At the present time, no proven pharmacologic therapy for cocaine addiction exists, but several kinds of pharmaceutical drugs have been used in the detoxification of cocaine.
Cocaine detox can take as little as 2 days and as long as 2 weeks, treatment programs offered in conjunction with cocaine detoxification may take anywhere from 30 days to 2 years. Withdrawal from chronic cocaine use produces the following symptoms: anxiety, depression and intense cravings for the drug. Each type of pharmaceutical used addresses these symptoms in unique and different ways.
Cocaine Detoxification Treatment
Medical cocaine treatment detoxification is a process in that addicts are systematically and safely withdrawn from addicting drugs, under the care of a physician. Using cocaine causes physical dependence over time in some people. Stopping cocaine use, results in physical withdrawal from cocaine in people with a physical dependence. The detoxification process is designed both to treat the acute physiological effects of stopping cocaine use and to remove residual toxins in the body left as a result of using the chemicals found in cocaine.
Antidepressant drugs such as Desipramine or a combination of Phentermine and Fenfluramine are used to reduce cocaine withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Benzodiazepines, and tranquilizers such as Diazepam, have been used to ease anxiety caused by cocaine withdrawal. Amantadine, an antidyskinetic used in the treatment Parkinson’s Disease, might be an effective treatment for cocaine-dependent patients with severe cocaine withdrawal symptoms and may reduce cocaine craving. Bromocriptine, a drug that works with the brain’s dopamine system, has been used to ease the craving for cocaine during detoxification and to reduce extreme mood disturbances.
Propanolol, is a beta-blocker antihypertensive drug, that may be useful for severe cocaine withdrawal symptoms, since it inhibits the effects of adrenaline, calming the body’s “fight or flight” response to stressful situations. Propranolol’s reduction of symptoms such as palpitations and sweating has helped to reduce cocaine craving associated with these symptoms.