ARC, West Los Angeles  California

Cocaine is classified as a central nervous system stimulant and according to a 2005 NSDUH survey, approximately 33.7 million Americans had tried cocaine at least once in their lifetimes, representing 13.8% of the population.

Cocaine abuse is a complex condition, both clinically and physiologically. The dangers of cocaine consumption are grave and can result in fatality. ARC treats cocaine abuse through a comprehensive clinical program designed to address challenges that arise in early cocaine recovery and during transition from primary care. If you or someone you know is suffering from cocaine abuse call 877 415 HOPE for help today. ARC conducts free evaluations and will answer any additional questions you might have about cocaine abuse.

Cocaine Directly Impacts the Brain

In the brains normal reward system communication process, dopamine is released by a neuron into the synapse (the small gap between two neurons), where it binds with specialized proteins (called dopamine receptors) on the neighboring neuron, thereby sending a signal to that neuron. Scientists have discovered that cocaine blocks the removal of dopamine from the synapse, resulting in an accumulation of dopamine. This buildup of dopamine causes continuous stimulation of receiving neurons, resulting in the euphoria commonly reported by cocaine abusers. As cocaine abuse continues, tolerance often develops. This means that higher doses and more frequent use of cocaine are required for the brain to register the same level of pleasure experienced during initial use which leads to cocaine addiction.

Effects of Cocaine

Physical effects of cocaine abuse include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils and increased temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. The duration of cocaine’s immediate euphoric effects, which include hyper-stimulation, reduced fatigue and mental clarity, is dependent on the route of administration. The faster the cocaine is absorbed, the more intense the high and the shorter the duration of action. The high from snorting may last 15-20 minutes, while that of smoking may last 5-10 minutes. Increased use of cocaine can reduce the period of stimulation making it one of the most addictive substances known.

Cocaine's effects appear almost immediately after a single dose, and disappear within a few minutes or hours. Taken in small amounts (up to 100 mg), cocaine usually makes the user feel euphoric, energetic, talkative, and mentally alert, especially to the sensations of sight, sound, and touch. It can also temporarily decrease the need for food and sleep. Some people addicted to cocaine find that the drug helps them to perform simple physical and intellectual tasks more quickly, while others can experience the opposite effect.

Dangers from Cocaine Abuse

For cocaine addicts there is a great risk associated with cocaine use whether the drug is snorted, injected or smoked. Prolonged cocaine snorting can result in ulceration of the mucous membranes of the nose and can damage the nasal septum enough to cause it to collapse. The injecting cocaine addict is at risk for transmitting or acquiring HIV infection/AIDS if needles or other injection equipment are shared. Cocaine addicts who smoke the drug suffer from acute respiratory problems including coughing, shortness of breath, and severe chest pains with lung trauma and bleeding. In addition, it appears that compulsive cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted.

Scientific evidence suggests that the powerful neuropsychologic reinforcing property of cocaine is responsible for an individual’s continued use, despite harmful physical and social consequences. When addicted individuals stop using cocaine, they often become depressed, which in turn may lead to further cocaine use to alleviate the depression. High doses of cocaine and/or prolonged use can trigger paranoia. Smoking crack cocaine can produce a particularly aggressive paranoid behavior in users. Excessive doses of cocaine may lead to seizures and death from respiratory failure, stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, or heart failure. There is no specific antidote for cocaine overdose. When cocaine addicts mix cocaine and alcohol consumption, they are compounding the danger each drug poses and unknowingly forming a complex chemical experiment within their bodies. Researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, cocaethylene, which intensifies cocaine’s euphoric effects, while possibly increasing the risk of sudden death.

ARC Provides Unique Treatment for Cocaine Abuse

Cocaine abusers have a high propensity for relapse even after enrollment in a drug treatment center. This is primarily due to the post-acute withdrawal symptoms that surface after cocaine consumption stops.

Examples of post-acute withdrawal symptoms from cocaine abuse:

• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Cravings
• Depression
• Stress sensitivity
• Memory problems
• Inability to think clearly
• Coordination problems

ARC medically and clinically treats these post-acute withdrawal characteristics of cocaine abuse which can persist for weeks or even months. Our caring, compassionate clinical approach helps clients alleviate the global ramifications of these symptoms on their emotional well-being, while our physicians and nurses intervene medically on the physical symptoms wherever possible. Additionally, many of the staff with ARC have successfully achieved recovery from cocaine abuse and serve as empathetic role-models who impart their understanding and concern to clients during the many stages of post-acute withdrawal.

ARC Offers Individual Clinical Support for Overcoming Cocaine Abuse

The broad scope of care available at the ARC drug treatment center includes a team of physicians, psychiatrists, licensed professionals, experiential therapists and certified substance abuse counselors. Our treatment philosophy focuses on addressing the underlying issues that have contributed to the development of the addictive process.

Traditional drug treatment centers provide extensive information about addiction but often lack the resources to help clients with co-occurring conditions. We provide daily individual therapy sessions for supporting clients with dual-diagnosis including such methodologies as:

• Grief Therapy
• Trauma Therapy
• Somatic Therapy
• Analytical Therapy
• Reflective Therapy
• Insight-Based Therapy
• Reason-Based Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

To effectively educate each individual about the origins of their addictive process the ARC drug treatment center offers a residential primary care program where the focus of care is on establishing a sober baseline while clients are given the opportunity to practice recovering principles in a safe environment. During this period clients are assigned a primary clinician who will develop a personalized treatment plan designed to outline a plan of action for achieving each person’s individual treatment goals. These goals are related to their unique personal, inter-relational, social and vocational needs in early cocaine recovery.

ARC understands that many of our clients need additional support during transition. Each client receives the benefit of individual clinical support to address the individual circumstances surrounding their transition from primary care. If our clients are at risk for relapse Phase 2 (Continuing Care) and Phase 3 (Extended Care) offer supportive services designed to help clients process the difficult feelings and emotions typical to social reintegration.

For family members and loved ones who have been impacted by the behaviors surrounding cocaine abuse ARC offers a strong family program or relationship counseling. These services begin the process of resolution for those affected by negative patterns of self-expression and serve as the stepping stone towards the healing of interpersonal relationships.

If you or someone you know needs treatment for cocaine abuse call 877 415 HOPE today. Our credentialed staff will conduct a free evaluation and answer any questions you might have.