How to Help Someone Addicted to Cocaine

Cocaine use has unfortunately become socially acceptable, with movies and television shows including its use as apparently harmless. This is completely with odds with reality. Cocaine is a very addictive, dangerous and potentially deadly drug. When someone you care about is using cocaine it’s only a matter of time before they will become addicted. There is no “safe” amount of cocaine use.

Cocaine withdrawal includes intense cravings which typically last several days, followed by less intense but still considerable cravings lasting from weeks to months. These cravings make getting off of cocaine without professional help very difficult. As with other drugs, acting quickly can be the difference between life and death.

The first step is reaching out to a drug and alcohol rehab center. Do this before anything else, because if the person your attempting to help says yes, you need to be prepared to immediately admit them before their resolve wears off.  Individuals who use cocaine and other drugs often have a “moment of clarity” where they realize how out of control their lives are. These moments are often short lived by none-the-less sincere.  Waiting any length of time from when they agree to go to rehab and actually getting them there gives the addiction an opening and they may suddenly change their minds.

Choosing the right type of rehab is important. Outpatient programs offer little chance of success for a cocaine addict because they don’t remove the individual from their environment and they will still be exposed to the people, places and things that they have become familiar with and used around. Getting them out of this environment is critical. Long term programs offer the best chance for recovery.

The Dangers of Mixing Cocaine with Other Drugs

As bad as cocaine is on its own, mixing it with other substances makes things even more dangerous. While some users may mix drugs to intensify the effects, others unknowingly consume drugs like fentanyl. Fentanyl in particular has proven to be deadly, especially when the user is unaware that what they are taking contains the drug.

Some frequent combinations include:

• Cocaine and alcohol
• Opiates and cocaine
• Cannabis is commonly used in combination with these

People often mix drugs to boost the high or to soften the crash afterward. But these combinations can increase toxicity and put a person at serious risk.

For example, mixing cocaine and alcohol creates a new chemical in the body called cocaethylene, which intensifies the high and lasts longer — but it also raises the risk of heart attacks, arrhythmias, and strokes, even more than cocaine alone.

When someone overdoses after mixing drugs, it’s also much harder for doctors in the ER to figure out what’s causing the problem, which can waste precious time in a life-threatening situation.

Helping a Loved One Get into Rehab

If someone you love is addicted to cocaine, your support can make all the difference. It’s not easy, but with a united effort from family and friends, you can help them agree to treatment. Once you’ve confirmed they’re struggling with cocaine or other drugs, start looking right away for a long-term, residential rehab program.

When you’re choosing a rehab, here are some things to look for:

• Nutritional support: The body needs to heal from the damage caused by drugs, and proper nutrition helps speed up recovery.
• Help with cravings: Ask if the rehab has ways to manage cravings — this can make the early stages of sobriety much more bearable.
• Life skills training: After years of addiction, a person’s daily life skills can fade. A good program helps rebuild decision-making, responsibility, and independence.
• Emotional healing: Look for programs that help people work through guilt, rebuild self-respect, and restore confidence.

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Is There a Medication for Cocaine Addiction?

It’s important to know that there are no medications approved for the treatment of cocaine addiction. Unfortunately, many rehab programs prescribe medications anyway in an attempt to treat the underlying “mental” problems. However, for many individuals it has been quite some time since they have lived without some sort of drug in their system. Discovering who you are without drugs or alcohol, including ones commonly used in some rehab programs, is an important step in recovery.

It’s important to ask questions about the use of medications in the program. Replacing one drug with another is rarely if ever the best option.

How to Choose a Rehab That Works

Not all rehabs measure success the same way if they measure it at all. Some programs monitor compliance with “the program” as an indicator of success. Some may only track whether patients finish the program or take their prescribed meds on schedule. Others encourage people to see themselves as “powerless” or as “always an addict.” This approach may work for some, but the majority of individuals that enter these types of programs will relapse repeatedly. When someone believes they will always be an addict or that they are powerless to overcome addiction, relapse is inevitable. In fact many of these programs teach that relapse is a part of recovery.

It is true that addiction is a powerful force that can make life seem hopeless. Participants of even the best programs may relapse. This does not mean they are powerless. It means they made a mistake, one they can take responsibility for and learn from. Programs that teach life skills and responsibility allow the individual to take their life into their own hands and learn to live without drugs and alcohol. Not as an addict, or someone destined to fail, but as a happy, healthy contributing member of society. This is the true measure of success.