Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Abuse
Just like there are short-term effects of cocaine abuse, there are also long-term effects of cocaine abuse. Many of the long-term effects of cocaine abuse are severe and can lead to serious health issues or even death.
Common long-term effects of cocaine abuse include:
- Headaches
- Convulsions
- Seizures
- Heart disease
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Poor sex drive
- Moodiness
- Lung damage
- HIV or hepatitis due to injecting cocaine into one’s body with needles and/or mixing cocaine with the wrong substances
- Loss of smell
- Runny nose
- Nosebleed
- Trouble swallowing
- Bowel decay
Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Overdose
There are various signs and symptoms of a cocaine overdose. Thus, it’s important to be aware of such signs and symptoms so that the person overdosing on cocaine can get treated immediately. Otherwise, there is a high chance that the person overdosing on cocaine will die.
Common signs and symptoms of cocaine overdose include:
- Irregular or elevated heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Shakiness
- Seizures
- Trouble breathing
- Blurred vision
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Being disoriented
- Hallucinations
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
Cocaine Withdrawal
Cocaine withdrawals are the symptoms that people feel whenever they minimize or discontinue their use of cocaine. Examples of cocaine withdrawal symptoms include the following:
- Intense cravings
- Fever
- Irritability
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slowed thinking
- Slowed activity
- Physical fatigue
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Vivid dreams and nightmares
- Chills and tremors
- Muscle aches
- Nerve pain
- Increased appetite
- Increased cocaine cravings
Cocaine Detox
To help a person manage his or her cocaine withdrawal symptoms, he or she must attend cocaine detox. Cocaine detox is the process of ridding all cocaine and any other toxic substances from one’s body. That way individuals can enter into addiction treatment clean and sober and with their withdrawal symptoms under control.
When choosing a cocaine detox program, make sure that it’s medical. By medical we mean that there are doctors and medical staff on standby during every step of the detox process.
Attending a medical cocaine detox program when suffering from cocaine abuse issues is vital. This is because detoxing from a highly addictive substance such as cocaine is dangerous and can lead to the development of short or long-term health issues. Therefore, having doctors and medical staff on standby throughout the cocaine detox process can help make sure that any health issues that arise during detox can be immediately treated.
Having doctors and medical staff on standby during the cocaine detox process is also important because it allows doctors to prescribe cocaine detox patients with withdrawal medications. That way, individuals in cocaine detox can manage their withdrawal symptoms even as they are actively occurring. Right now there is no set medication that treats cocaine withdrawal though.
Cocaine Addiction Treatment
After a person completes cocaine detox, he or she is supposed to enter cocaine addiction treatment. There are various forms of cocaine addiction treatment. Some of the forms of cocaine addiction treatment that we here at Live Free Recovery offer are described below.
Inpatient Treatment
Here at Live Free Recovery, we offer the full continuum of care when it comes to drug addiction treatment. This continuum of care starts with inpatient treatment programs.
Inpatient treatment programs are for individuals that suffer from severe addictions. Thus, individuals that suffer from severe cocaine addictions can enter our inpatient cocaine addiction treatment programs. Such individuals just must be prepared to live in our rehab facilities 24/7 during the time period that they are receiving treatment, as inpatient treatment programs require it.
Partial Hospitalization Program
Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are the most intense outpatient treatment programs. This is because, while PHPs are outpatient, they still require their patients to attend rehab five to eight hours a day, five to seven days a week.
Because PHPs require their patients to attend rehab all day, they are good outpatient alternatives to inpatient treatment programs. Thus, individuals with moderate to severe level cocaine addictions that can’t afford to live in rehab facilities 24/7 can attend our PHP.
Intensive Outpatient Program
Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) for cocaine abuse require their patients to attend rehab for around three to four hours a day, a few days a week. When not in rehab sessions, IOP patients can live in their own homes and tend to their normal lives.
IOPs are for individuals that suffer from moderate-level addictions. Thus, people with moderate level cocaine addictions that can’t afford to take off from their lives completely to attend rehab should enter our IOP cocaine addiction treatment programs.
Outpatient Program
A standard outpatient program (OP) is one that requires its patients to attend rehab for approximately only a couple of hours a day, once or twice a week. When not in rehab OP patients can live in their own homes and tend to their normal lives.
Because OPs don’t require their patients to attend rehab for a long period of time, they are best suited for individuals with milder addictions. Thus, people with mild cocaine addictions can attend our OPs.
Receive Cocaine Addiction Treatment At Live Free Recovery
Live Free Recovery is an addiction treatment center located in New Hampshire. As an addiction treatment center, we here at Live Free Recovery offer a full continuum of care that treats moderate-level a wide variety of substance addictions, including cocaine addiction. Thus, if you are looking for quality cocaine addiction treatment, look no further than Live Free Recovery.
To learn more about Live Free Recovery and the addiction treatment programs and services that we offer, contact us today.