Cocaine Addiction & Drug Rehabilitation

Cocaine addiction drug rehab is a vital part of an individual’s recovery. As they undergo rehab, the individuals acquire knowledge and skills to stay clean and sober. Rehab is an important and powerful process. Many people who have an addiction to cocaine desire to quit. However, they do not have the tools necessary to remain clean for any considerable period of time.

Cocaine addiction is a problem that affects millions of Americans each year. Overall, adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five have a higher rate of cocaine addiction than those in any other age group. Research also indicates that men have a higher rate of cocaine addiction than women do. According to the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, estimated rates of cocaine use were 2.0 percent for American Indians or Alaskan Natives, 1.6 percent for African-Americans, 0.8 percent for both Whites and Hispanics, 0.6 percent for Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders, and 0.2 percent for Asians. It is also important to note that data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) showed that emergency department visits due to cocaine addiction increased thirty-three percent between 1995 and 2002.

According to the Treatment Episode Data Set, cocaine was the third most common illicit drug responsible for rehab admissions in 2000, accounting for 13.6% of all drug rehab admissions. There were 158,524 total admissions for smoked cocaine, accounting for 9.9% of all drug rehab admissions (73% of all cocaine admissions). There were 59,787 total admissions for non-smoked cocaine, accounting for 3.7% of all rehab admissions.

Those admitted to cocaine addiction drug rehab for smoking crack cocaine were predominantly black (59%), followed by whites (32%), and Hispanics (6.3%). Approximately 42% of those admitted for smoking crack were female. Of all the individuals admitted for smoking crack, most (59%) did not use crack cocaine until age 21 or older and 41% reported daily use.

Those admitted to addiction rehab for cocaine addiction were predominantly white males (29%), followed by black males (23%), white females (18%), and black females (12%). More than 40% of those admitted for non-smoked cocaine reported first using the substance by the age of 18. The more common form of cocaine ingestion was by inhalation (70%), followed by injection (15%).

An important reason for an individual to enter cocaine addiction drug rehab is the medical complications which arise from cocaine use. Some of the medical complications that may take place from the abuse of cocaine include: disturbances in heart rhythm, heart attacks, chest pain, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, headaches, abdominal pain, and nausea. Cocaine addiction has been linked to many types of heart disease. Cocaine has also been found to trigger chaotic heart rhythms, called ventricular fibrillation. This is an acceleration of heartbeat and breathing along with increased blood pressure and body temperature. Physical symptoms may include chest pain, nausea, blurred vision, fever, muscle spasms, convulsions, coma, and death.

It has also been found that the different routes of administrating cocaine can have different unpleasant effects on the users. Inhaling cocaine on a regular basis can lead to the loss of smell, nosebleeds, problems swallowing, hoarseness, and an overall irritation of the nasal septum. This in turn can lead to a chronically inflamed, runny nose. Those who ingest the drug can cause severe bowel gangrene, due to reduced blood flow. Lastly, addicts who inject cocaine create puncture marks and “tracks”, most commonly on their forearms. Intravenous cocaine users may also experience an allergic reaction, either to the drug itself, or to an additive in street cocaine. In severe cases this can result in death.

Cocaine addiction drug rehab addresses all aspects of cocaine addiction. It focuses specifically on the mental, emotional, and physical parts of the individual’s problem. To begin the rehab process, the individual must rid their body of all the toxins and chemicals created by the drug. This initial step is known as detox. It takes place in a controlled environment and is closely supervised. Often times the detoxification process is uncomfortable because the body is still craving cocaine. However, this process is essential and extremely beneficial in the long run to the individual’s recovery. Beginning the rehab process with detox has proved to be the most effective first step in recovery from drug addiction.

Once the physical part of rehab has been addressed, the emotional and mental issues of the individual are next. Numerous different techniques can be employed to help the individual come to terms with the damage, destruction, and pain they have caused themselves and others while using cocaine. Attending cocaine addiction drug rehab helps the individual to organize their thoughts and repair any psychological damage that may have been done by their cocaine addiction. Rehab is a safe environment where each individual feels secure and non-threatened. Through drug rehab, the individual begins to gain control of their thought process. Slowly, their compulsion to use the drug or to return to their old way of life will disappear. In an ideal world, cocaine addiction drug rehab focuses primarily on helping the individual change the thought process that led to their drug addiction and self-destructive behavior in the past.