Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, and Treatment

Cocaine is known to be extremely addictive. It has a short-term high followed by intense lows, making it difficult for some to stop using it once they start. The effects of cocaine use can last for days, weeks, or even months after withdrawal symptoms take hold.

Those experiencing withdrawal should seek professional treatment to help ease the pain because it will provide support through the hard times and help identify mental and physical triggers that can cause relapse. Here are the symptoms, treatment, and timeline of withdrawal.

What Is Cocaine Withdrawal?

Withdrawal is a process that clients undergo when they try to remove a drug from their systems. It is a natural process that occurs when the body is attempting to regulate itself. Withdrawal can be very painful and uncomfortable, and it takes time to get through it. Withdrawal symptoms can last long after stopping the drug usage.

How Does Withdrawal Work?

When you take cocaine for the first time, it gives you a feeling of euphoria and excitement. This feeling can be powerful, and people often will consume cocaine again. The drug becomes more powerful with every use, and you will need more of it to get the same feeling.

What are Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms?

When you stop using cocaine, your body will start to detoxify from the drug. This means that your body will remove any foreign substance, but when your body has become reliant on cocaine–a toxin–to function, this creates withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms are very difficult to deal with because they linger on for a long time after the drug has been discontinued.

The severity of the withdrawal symptoms depends on the amount and duration of cocaine abuse. Some people may not experience any symptoms, while others may have severe signs that can last for weeks or months. The symptoms usually begin within a few hours or days after the last dose of cocaine. Here are a few symptoms that most cocaine addicts will experience.

Insomnia

Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of withdrawal. Insomnia may occur in both moderate and severe cases. This can make it difficult for the user to sleep, leading to anxiety and depression. Insomnia may last for weeks or even months.

Fatigue

The body begins to process the cocaine out of your system. This is why you will feel tired when you stop using it. You may also have trouble sleeping at night despite feeling exhausted.

Increased Appetite

When you are using cocaine, you may have a diminished appetite. When you stop using it, your body may be craving more food. It is important to eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest if this happens.

Muscle Cramps

The body releases chemicals that cause muscle cramps during withdrawal from cocaine use. These cramps can occur in the legs, arms, or jaw muscles. They are uncomfortable and can cause pain for several hours after the person stops using cocaine.

Sweating

During withdrawal, the body can sweat. This sweating is usually more noticeable when someone is in a hot environment. If someone sweats heavily when they stop taking cocaine, it could signify that their bodies are trying to get rid of toxins. When you are sweating a lot, drinking Gatorade or another electrolyte drink will help your body to maintain appropriate salt levels, which will help you avoid cramping.

Depression

Withdrawal from cocaine can cause depression by making the person feel down and unhappy. It may also impair a person’s ability to think rationally. The brain has become dependent on the drug to create its feel-good chemicals, so when these disappear, it takes time for the brain to produce its own again.

Heart Problems

Your heart may start to beat faster than it should or skip beats. This is called arrhythmia. Many people who abuse cocaine do not realize that their heart is beating too fast or on an irregular beat, and they may not seek treatment for their condition until it is too late.

Blood Sugar Imbalance

Cocaine causes the body to lose a large amount of water. This loss of water causes the body to become dehydrated, which can lead to serious problems if left untreated. Dehydration could cause trouble with their blood sugar levels and other health problems such as headaches or exhaustion.

Anxiety

Withdrawal from cocaine affects the brain. When cocaine is used, it increases a person’s heart rate so rapidly that it can cause them to feel anxious or nervous. This can lead to panic attacks or relapse.

Lung Disorders

Lung problems such as asthma and chronic coughs are other major signs of withdrawal. The drugs used in cocaine are highly toxic and can lead to serious health problems over time. People who abuse cocaine may not realize how bad their addiction has affected their health until they try to quit or find themselves unable to breathe.

Tremors

Tremors are the uncontrollable shaking of the hands, arms, legs, and sometimes the whole body. It can start at the beginning of a cocaine binge and last for days afterward. The person may feel like they have Parkinson’s disease or Tourette’s syndrome.

Suicide Thoughts

Suicidal thoughts and actions in people addicted to cocaine are major withdrawal symptoms. The drug causes people who abuse it to feel euphoric when they use it, but this feeling is short-lived, and they quickly become depressed after their high wears off. When this happens, users may get tempted to end their lives because they can no longer handle living without cocaine.

Restless Legs

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is often described as an uncontrollable urge to move one’s legs. The RLS can be very uncomfortable and can cause sleep disturbance. Some people experience RLS more than once while others may never experience it at all during their entire cocaine use.

Grand Mal Seizures

Grand mal seizures are the most severe and dangerous of all withdrawal symptoms. These seizures can cause injury. They often occur within the first two weeks of withdrawal, but they may occur later. However, if a seizure occurs after the first week, it is more likely to be less severe than during the first few days.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations are very common during withdrawal from cocaine use. Hallucinations can include hearing noises or voices that seem real but are not. You may also see things that aren’t there. See things moving when there is no one around. See flashing lights and have unusual thoughts about oneself or others, for example, thinking that one’s hands are burning with fire. Hallucinations can be scary for someone experiencing them, so it’s important to remember that they are not real. They are just a result of the person’s brain trying to make sense of what is happening.

What is Cocaine Detox and Treatment?

Cocaine detox is a medically supervised treatment for addiction to help the client stop using cocaine. The goal of the treatment is to reduce or eliminate the amount of cocaine in the body and help the person go through withdrawal from cocaine. This will allow them to recover without relapsing into using more drugs.

There are several treatment options. They include inpatient, outpatient, and intense aftercare programs like sober living. Inpatient treatment provides the person with a safe and secure environment to recover. It also allows the person to get treatment while going through withdrawal. Residential treatment provides a place for the person to stay while they withdraw from cocaine. They can also have access to therapy, which may help them deal with feelings of anxiety and depression that come from cocaine addiction. Here are some of the treatment methods that can work for you.

Sauna Detoxification

Sauna detoxification is similar to sauna therapy in that it involves staying in a hot environment for a few hours. However, while sauna therapy can help reduce muscle tension and fatigue, sauna detoxification is used to help with withdrawal symptoms from cocaine.

Medications

You can use several drugs to help during withdrawal. These include loperamide, lorazepam, and baclofen, but these must be administered by a medical professional, and you must be monitored when you take them.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy is a type of treatment that involves learning new ways of thinking, behaving, and feeling to reduce drug addiction and dependence. It is often seen as a long-term treatment option for detox because it can help the person learn how to cope with the feelings that come from drug withdrawal. Clients may use several types of behavioral therapy during their treatment of cocaine addiction: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), family therapy, and interpersonal therapy (IPT).

Rewards

Rewarding clients for positive behavior change is another type of treatment. Rewards can include vouchers, gifts, and cash. You may use this strategy to help people focus on their success and motivate them to complete their treatment.

Cocaine Withdrawal Timeline

Discussed below is a typical cocaine withdrawal timeline.

First Three Hours

The first three hours of withdrawal normally involve the following.

• A strong craving for cocaine that can last for days or weeks
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Insomnia

First 24 Hours of Withdrawal

After the first few hours of withdrawal, a person may be more tired than usual. They may also feel depressed and irritable and experience anxiety, panic attacks, and other psychological symptoms. These symptoms can make it hard for them to function at work or in their family life. At this point, they should be sure to get plenty of rest and avoid any risky behavior like drinking alcohol or using drugs. They should also seek help from a medical professional if they feel that they are having trouble feeling normal again after 24 hours.

One Week of Withdrawal

The following symptoms are most likely to occur during the first week of withdrawal.

• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Depression

These can be severe enough that they interfere with daily life.

Three Weeks of Withdrawal

People may feel anxious about their future or their ability to manage everyday life problems. They may also feel depressed about their past and their choices in life. Some people experience paranoia or hallucinate while withdrawing from cocaine use.

Five to 10 Weeks of Withdrawal

The body and mind recover from cocaine use after about five to ten weeks of abstinence. The symptoms of withdrawal will begin to lessen and then disappear completely.

Visit a Rehab Center

If you are experiencing intense cravings for cocaine and feel that you have tried everything to get rid of them and nothing has worked, it is time to seek help. The best way to do this is to make an appointment with a rehabilitation facility specializing in treating cocaine addiction. These facilities offer professional care for people ready to kick their habits. At the rehab centers, they will help you through the withdrawal process to make a full recovery from cocaine addiction.