Cocaine Detoxification

Old school cures for alcoholism and drug addiction were punitive in nature, involving long-term stays in sanitariums, mental wards, institutions and prisons. And then there were those do-it-yourself detox programs where the concerned community members would toss the befuddled addict into an abandoned barn or storeroom to “dry out.”

Back in the day, addiction was considered a weakness – a moral flaw – and any suffering that resulted from incarceration or cold turkey methodology was pretty much seen as justified punishment. It was, after all, the price you must pay for your moral misstep. Pain was a necessary ingredient to the recovery process. To add insult to injury, more blame was heaped on the hapless addict when these punishing procedures proved ineffective.

Today we know that addiction is not a moral failure but a disease of the mind. Modern-day treatment for substance abuse is scientific in nature, and with the advent of pharmacology, extreme pain and discomfort is often optional. A combination of medications, supervision and therapy can go a long way in providing comfort and safety during the detoxification process.

Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach, California, has a state-of-the-art cocaine detoxification program that focuses on making your withdrawal from this highly addictive substance as comfortable and pain-free as possible. The goal is to get you well enough to complete a residential treatment program so you can end your substance abuse once and for all and get on with the happy task of living a life of fulfillment.

Signs and symptoms you might experience while withdrawing from cocaine include:

• Anxiety and agitation
• Chest pain
• Itchy skin
• Irritability and restlessness
• Paranoia
• Wanting to run
• Hallucinations – visual, auditory or tactile

Unfortunately for those addicted to cocaine, no drugs have yet been developed and approved that can successfully remove the cravings for the drug. However, Morningside Recovery’s cocaine rehab programs offers medications that can help control anxiety issues brought about as a result of detoxification. In addition, you might be prescribed medication to help you sleep if you have insomnia. Other drugs may ease muscle and bone pain, and meds are available to relieve nausea. And when the pressure gets to be too much and you want to run, there are medications for that, too.

The bottom line is, you will still experience withdrawal symptoms, but not nearly as intensely if you were detoxing without a pharmacological program in place. The professional staff at Morningside is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide the medical assistance you need in order to get through the withdrawal experience.

Morningside’s cocaine detoxification program has separate facilities for men and women. These facilities are situated in a home-like environment that is intentionally designed to create a calming effect. This is especially important for those coming off cocaine because many of those addicts find comfort in sleeping long hours the first two or three days. A professional chef is on staff to provide three nutritional meals a day. In addition, food is often catered, and fruits and snacks are available around the clock.

The detoxification schedule includes educational lectures, group meetings and one-on-one sessions with medical professionals on staff. In addition, there are 12-step panels scheduled each day, lectures pertaining to cocaine abuse, literature and individual counseling with a certified addiction specialist. After a few days of rest and recovery, your time will pretty much be occupied with activities each day. The point is to get your mind off your addiction and get the cocaine out of your system so you can start working on the other issues associated with your addiction.

If you have a cocaine addiction that has taken you from the “top of the world” to a world of hurt, call Morningside Recovery’s detox specialists for more information about cocaine rehab programs at (866) 725-8565.