Having dual diagnoses of chronic cocaine use and depression presents a great challenge for many individuals. Although a drug addiction or mental disorder on its own is difficult enough, depression is linked to cocaine use. The longer you use cocaine, the more frequently and the higher the dose, the more you risk developing depression symptoms. On top of the ways your mental health will deteriorate, you will also be facing withdrawal symptoms due to your cocaine addiction. Undeniably, this is a frightening position to be in. Fortunately, treatment exists for cocaine abuse and depression, but first, you need to understand the link.

What Is Cocaine?

Cocaine is a psychostimulant drug that comes from the coca plant grown in South America. The plant contains the psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine, which produces the effects of a high. Cocaine is most often sold as a fine white powder that is snorted through the nose or rubbed into the gums. However, another form of cocaine exists, crack cocaine, which is treated until it looks like rock-like chunks. These are either ground down or melted and smoked. Cocaine has a number of street names, including “blow,” “coke,” “freeze,” “candy,” “snow,” and “crack.”

Cocaine is an illegal recreational drug with no medical purpose. People use it to affect their bodies, including euphoria, energy, confidence, and sociability. Some people report better concentration and creativity. The high from cocaine typically lasts 20-30 minutes, but some effects can linger.

Is Cocaine Addictive?

Cocaine is a dangerous substance to use because it is highly addictive. Cocaine overdose is a major issue that kills thousands of people each year. The drug works on the brain’s limbic system, which is responsible for motivation, pleasure, emotions, and behaviors. Cocaine triggers the release of positive neurochemicals like dopamine to flood the system with euphoria. Because the high is so short, it increases the risk of continual use because the low afterward feels especially low. Cocaine is a habit-forming substance with a great risk of dependency. Over time, the brain adapts to cocaine use, so you need to keep taking it in order to function. If you develop a cocaine addiction, you will struggle to quit using the drug on your own. Professional medical treatment is the only effective way to escape the cycle of cocaine use.

How Do People Use Cocaine?

Cocaine can be purchased in multiple forms. People can use coca leaf, but without the process of extracting cocaine from the plant, the stimulating effects are lessened. Most often, cocaine is sourced as a fine white powder. Common methods of powder use are snorting cocaine or rubbing it into the gums. Both methods allow cocaine to be absorbed into the blood. Additionally, cocaine can be purchased as crack cocaine, which looks like rock-like shards. People melt crack to inhale it through a pipe, smoke it, or inject the liquid via needle into their veins. Each method brings its own unique risks. For example, oral cocaine puts you in danger of gum disease and eroded tooth enamel. Further, injecting cocaine can lead to blood infections, collapsed veins, and skin wounds.

Signs of Chronic Cocaine Use

Chronic cocaine use is defined as consistent and regular use of cocaine, even daily or near daily. Unfortunately, the longer you use cocaine, the more often you use it, and the higher the doses, the greater your risk of developing an addiction. Undeniably, cocaine is a powerful stimulant. It doesn’t take long before your brain messaging shifts and modifies from using cocaine.

If you are worried you or your loved one may be a chronic cocaine user, here are some signs to watch for:

Cravings for cocaine
Inability to go more than 6-12 hours without it
Neglecting responsibilities like work, family, social, and personal
Changes in physical appearance reflecting a lack of grooming
Health complications like chest pain, heart palpitations, or lung damage (coughing)
Mood swings
New desire for privacy
Social isolation
Fatigue
Defensive behavior

What Is Depression?

Depression is another term for various depressive disorders that affect one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is estimated that 3.8 percent of the global population battles depression. It’s classified as a mood disorder because it directly impacts one’s moods and emotions. For example, common symptoms of depression are sadness, hopelessness, loss of passion and interest, and deep fatigue. These mental health disorders make it incredibly challenging for someone to connect with others and engage socially. Individuals may frequently feel insecure and unmotivated. Each depressive disorder varies in what it looks like, but all of them can significantly lower one’s quality of life. Some depressive disorders include the following conditions:

Major depressive disorder (MDD)
Persistent depressive disorder (PDD)
Atypical depression
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Melancholia
Psychotic depression
Postpartum depression
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
Bipolar disorder

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

As noted, there are some typical signs and symptoms of depression, regardless of the specific depressive disorder. These symptoms present ample challenges to individuals with depression, but they can be treated through professional mental health rehab.

Hopelessness
Sadness
Tearfulness
Irritability
Isolating from others
Periods of intense sadness and intense energy (mood swings)
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Lethargy and fatigue
Heavy-feeling limbs
Loss of interest in hobbies, passions, and relationships
Loss of motivation
Feelings of guilt
Low self-worth
Feelings of otherness

What Is the Connection Between Chronic Cocaine Use and Depression?

Statistics show a recurring link between long-term cocaine addiction and depression. In fact, many substance use disorders (SUDs) are connected to mental health disorders. It is understood that mental health disorders are at least partially due to chemical imbalances in the brain. In the same way, drugs like cocaine alter one’s brain functioning outside of the normal. Thus, substance abuse can trigger mental changes such as symptoms of mental disorders. Conversely, when individuals self-medicate their mental disorder, they can quickly develop a drug addiction.

In the case of cocaine abuse, studies show a high psychiatric connection between cocaine and depression. This is especially true in cases of crack cocaine use. Because a cocaine high is short-lived and followed by a low or “crash,” depression symptoms are associated with cocaine withdrawal after the high. Without a doubt, longer chronic cocaine use increases your risk of developing symptoms of depression.

What Other Mental Health Issues Can Cocaine Cause?

In addition to the link between depression and cocaine abuse, there are other mental issues stemming from cocaine addiction. For example, cocaine use is associated with anxiety symptoms and panic attacks. There is also a connection between cocaine use and psychosis symptoms, including hallucinations and paranoia. Although the exact cause of onset of any mental disorder depends on a variety of factors, it’s known cocaine triggers mental health symptoms. At least part of the cause is due to chemical modifications in the brain.

Treating Co-Occurring Cocaine Addiction and Depression

When cocaine use disorder (CUD) and mental health disorders like depression coexist, they’re called co-occurring disorders. Having multiple issues leads to greater health challenges as the symptoms of both pile up. Further, dual diagnoses commonly exacerbate each other, leading to a lower quality of life. The solution is to treat both disorders together in one treatment program. At Sound Recovery through Royal Life Centers, we take a holistic approach to recovery. Therefore, we treat each of our guests as complex people who require comprehensive programming. Your mental health, physical health, emotional health, and spiritual health all deserve attention in rehab. Otherwise, you won’t achieve lasting healing. Through a mixture of alternative and traditional therapies, we help individuals heal holistically. Additionally, we provide flexible levels of care that walk people through the complete rehab process.

Medical Detox

Medical detox is the first stage of rehab for those who have an ongoing addiction to cocaine. Psychostimulant abuse will control your life as long as stimulants like cocaine remain in your system. Thus, for roughly 4-8 days of medical detox, you will undergo withdrawal safely and comfortably. Withdrawal is one of the hardest parts of sobriety, especially if you’ve been a chronic cocaine user. However, we will help you wean off of cocaine with around-the-clock medical monitoring. Plus, we can offer comfort medications during detox and afterward as part of our medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program. These promote your sobriety by reducing withdrawal symptoms like cravings.

Inpatient Cocaine and Depression Treatment

After detoxing, individuals stay in our Sound Recovery facility to begin residential inpatient treatment. During this level, they will unpack the connection between their cocaine abuse and depression symptoms. They will unpack their reasons for turning to substances initially. They will also learn valuable coping mechanisms they can use whenever symptoms arise.

Outpatient Cocaine and Depression Treatment

After the preliminary healing and learning in inpatient treatment, we encourage our guests to continue their recovery in outpatient treatment. While inpatient treatment requires commitment to live in-center and participate in daily therapy and counseling, outpatient treatment is more flexible. Guests return home in the evenings but still attend sessions and meetings during the days. Since emphasis is placed on preparing individuals for the future, they focus on relapse prevention and future planning.

Aftercare and Support Groups

Aftercare is an optional final stage of treatment. Once individuals graduate from rehab, they are free to fully return to their lives. However, many worry about falling into old habits in the environments where they developed drug addictions. Thus, aftercare is a transitional stage that offers extra support while individuals are still vulnerable. We connect our alumni to support groups, sober communities and events, and Sober Living housing. Individuals are welcome to remain as connected to Royal Life Centers as they wish after graduating.

Professional Cocaine Addiction Treatment Near Me

Cocaine addiction and depression are life-altering disorders that will only spiral if you don’t decide to get intervention. When dealing with co-occurring disorders of the brain, it is not enough to support yourself through the process. Drug addiction and mental illness are too much for you to handle on your own. Your likeliness of relapse is high if you don’t receive help. We have a place for you at Puget Sound Recovery in Washington. Our drug abuse counselors will help you take control of your co-occurring issues through counseling, therapy, and medication. We’re here to help you overcome chronic cocaine and depression, so give us a call.