Treatment For Cocaine Addiction - Some Important Facts

Cocaine, a white crystalline powder is a highly addictive stimulant. It directly affects the brain. It has been an abused substance for quite some time. It is smoked, injected or snorted through the nose. Injecting cocaine can be more dangerous. It carries the potential danger of being infected with the AIDS virus. This makes treatment for cocaine addiction more complicated.

There are many forms of cocaine. These are freebasing and crack. Freebase is a very dangerous form of cocaine. Generally smoked, it makes an addict more compulsive towards cocaine. Cocaine reaches the brain quickly resulting in euphoria. But its effect disappears very soon and the person feels a craving for it more and more. Crack is a street name given to cocaine. It comes in the form of shavings or lumps.

It is called crack because it makes a cracking sound when smoked. It is has become a matter of grave crisis as it is not expensive and can be easily transported. Signs and symptoms of cocaine addiction come in two forms. One is called short term effects and the other long term effects. Both these effects are highly detrimental to the health.

It may lead to permanent damage or even death. The short term effects are experienced even if a person has used cocaine just one time. But the long term effects depend on the quantity of the cocaine and duration for which a patient has been taking it. Symptoms of cocaine addiction are easily noticeable. A patient may experience decreased appetite, high blood pressure, increased energy and increased heart beating.

Mental alertness and dilated pupils are some other short term effects of cocaine addiction. Long term after effects is more dangerous and life threatening. Cocaine addiction in the long run causes serious medical complications. Some of these are heart attacks, heart strokes, and heart complications. A patient may suffer from gastro intestinal problems and respiratory failures.

So far as treatment of cocaine addiction is concerned, no single treatment can be suitable for all patients. Secondly treatment should address all the needs of the patient. There are varied cocaine addiction treatment approaches. In medication treatment medicines are offered to suppress the withdrawal symptoms in the patients. Frequent convulsions, restlessness and anxiety and pain in the stomach are some common withdrawal symptoms among cocaine addicts.

Medications help reestablish the normal brain function, reduce craving for cocaine and prevent relapse of the symptoms. Buprenorphine is said to be effective in treating cocaine addicts. The behavioral treatment has been found very effective in treating such patients. It includes cognitive, multidimensional family and motivational therapy. In cognitive therapy a patient learns how to cope with the situations in which he falls back upon cocaine or other drugs.

Motivational therapies make him respond to the treatment being given to him. In multidimensional therapy family support is very essential. Family members are advised to create an environment specially designed for the patient. Behavior of family members of the patient plays an important part in the cocaine addiction treatment.

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