Cocaine
Highly popular throughout the 80s
and 90s, cocaine is a naturally
occurring drug made from the extracts
of the coca bush, a plant indigenous
to parts of South America. Cocaine
is an extremely addictive narcotic
stimulant that provides the user
with a short-lived feeling of euphoria,
talkativeness and mental alertness.
As such, cocaine addiction can occur
rather quickly and be a very difficult
habit to break.
Withdrawal Symptoms
 Cocaine
can lead to both a physical and a psychological addiction
and requires a period of readjustment once the drug is no
longer being taken. Withdrawal symptoms vary in length and
severity depending on the length of use and the frequency.
Symptoms include:
- agitation
- depression
- intense cravings
- extreme fatigue
- anxiety
- angry or violent outbursts
- decreased motivation
- nausea or vomiting
- shaking
- irritability
- muscle pain
- irregular or disturbed sleep patterns
Treatment
Because cocaine is a complex addiction that includes biological
and chemical changes in the brain, as well as various social
and environmental factors, treatment for cocaine addiction
must address all of these aspects. While there are currently
no pharmaceutical alternatives to aid in combating cocaine
addiction, new drugs such as selegeline and disulfiram are
being tested and show a great deal of promise in clinical
trials. Other than that, behavioral intervention such as cognitive-behavioral
therapies aid the addict in replacing old habits with new
and healthier ones, while helping to change the addict’s
way of thinking and their expectancies from drug use. Therapeutic
communities are another alternative in which the addict stays
at a residential facility for six to twelve months while learning
the skills to reintegrate back into society drug-free. |