How Addictive is Cocaine?

Drugs and alcohol impact countless Americans each year. More than 40 million Americans ages 12 and older meet the criteria for a substance abuse disorder each year, making it one of the most common mental health disorders in the country. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of accidental death, which was a major reason the United States declared a public health emergency in response to the growing opiate epidemic. Stimulants like cocaine and Adderall are popular drugs of abuse. But how addictive is cocaine?

Cocaine is not physically addictive but is psychologically addictive. This means that trying to stop using cocaine can cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings, which can make quitting difficult without help of a cocaine addiction rehab center.

How Addictive is Cocaine?

Cocaine is an illegal drug and is considered a Schedule 1 drug, meaning that it provides no useful medical benefits. Doctors are not able to prescribe cocaine in the United States and cocaine possession, sale, and manufacturing are illegal. But, how addictive is cocaine? Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant, meaning that it creates energizing feelings. It can improve your mood, cause you to talk rapidly and create feelings of euphoria.

If you are wondering how addictive is cocaine, the simple answer is that you can become psychologically addicted to it. Using and abusing cocaine can cause your brain to release excessive amounts of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. This rush of neurotransmitters causes the positive feelings associated with intoxication.

Cocaine is inhaled, smoked or injected and the high it produces can last anywhere from several minutes to an hour and a half. Once the effects end, you can experience depleted moods, anxiety and cravings. Your brain can begin rewarding cocaine use by releasing excessive amounts of neurotransmitters and refusing to release neurotransmitters when you don’t use.

Signs and symptoms of cocaine addiction include:

• Using cocaine in dangerous or inappropriate environments
• Abuse cocaine alone
• Needing to increase your cocaine use to feel the same effects
• Needing to use cocaine in order to feel normal
• Difficulty controlling or stopping your cocaine use

How is Cocaine Addiction Treated?

Even though cocaine is not physically addicting, you can still experience cocaine withdrawal symptoms when you immediately stop using.

Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• Cravings
• Mood changes

Withdrawal symptoms typically last 3 to 5 days. Once you detox from cocaine, you can attend an inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Inpatient programs are residential, requiring you to stay on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Outpatient programs allow you to return home each night, meaning you can continue to work or go to school while in cocaine withdrawal treatment.

Finding Help for a Cocaine Addiction Today

When wondering how addictive is cocaine, it is important to remember that cocaine is highly addictive, and you may have trouble quitting without help. Beaches Recovery, home to the premier cocaine addiction rehab center Florida offers, has the experience, understanding, and compassion you need to achieve recovery. Call us today at 866.605.0532 to learn more about our programs.