new hobby.
- Make sure you get enough water. Keep yourself hydrated!
- Don’t consume alcoholic beverages.
- Caffeine should be avoided.
Cravings can be severe during detoxing from cocaine, which might lead to relapse in some people. Setting yourself up for success by seeking residential treatment can help you avoid these dangers, as the support of a professional team and a drug-free atmosphere can function as a necessary barrier between you and cocaine.
What Makes Cocaine Detection Time Consuming
Cocaine’s main metabolite is benzoylecgonine. It is produced in the liver by the hydrolysis of cocaine, which is catalyzed by carboxylesterases. After being processed in the liver, cocaine users expel it in their urine. It’s difficult to know how long cocaine will be detected in the body. The length of time cocaine stays in a person’s system is determined by a variety of parameters, including:
Frequency Of Use
○ The more you use cocaine the more time it will take to get rid of it from your body and can easily be detected from a drug test.
Intake Of Alcohol
○ Using cocaine and alcohol at the same time is a risky combination that can have catastrophic results. When cocaine and alcohol are combined, a cocaine metabolite is formed that stays in the body for a longer duration. When cocaine and alcohol are combined, the liver produces a new metabolite called cocaethylene. Cocaethylene has a three to five times longer plasma life than cocaine, and it has been associated with liver damage, seizures, and immune system dysfunction. Cocaethylene carries a risk of instant mortality that is 18 to 25 times higher than cocaine alone. Because of this, the period in which it can be detected is also extended.
Body Fat
○ Benzoylecgonine is a substance that can be stored in fatty tissue. As a result, if you have a lot of body fat, the substance will be present and detectable for longer.
Dehydration
○ Cocaine may stay in your system longer if you’re dehydrated. This is due to the fact that water can hasten the excretion of cocaine metabolites. Drinking plenty of water during the detox period will shorten the detection window.
Physical Exercise
○ Exercise can increase a person’s metabolism speeding up the detox process. Furthermore, studies have shown that physical activity releases the hormone dopamine into the brain. This is especially helpful in restoring depleted levels of dopamine caused by habitual cocaine abuse. The act of following an exercise plan also distracts the mind from thinking about consuming drugs.
Method Of Intake
○ The way you consume cocaine-snorting, smoking or injecting—influences how long it’s able to be detected. A rule of thumb is that the more rapidly the cocaine enters the bloodstream the faster it will also exit the body. So in theory, the method of snorting cocaine will have a longer period of a positive detection. Of course, this may vary depending on other factors.
Cocaine Withdrawal Process
It is common for someone to struggle with addiction, even with limited cocaine use. Because of the way this drug interacts with your central nervous system, it can create bursts of energy and euphoria, which your brain thinks is a good thing. The different phases a person can experience during withdrawal are as follows:
The Crash
○ When cocaine usage is discontinued, a “crash” occurs nearly immediately. During a crash, the cocaine user will have severe and intense cravings. Cocaine withdrawal often lacks the visible physical symptoms of heroin or alcohol withdrawal, such as vomiting and shaking. People typically experience this first phase quickly after stopping cocaine use. In this phase, people can feel irritable, anxious, exhausted, and may experience dysphoric feelings.
The Withdrawal
○ In this phase, people may experience increased cravings, poor concentration, and lethargy. This phase may last longer than other phases and is associated with a high chance of relapse. Withdrawal from a stimulant differs from withdrawal from a depressant such as opioids or alcohol. As mentioned, most of what makes detox from cocaine a painful experience is psychological.
Although withdrawal from cocaine is not usually a life-threatening process, some troubles may arise at times. Some of the most common cocaine withdrawal include:
- Slowed activity or fatigue
- Slowed thinking
- Inability to concentrate
- Restlessness
- Depression or anxiety
- Suicidal inclinations
- Increased cravings for cocaine
The Extinction
○ After withdrawal is complete, urges for the substance start to fade away, eventually disappearing completely. It might take up to six months after you stop using cocaine to reach extinction. As a result, it’s critical to continue receiving substance abuse therapy throughout this period.
Cocaine Lasting Timeline
The length of time cocaine remains detectable in your body is determined by a variety of factors, including how long you’ve been using, how much you’ve used, and the type of drug test used. Urine tests are the most common type of test.
Blood
The usual life of cocaine in blood plasma is roughly one and a half hours but a blood test can still detect cocaine metabolites thereafter. The presence of the metabolites can be detectible for approximately 48 hours after the last use.
Hair
Hair sample tests are designed to identify cocaine usage during the previous three months, however, they may often detect cocaine present beyond that time frame. Blood deposits in your hair can be used to identify cocaine metabolites. A hair test is more expensive than a urine drug screen so they are typically less common.
Saliva
Because of the short detection window, saliva tests are rarely performed. Unlike urine and blood tests a saliva screening is only accurate for a few hours. Although in some instances they can identify traces of cocaine up to two days after the last use.
Urine
A urine screening is the most common test method. Cocaine is frequently visible in urine for three to five days if someone has just used it once. Using cocaine regularly can lengthen the amount of time the substance can be detected. A urine test for regular or heavy cocaine users can detect the substance for up to 2 weeks after the last dose.
Find help for cocaine addiction today
At Ethan Crossing, our cocaine detox center is designed to make it possible for you to stop using cocaine and to rebuild your life. While in our cocaine addiction treatment program, you will receive one-on-one care in a safe place. We can work with you on mental health issues you may have and work through previous trauma. No matter what you’re up against, we’re here to help you work through it.
What to expect in detox.
When you take the first step and get into our cocaine detox center, you will spend time in a warm and welcoming space. This is not a scary hospital-like setting, but a place where you can feel at home. During your time in detox, your body will work to remove the drugs from your system. We can provide you with medication that will ease your withdrawal symptoms and reduce the risk of experiencing cravings. We also provide medical assistance to ensure your physical needs are met.
Treatment options for cocaine addiction
Our team will work closely with you to complete your treatment over the course of a few days to weeks within the cocaine detox center. Then, we’ll encourage you to move into our men’s rehab or women’s rehab program. This residential treatment program is where you will begin to work on overcoming your addiction. You will learn about your disease and why it happened to you.
In addition to this, we use a range of therapies to help guide you towards recovery. These include therapies for your mind and body, including:
During individual treatment and group therapy, you will learn more about the underlying causes of addiction. You will also develop healthy coping skills that you can use to help rebuild your life.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP – CALL OUR REHAB CENTER
The right cocaine rehab center can provide you with the support you need to finally break free from your addiction. In Ethan Crossing’s cocaine addiction treatment facilities, we provide comprehensive addiction treatment. Reach out today so you can start to heal.