Cocaine Detox

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John Gillen - Last Updated: August 24, 2023

Last reviewed: March 31, 2022 by Dr Alexander Lapa. All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

Cocaine DetoxCocaine addiction has affected many thousands of people in the United Kingdom, and it does not discriminate in who it chooses to affect. Many professionals who would otherwise live productive and rewarding lives have seen their existence crumble at the hands of this dangerous and illegal substance.

Cocaine is an extremely addictive substance with many adverse physical and psychological consequence for those who develop an addiction to this substance. Cocaine negatively impacts all who surround the person directly affected by its addiction. This includes family members, friends and colleagues of those affected by cocaine addiction.

When you consume cocaine, your cognitive abilities will begin to degenerate. You will struggle to maintain attention on important tasks. You will struggle to rely on your memory and your career and family life will suffer as a result.

When people talk about cocaine, they’re often referring to coke, a white powder that’s usually snorted. However, use of crack cocaine has risen in recent years too. Also known as freebase, this form of cocaine is smoked in a pipe or foil, and while it has long been seen in American addiction centres, crack cocaine is now becoming a more common sight in the UK. Whatever type of drug you want to stop using, the Rehab Clinics Group can arrange for a cocaine detox in one of our clinics in the UK or Spain. With a number of treatment options available, you could finally be free of cocaine and ready to enjoy life again.

Going through a Cocaine detox

Both coke and crack cocaine have similar sorts of side effects and are similarly addictive, they cause feelings of euphoria and provide a quick high. But these drugs also have a short half-life, which means they don’t last for long, and many users take cocaine multiple times a night simply to chase that high. If you try to reduce your intake, or stop completely, then you’re likely to get symptoms of cocaine withdrawal that appear quickly, from chills to body aches. Many users try to quit on their own, but find that the symptoms are too overwhelming, so they use again simply to feel better.

When you undertake cocaine rehab programme at one of the Rehab Clinics Groups’ treatment centre’s, the first step is to get you through a cocaine detox. This is a tough process, and it’s harder if you’ve been a cocaine user for a long time, especially if you regularly use crack. We’ve found that the cold turkey approach is best if you’re overcoming a cocaine addiction, so rather than getting you to taper off, you’ll stop using the drug under close medical supervision. Unfortunately, the withdrawal symptoms kick in quite quickly, and they can be intense, but one advantage of going through the detox process at a clinic is that you can be given medication to ease the symptoms.

You may be prescribed:

  • Gabapentin: this can help with side effects such as seizures, anxiety and insomnia. It helps counteract some of the effects of crack cocaine abuse and can make your detox more manageable.
  • Vigabatrin: although it’s mainly an anti-epileptic drug, this can be prescribed to help with your anxiety during your detox. Managing the psychological symptoms is a good way to prevent you dropping out of the programme and relapsing.

 

Substance abuse disorder

Many cocaine users who have abused the drug in the long-term really want to stop using, yet find they physically can’t. While they’re aware of the dangers of the drug and are perhaps suffering from its effects, they feel like they’re completely in the grip of addiction. If this is you, then you may have substance abuse disorder, and should seek help as quickly as possible. We can offer you a cocaine detox which is done under medical supervision, meaning it’s as safe and pleasant as possible.

 

Why you should quit Cocaine

There are many motivations that finally lead users into a drug detox programme. Finances often suffer while taking cocaine, especially those who use coke, and because the effects are so short-term, people will often resort to borrowing money or even stealing to support a habit. One of the effects of cocaine is that it can change your personality, putting a strain on personal relationships or causing trouble at work, especially when you’re on a comedown after taking the drug and feel tired and depressed.

Cocaine is also an incredibly risky drug to take. If you have high-blood pressure or any heart problems, then you could have a heart attack. This has even happened to fit and healthy people who’ve only taken the drug a couple of times. It can also cause seizures, and while coke can damage your nose, crack can cause chest pains and breathing problems. The effects of cocaine are stronger when mixed with alcohol or other drugs. It’s easy to overdose because your inhibitions are lower, and in certain combinations it can be life-threatening.

 

Helping a loved one

The Rehab Clinics Group is often contacted by people worried about a friend or family member. It can be very difficult to see someone going through cocaine addiction, and you may be looking for treatment for cocaine abuse on their behalf. Unfortunately, as with all addictions, cocaine users often go into denial about their addiction. This may be because they’ve already tried the detox process and it didn’t work for them, or because they simply don’t want to face the damage that they’re doing. In these cases, we can help you stage an intervention so you can offer them the chance to attend drug rehab and offer your support.

 

Dual diagnosis

Many people who get in touch with us about a detox aren’t just addicted to cocaine. They may also be suffering from mental health problems or also be addicted to other substances such as alcohol. This means that it can be more difficult to treat cocaine abuse, as the other issues will also need to be taken care of. However, when you spend time in a facility owned by the Rehab Clinics Group, we often work with those with a dual diagnosis, and can help. If you’re detoxing from more than one drug, the side effects such as body aches can be more intense, but we’ll be here for moral support and to give you medication if needed.

 

After your Detox

Once you’ve gone through your detox, we highly recommend that you stay on a treatment programme. You may still experience cravings for cocaine, so it’s better to be in a safe environment away from home where you can get medical help and be supported. We put together a programme of individual therapy, support groups, holistic treatments and aftercare, so when you return home you can feel better both mentally and physically.

 

Why Choose Rehab Clinics Group For Cocaine Detox?

If you are trying to find the right private clinic for cocaine detox then consider Rehab Clinics Group. We are industry leading providers of cocaine detox with access to some of the best private addiction treatment clinics in the UK.

All the staff at our clinics have gone through extensive training to make sure they are able to provide the best level of care for fast and effective detoxification from harmful substances such as Cocaine. When trying to quit any drug that you have become dependant on you will most likely experience withdrawal symptoms, some withdrawal symptoms can be very severe, this is why the need for 24 hour care at all our clinics is essential.

Addiction Recovery Workers at our clinics are trained to spot any signs of potentially severe withdrawal symptoms so they can effectively manage the threat by administering prescription medication or passing you onto emergency services.

It is this level of care which makes our cocaine detox programmes incredibly safe with cocaine withdrawal symptoms being effectively managed throughout the duration of detoxification.

 

Start your Detox today

We understand how annoying it can be when you want to detox, but are told there’s a long wait. The Rehab Clinics Group can sort out a place for you in hours, so there’s no need to delay your detox. Simply pick up the phone and call 03301 596 494 or text HELP to 83222 and we’ll do the rest.

 

Cocaine Detox FAQ’s

Here is a list of some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about cocaine detox.

  • How Dangerous Is Cocaine Withdrawal?

    For the majority of individuals who receive cocaine detox, the withdrawal symptoms experienced are rarely severe with most severe cases being caused by individuals with more than one addiction. If you suffer from any medical conditions then this can also cause complications, this is why we ask that any medical conditions are disclosed to our team before receiving treatment.
  • How Can I Reduce The Dangers Of Cocaine Use?

    There is no way to remove the harmful effects of using cocaine, the only is to stop taking the drug completely. The drug has several harmful physical and phycological effects when using which is only escalated as you become more dependent, if you are using cocaine then the best advice would be to stop before it becomes a problem.
  • Can Cocaine Be Linked To Depression?

    Yes, persistent use of cocaine can cause a drop dopamine production making it hard to experience pleasure without taking the drug which can result in depression.
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John Gillen - Author - Last updated: August 24, 2023

John Gillen is a leading addiction recovery expert with over 15 years of experience in his field. He also co-authored the best-selling book "The Secret Disease of Addiction".

Dr Alexander Lapa - Psychiatrist & Clinical Reviewer for Rehab Clinics Group

Dr Alexander Lapa - Clinical Reviewer - Last reviewed: March 31, 2022

MBBS, PG Dip Clin Ed, OA Dip CBT, OA Dip Psychology, SCOPE Certified

Dr Lapa graduated in Medicine in 2000 and since this time has accrued much experience working in the widest range of psychiatric settings with differing illness presentations and backgrounds in inpatient, community and secure settings. This has been aligned to continuation of professional development at postgraduate level in clinical research which has been very closely related to the everyday clinical practice conducted by this practitioner as a NHS and Private Psychiatrist.
He is fully indemnified by the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) and MIAB Expert Insurance for Psychiatric and Private Medical practice. He is fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK with a licence to practice.

Dr Lapa is approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act (1983)

Member of Independent Doctors Federation (IDF), British Association for Psychopharmacology (BMA) and The Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO)

Dr Lapa’s extensive experience has also concentrated on the following areas of clinical practice:
– Assessment, Diagnosis and Pharmacological Treatment for Adults with ADHD.
– Drug and Alcohol Dependency and maintaining abstinence and continued recovery
– Intravenous and Intramuscular Vitamin and Mineral Infusion Therapy
– Dietary and Weight Management and thorough care from assessment to treatment to end goals and maintenance
– Aesthetic Practice and Procedures