Cocaine Abuse and Treatments

Cocaine is notorious when it comes to illegal drugs. It is a powerful stimulant that is short-acting and can produce sensations of energy and euphoria. It can be taken in by snorting, smoking, or injecting. It is highly addictive and has a high potential for abuse. Excessive use of cocaine can result in cardiovascular problems and other issues.

The most obvious signs of cocaine abuse is the constant longing or need for the drug. People can go to extreme lengths just to get their hands on the substance and it can get to a point where it is interfering with their life. While there are currently no FDA-approved medications for treating cocaine addiction, there are behavioral methods that have proven to be effective.

One example of behavioral therapy that is showing the most promise is motivational incentives. It uses a reward system which gives prizes to patients who are abstaining from the use of cocaine. A method called cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective when it comes to avoiding relapse when the patient has successfully ceased the use of cocaine. It seeks to help patients identify the situations where they are most likely to use cocaine, and steer clear from these situations.

Behavioral treatment seems to be the most effective way of treating cocaine abuse at the moment, and the many methods that exist seek to help people abstain and cope so they will not go back to the drug anymore.