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If you struggle with cocaine addiction, it can be tempting to try to stop drug abuse habits on your own. Addiction usually starts alone, so attempting to end it alone might seem like the best, if not the only, option. That’s not a good idea, though. Seeking a cocaine addiction rehab center, is the right kind of decision.

Going through rehabilitation for your cocaine addiction alone can be dangerous. You have a higher chance of relapse. Withdrawal symptoms and unchecked personal problems can also lead you back to drug use. Your chance at recovery starts at a cocaine addiction rehab center.

The Stages of Addiction 1-3

For cocaine, as with other addictive narcotics, we can identify five discrete stages. The first of these stages are:

First use. One of the most pervasive myths when it comes to addiction is that one cannot become addicted after a single use of a substance. But all addiction must start somewhere, and all addiction can arguably be traced back to that first use.
Regular use. The second stage begins when you start to use the substance regularly, and the pattern of use and abuse develops. Maybe you just use cocaine when you go out on the weekends, or only when you see certain of your friends. But once it becomes a “regular thing,” the foundations of your substance use problems are set.
Risky use. In the next stage, you are starting to take more risks to obtain cocaine, or while you are using the drug. Perhaps you are going to a risky part of town to acquire the drug, or having it delivered by people with whom you wouldn’t usually have contact. Or maybe you have undertaken or are considering undertaking risky actions like stealing to obtain it. And finally, in this stage, you have likely participated in risky behaviors like driving while under the influence, operating heavy machinery, or being high while around children. Note: it is during this stage that the user usually begins to see their relationships start to deteriorate, because social, romantic, and work relationships begin to take a backseat to the substance.

If you have found yourself working through the first three stages of addiction, you may still feel like you have a handle on your cravings, and do not need a cocaine addiction rehab center. Once you have reached the “risky use” stage, however, it is highly likely that your addiction will continue to escalate as you need more and more of the drug, and as it takes over more of your life.

This is a truly amazing facility. I have suggested Beaches Recovery to friends and family, everyone has been impressed. Their attention to detail and personalization of treatment truly fits anyone and everyone. Very clean and beautiful facility with an amazing doctor. I would suggest Beaches again to anyone. Well done!

-JH

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The Stages of Addiction 4-5

The stages of addiction that follow these first three are when things get much more dangerous. These stages include:

Dependence. At this stage, you have become dependent upon the drug to function. You have developed a physical tolerance for the drug such that when you do not use it or when you try to cut down, you feel the effects of withdrawal. And because you take it so often, you find yourself needing to increase the amount that you take in order to get the same high that you once did. You are also psychologically dependent upon the drug, and your actions are often motivated by your fear of not having access to it. At this stage, you are also spending more and more money to feed your dependence. And you have also begun to abandon social, familial, and work obligations to focus on feeding your dependence.
Substance use disorder. The final stage of addiction is full-blown substance use disorder. Identified as such by both the American Psychological Association and the researchers at the Mayo Clinic, among other institution, substance use disorder means that you can no longer function without the drug. In the abstract, the substance is now your priority, and all other obligations have taken a back seat. More concretely, you are no longer interested in work or family, have abandoned friendships, are unable to pay your rent or mortgage, and are at risk of being homeless.

If you have found yourself anywhere on this scale, it is worth reaching out to a healthcare professional.

Identifying Addiction

Whether you are interested in a cocaine addiction rehab center for yourself or for someone else, it is worth familiarizing yourself with some of the common signs of addictive behavior so that you can identify them in others. Signs that an individual is on the road to addiction may include:

Abandoning activities and hobbies they once enjoyed and letting friendships fall by the wayside
Declining performance at work or school as they spend more time obtaining and using the drug
Financial problems that are related to their increased spending on the drug
Physical health issues like a lack of energy, or significant weight loss or gain
Not attending to their appearance, including clothing, grooming, and bathing

If you have noticed one or more of these signs in someone you know, we suggest you reach out to an addiction specialist for more information.

How Cocaine Addiction Affects You

It doesn’t matter how you use cocaine; the drug affects all brains in the same way. Cocaine increases the dopamine levels in your brain, which are responsible for your movement and pleasure. Usually, dopamine recycles back into the brain cells once rewards, such as ingesting good food, have been received. Cocaine cuts off the recycling process and keeps the dopamine from reentering the brain for longer. This is what causes the user to experience the high.

Immediately after use, most people feel effects like extreme happiness, alertness, hypersensitivity, irritability, and paranoia. These effects usually disappear in a few minutes to an hour after cocaine use. A cocaine addiction treatment center is probably the only way to address the horrid mental and physical cocaine withdrawal symptoms.

People who are struggling with cocaine addiction are likely to use the drug for a long time. The effects of long-term use vary depending on how users decide to use cocaine. Snorting cocaine can cause loss of smell, swallowing issues, and a bleeding and runny nose. And ingesting it can cause bowel decay, among other dangerous problems. Injecting it right into the veins can increase one’s likelihood of getting bloodborne diseases like HIV or hepatitis C, not to mention a variety of other infections.

Why You Shouldn’t Try Stopping Without Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Over time, constant cocaine use will alter how the chemicals in your brain function. Once your brain adjusts to the cocaine being in the system, it will correct the dopamine levels in the brain. Then the rewards system only activates if you’re using the drug. Stopping cocaine abuse will correct the process, but that change can be grueling, especially when you start experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

The symptoms of withdrawing from cocaine addiction don’t sound life-threatening, but they can be severe enough to prevent you from getting sober. These symptoms can include:

  • Depression
  • Bad dreams
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue

People who are suffering from any type of addiction often have other problems that go along with their drug issues. At a reputable cocaine addiction rehab center in Florida, you’ll learn what caused your cocaine addiction troubles to begin with, what you can do to curb stresses, and how to cope with life without turning back to substance abuse and addiction. At the right cocaine addiction treatment center, you’ll be able to find support and assistance for the personal issues you have, no matter what they may be.

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Find The Help You Need For Your Cocaine Addiction Rehab Center At Beaches Recovery

At Beaches Recovery, we put all our patients first no matter what their personal and drug problems are. Our Jacksonville, Florida drug rehab center offers an array of services, including traditional and holistic programs that are designed to help you learn, cope, and recover. Each program can be adapted to your needs, and an addiction specialist will meet with you daily to discuss how your treatment is going and to modify it as necessary.

You don’t have to keep struggling with your addiction alone. Reaching out for qualified help is the best way to start your life of sobriety. Call Beaches Recovery today at 866.605.0532 and talk with a trained staff member about your treatment options and how we can help you.