Many wonder whether cocaine addiction is possible. To get the answer to this question, you must understand what addiction means. You have to know the differences between physical and psychological dependence on drugs, which lead to addiction.

How Does Cocaine Addiction Happen?

Troubled young man brooding about his cocaine addiction

According to doctors and scientists today, addiction changes how your brain works. It rewires your brain’s reward system. Drugs literally change your brain’s structure as well as the signals sent and received. These changes cause compulsive drug seeking and use.

When people become addicted, they suffer both mental and physical changes in their body. They become physically dependent and psychologically attached to using the drug.

Physical dependence is the result of the changed release of chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are serotonin, dopamine and other chemicals causing pleasant feelings. When the cocaine stimulates the release of these chemicals, the brain stops doing so on its own. This means you need the drug to feel pleasant feelings you once enjoyed without it.

When dependence to a drug–also called physical addiction–develops, you experience withdrawal when you stop using that drug. Prescriptions can even cause physical addiction, despite the patient not abusing the prescribed medication. Physical dependence also causes cravings for the drug when you stop using it.

When you suffer physical addiction to a drug like cocaine, you experience withdrawal sickness, as well as compulsive drug seeking and use. You are compulsive because you need the drug to feel normal. With cocaine, your drug use occurs because you like how it makes you feel and what it does to your mind. Cocaine is so addictive because people feel more energetic, self-confident, and accomplished while using it, in addition to eating less due to decreased appetite.

But, cocaine addiction leads to binges on the drug. These binges are dangerous for the effects they produce. These effects include heart damage, paranoia, delusions and upper respiratory damage. You also suffer damage to the nose, mouth, and throat.

Rewards of Cocaine

Cocaine is a potent stimulant. Addiction to cocaine happens in as little as just one use. Cocaine causes dopamine to linger in the brain instead of reabsorbing. This means people using cocaine experience intense euphoria, positive mood, pleasure, and excitement.

When your cocaine dose wears off, the brain is unable to make more dopamine after the recent surge of activity. This causes depression, mood swings, exhaustion and other negative feelings. That is why you go back to cocaine, for more of its rewards. This is the cycle of addiction.

Amazingly, some research points to cocaine changing your genetics. This causes physical addiction. The genetic changes cause greater sensitivity to cocaine’s rewards, reinforcing your drug use. Although most of the cocaine addiction withdrawal symptoms are mental and emotional, body and brain changes cause strong cravings, depression, fatigue and other symptoms.

Cocaine Addiction Treatment at Beaches Recovery

Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida understands your cocaine addiction. This means Beaches Recovery provides the supervised detox and rehab treatment you need for lasting recovery. The quality of Beaches’ programs is evidenced by Joint Commission accreditation.

Levels of care for cocaine addiction rehab include:

From the beginning to the end of your cocaine addiction treatment, Beaches Recovery provides the guidance, support, and care you need for a real chance at a better life. Through individual therapies, group therapies, and educational sessions, you gain coping skills for relapse prevention. You also rebuild damaged relationships with family and friends.

If you or someone you love need addiction treatment for cocaine, other drugs or alcohol, call Beaches Recovery now at 866.605.0532. Don’t wait to get the cocaine treatment you need. It is waiting for you at Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville.