What does cocaine addiction treatment look like?

A summary of the most important ideas to understand the treatment of this addiction.

Cocaine is probably the most consumed illegal drug in Spain, and every year it leads thousands of people to addiction.

Unfortunately, this reality contrasts with another: this substance is, at the same time, one of the most normalized among adults, especially in nightlife contexts. Often, by the time we react to curb this dependence on cocaine use, it is already very strong and professional help is needed to overcome it.

In this article we will see a summary of how the treatment of cocaine addiction looks likeIn this article we will see a summary about the treatment of cocaine addiction, to understand the way in which patient and therapist are putting the brakes on this disorder.

How does dependence on a drug occur?

There are at least two ways of understanding how addictions develop: a neurological and a psychological one.

The neurological perspective

At the neurological level, addiction to a substance such as cocaine begins to emerge when after consuming it several times, our nervous system becomes accustomed to the presence of these new molecules that enter the organism. molecules that enter the organism.

This substance comes into contact with our neurons and, by interacting with their membrane, triggers nervous reactions that activate the pleasure areas, that is, those that predispose us to repeat the action that has resulted in experiencing that sensation. In this case, the behavior that has triggered that experience is snorting a line of cocaine, for example.

With the passage of time, cocaine consumption transforms the way in which the neurons in our brain are interconnected. and little by little these are organized in such a way that the consumption of this drug becomes one of the most important priorities of the person. Thus, other pleasurable experiences such as eating or reading a good book become secondary at the expense of focusing psychological activity on obtaining and consuming the addictive substance.

In addition, another effect of cocaine on the brain is that while it triggers what is practically the only pleasurable sensation for the person, it is increasingly fleeting, and he or she needs more and more of the drug to feel satisfied.

The psychological perspective

If the treatment of cocaine addiction includes psychotherapy, it is because psychology has a lot to say about this disorder. Dependence on a drug is not only a neurobiological phenomenon, but it is also something in which The way in which the addicted person interacts with the environment, and the environments to which he/she is usually exposed, is important..

If a person who finds it difficult to stop using cocaine always goes out partying in the same places and socializes with the same people, it is practically impossible for him or her to overcome the addiction.

On the other hand, there are some people who, without the need to go to therapy, overcome their addictions after moving, almost spontaneously. This is something that was proven with a very radical case: the heroin addiction crisis of soldiers sent to the Vietnam War. When they returned home from the United States, a very high percentage of them had managed to stop their dependence on heroin use.

Obviously, the vast majority of people will never go through the experience of developing an addiction restricted to an environment radically different from that of their hometown and in a context of war, so intervention by professionals is necessary in the vast majority of cases.

The keys to cocaine addiction treatment

Here we will look at the main key ideas to understand how the treatment of cocaine addiction is carried out.

1. Medical examination and follow-up

Substance addiction involves very delicate biological processes, especially because it involves a set of organs as important for survival as the brain.

For this reason, teams of experts in the treatment of addiction work with physicians who supervise patientsThis is particularly important in the detoxification phase, but is also relevant in later phases, especially if the patient feels discomfort due to other health complications and tries to "compensate" with the pleasurable sensation of using drugs.

Detoxification

The first few days after stopping cocaine use are the hardest for patients, since it is at this stage that withdrawal symptoms appear with the greatest intensity. For this reason, the detoxification phase, in which the body eliminates the drug residues that remain in the Blood and tissues, is delicate and requires special attention, is delicate and requires special attention from specialists..

3. Recognition of previous history of consumption

As with any other disorder of this type, cocaine addiction is expressed in moments in which the person feels the urge to obtain the drug and relieve the discomfort generated by the lack of consumption.

In this phase thoughts and feelings arise that indicate when there is a greater risk of giving in to the temptation to relapse.This is why addiction intervention professionals train patients to be able to identify these psychological processes that serve as a warning. In this way, it is much easier to curb their effects, preventing them from leading the person to use.

4. Search for new incentives

It is of little use to curb the desire to consume drugs if alternatives are not offered. For this reason, in the treatment of cocaine addiction, we also analyze on a case-by-case basis what is the best way to treat the addiction. the context in which each patient lives is analyzed on a case-by-case basis.The program can be used, as well as their interests, personal characteristics and potential tastes, to offer them many other activities on which to concentrate and with which to eclipse the power of influence of the addictive disorder.

5. Search for new contexts

Another key to the success of cocaine addiction therapy lies in helping the patient to generalize the results obtained in the therapy sessions to different areas of his or her life. This includes guiding him/her in behavioral guidelines that he/she can follow to avoid exposing him/herself to the temptation of using againor not to become interested in the activity again. For example, this includes not being limited to a group of friends in which most people have addiction problems, or to nightlife plans in which not consuming psychoactive substances is almost an eccentricity.

You are also helped to discard harmful beliefs that facilitated the existence of the addiction: beliefs that maintained a low self-esteem, that led you to believe that the drug does not have too many adverse health effects, etc.

Are you looking for professional support to overcome addiction?

If you live in Barcelona or its surroundings and you are interested in addiction therapy services, we invite you to come to our facilities in Barcelona or in Dosrius (Mataró).

At CITA Clinics we specialize in the treatment of addictions, and we offer addiction treatment services.We offer therapeutic treatment and inpatient services in a space surrounded by nature and with many activities to do. If you are interested in learning more, visit this page.

Bibliographical references:

• American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (1999). Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 33.
• Goldstein, R.A.; DesLauriers, C.; Burda, A.M. (2009). Cocaine: history, social implications, and toxicity--a review. Disease-A-Month. 55(1): pp. 6 - 38.
• Kalivas, P.W., Volkow, N.D. (2005). The neural basis of addiction: a pathology of motivation and choice. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 162 (8): pp. 1403 - 1413.
• National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2008). Drug Misuse: Psychosocial Interventions. Leicester: British Psychological Society; NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 51.