Cocaine Addiction Essay

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Many individuals who use cocaine do so in binges, in which cocaine is used repeatedly and at increasingly higher doses. This can lead to increased irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, paranoia, even a full-blown psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations (NIDA, 2016). With increasing doses or higher frequency of use, the risk of adverse psychological or physiological effects increases. The way in which cocaine is administered also can produce its own negative effects. Users who snort the drug often lose their sense of smell have nosebleeds, problems with swallowing, hoarseness, and an overall sense of irritation of the nasal septum leading to a chronically inflamed, runny nose (NIDA, …show more content…

Cognitive-behavioral treatment is a focused approach to helping cocaine addicted individuals abstain—and remain abstinent—from cocaine and other substances (“Cocaine,” n.d.). The idea is that learning processes play an important role in the development and continuation of cocaine abuse and dependence. The learning processes can be used to help cocaine addicts reduce drug use and successfully cope with relapse. This approach attempts to help patients recognize the situations in which they are most likely to use cocaine, avoid these situations when appropriate, and cope more effectively with a range of problems associated with drug abuse (“Cocaine,” n.d.). This form of treatment also works well with pharmacotherapy. Therapeutic communities (TCs), or residential programs with stays of 6 to 12 months, offer another alternative to those in need of treatment for cocaine addiction. TCs focus on resocialization of the individual and can include onsite vocational rehabilitation and other supportive services (“Cocaine,” n.d). Although some cocaine-dependent patients will respond well to drug counseling, for many, standard psychosocial treatment is

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