Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

What are the withdrawal symptoms of cocaine?

Initially, for the first couple weeks, the person may sleep more, act impulsively, or feel depressed, anxious, shameful, fearful, confused, or self-doubt. Cravings to use cocaine are strong, and the client may have trouble concentrating or coping with stress. He or she may become irritated easily with other people.

The depression can be accompanied by suicidal feelings.

Later, the person may feel reduced physical or sexual energy, depressed, anxious, irritable, or bored; he or she may have trouble concentrating, and feels strong cravings or thoughts about using cocaine.

Detox and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

What is detox? Detox stands for detoxification.

Ok, so what is detoxification? According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, it is a process in which allows the body to get rid of a drug while helping the person manage symptoms of withdrawal.

What are some of the symptoms of withdrawal? It depends on the drug you are referring to.

Today, let’s review symptoms for alcohol withdrawal.

Mild to moderate psychological symptoms include: jumpiness or nervousness, shakiness, anxiety, irritability, easily excitable, rapid emotional changes, depression, fatigue, difficulty thinking clearly, and bad dreams.

Mild to moderate physical symtpoms include: a general, pulsating headache, sweating (especially the palms or the face), nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, rapid heart rate, enlarged pupils, clammy skin, hand tremors, pale or gray skin, involuntary movement of the eyelids.

Severe symptoms include delirium tremens, which is a state of confusion and visual hallucinations, agitation, fever, convulsions, and black outs (forgetting what happened during a drinking episode).

Alcohol withdrawal can range between two extremes, mild and uncomfortable to a serious, life-threatening situation. The symptoms begin within 12 hours of the last drink, peak in 48-72 hours, and can last as long as a week or more. Some symptoms can persist for three to 12 months.

General references:
Medline Plus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus)
National Institute of Drug Abuse (http://www.drugabuse.gov)

Sobriety Tips of Dr. Kevin McCauley

You want to be sober, or you want to help someone you care about be free of drugs. What will help you or your spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, child, parent, co-worker be able to manage this difficult problem?

I heard Dr. Kevin McCauley speak in April this year, and I have been thinking about what he said ever since. Kevin is a medical doctor, and his speciality is addictionology, the study of addictions.

Dr. McCauley states that there are 10 factors that contribute to successful drug and alcohol treatment.

1. Four weeks of inpatient treatment, including detox and psychiatric evaluation
2. Immediate aftercare treatment
-- 12-Step meeting for the day of discharge
-- an appointment with an addictionologist or physician
-- a reserved spot in an outpatient program (that meets 3-5 hours per week).
3. One month living in a place with focused on sobriety (a sober living environment)
4. 90 12-Step Meetings in 90 days
5. Relapse Plan (what to do if there is a relapse)
6. Drug tests (UAs) every three days
7. Return to work quickly
8. Regular visits to their addictionologist
9. Medication (as needed, re-evaluating periodically with physician)
10. Fun! (Learning how to have normal fun again)

Client: Ok, this sounds like a lot of work, and it sounds expensive.

Max: Yes, yet it depends.

Client: Depends? Depends on what?

Max: It depends on what is important to you. Can you do what it takes for as long as it takes? Kicking addiction is a difficult process. It can take a lot more than a decision (alone) and willpower (white knuckling).

Client: So, what if I don’t use one or more of these?

Max: Well, the addiction doctor (Dr. McCauley’s site is http://www.addictiondoctor.com) says that it drops your chances for success with each one you don’t utilize.

Client: How much will all this cost?

Max: Dr. McCauley estimates that the UAs can cost around $4000 for one year (of course, after about 100+, a person can have a year of sobriety); Sober Living Environments can run the rate of a cheap apartment to a comprehensive facility; there are choices in treatment programs (and their cost) also.