Cocaine withdrawal symptoms | what to expect

Cocaine withdrawal symptoms can start within hours of last taking cocaine and mainly affect your mood, energy and sleep. Exhaustion, a flat mood and strong cravings are typical, and they can take weeks to settle. What makes them hard to get through is that cocaine seems to offer a way out: using again can make the exhaustion and low mood disappear almost at once. That is why it can be so tempting to go back to cocaine. Recognising them helps you understand what is happening and how long it may last.

Cocaine causes a sudden release of dopamine, a brain chemical that plays a central role in pleasure, motivation and reward. With regular use, the brain gets used to these repeated, extreme highs and starts to rely on cocaine to keep that system running. Once cocaine use stops, the brain needs time to find its balance again. Until it does, everyday life can feel flat, tiring and unrewarding: the exact opposite of how cocaine makes you feel. That period of adjustment is what shows up as withdrawal, and it is one of the ways a cocaine addiction makes itself felt.

The symptoms of cocaine withdrawal are mainly psychological, although the body is affected as well. Cocaine withdrawal often has none of the obvious physical signs, such as shaking and vomiting, that you see with alcohol or heroin. That does not make the symptoms mild. Cravings and depressed feelings can be intense, and they often last longer than any physical discomfort.

Psychological symptoms of cocaine withdrawal

The psychological symptoms usually come first, last the longest and are often the hardest to deal with. Common ones include:

• strong cravings for cocaine
• low or depressed mood
• little or no pleasure in things you normally enjoy
• anxiety, irritability and restlessness
• poor concentration and slowed thinking
• suspicion of others or paranoia, especially after heavy use

Losing the ability to enjoy everyday things is known as anhedonia. It can make life without cocaine feel empty for a while.

Physical symptoms of cocaine withdrawal

The physical symptoms tend to be less visible, but they can still make daily life hard going. They can include:

• exhaustion and a strong need to sleep
• sleeping far more than usual
• vivid and unpleasant dreams
• increased appetite
• slowed movement and a heavy, drained feeling
• headaches and muscle tremors
• a general feeling of being unwell

Do you recognise these symptoms in yourself or in someone close to you? Call us on +27 21 541 0643 for personal advice, or leave your details in the form below.

Cocaine comedown symptoms and withdrawal symptoms overlap, but they stem from different patterns of use. A comedown is the crash after a single session or a weekend of using. It often brings tiredness, low mood, anxiety and irritability. Withdrawal follows a period of regular use, and the symptoms tend to be more intense and last longer because the brain has adapted to cocaine. The line between the two can blur. Using cocaine again to get rid of a comedown is one of the cocaine addiction symptoms worth taking seriously.

Crack cocaine withdrawal symptoms are the same as those of powder cocaine, because crack contains the same drug. The difference lies in how crack tends to be used. A crack high lasts about 15 minutes, while a cocaine high can last from 20 minutes to 2 hours. Because the effect wears off so quickly, crack is often used in binges. Once a binge ends, the crash follows almost immediately and can feel very intense because it comes straight after an extreme high. That rapid cycle can make cravings particularly hard to resist.

How long cocaine withdrawal symptoms last depends largely on how much cocaine was used and for how long. The symptoms tend to change over time, and the stages below can overlap.

The crash: the first few hours and days

The first stage is often called the crash. It can begin within hours of last taking cocaine and may last from several hours to a few days. Exhaustion, a strong need to sleep, low mood and anxiety are typical, and cravings can be intense from the start. Agitation and suspicion can also appear at this stage.

The withdrawal phase: the first few weeks

Once the crash has passed, the deeper withdrawal symptoms can set in. Low mood, little interest in anything, poor concentration and disturbed sleep are common in the weeks that follow, while cravings come and go. This phase can feel harder than the crash, because the exhaustion lifts but the flatness stays. Going back to cocaine can feel most tempting at this point. The symptoms usually ease gradually rather than all at once.

Lingering cravings in the months that follow

Low mood and cravings can last for months after long-term heavy use. At this stage, cravings are often set off by cues such as a place, a person or a time of the week linked to using. Your brain's response to such cues can peak between 1 and 6 months after you stop. That can happen even when the cravings themselves seem to be fading. This explains why a strong craving can return long after the other symptoms have gone.

The intensity and length of cocaine withdrawal depend on several factors, including:

• how much cocaine was used, and how often
• how long cocaine has been used for
• your physical and mental health
• whether alcohol or other drugs were used alongside cocaine
• sleep, stress and your situation at home

Cocaine withdrawal combined with alcohol

Cocaine is often used together with alcohol, and that matters when you stop. If heavy drinking was part of the pattern, stopping can also bring alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous in their own right. The same applies to sedatives or sleeping pills taken to come down from cocaine. An addiction assessment before stopping looks at all the substances involved, so you know what is safe in your situation.

The main risks during cocaine withdrawal concern your mood and what happens if you start using again. Low mood can deepen into depression, especially after long-term heavy use. Cocaine withdrawal can come with suicidal thoughts in some cases. Paranoia can also appear, and after very heavy use this can develop into a drug-induced psychosis.

Overdose risk after a break from cocaine

Cravings can lead back to cocaine, and using again after a break carries a risk of its own. Tolerance can drop during a break, so the amount you used to take can have a stronger effect. That is why overdose is one of the possible complications of cocaine withdrawal. A cocaine overdose needs emergency medical help straight away. Its signs include chest pain, overheating and seizures.

Our detox programme gives you a safe, structured setting for your first few days without cocaine. Our team first assesses your situation, including any alcohol or other drugs involved. Detox prepares you for the treatment that follows. We surround you with all the care and attention you need around the clock.

Getting through withdrawal is an important achievement. The reasons cocaine became part of your life are still there afterwards, though, and so are many of the situations that set off cravings. Lasting recovery means understanding those patterns and finding other ways to deal with stress, pressure and difficult emotions. In treatment, you learn to recognise what sets off your cravings and practise how to respond, so you have a plan ready when a craving comes up after you leave.

Treating the causes of cocaine addiction

Cocaine use is often linked to stress, anxiety, depression, trauma or ADHD. The symptoms of these conditions can seem to disappear while you are using cocaine. This kind of self-medication often happens without you realising, and it can increase your risk of addiction. At the same time, addiction can make mental health problems worse, which creates a cycle that becomes harder to break the longer it lasts.

A combination like this is known as a dual diagnosis, and we treat the addiction and the underlying condition together. During an average stay of 7 weeks at our clinic, your programme combines group therapy and individual sessions. Your aftercare is arranged while you are still with us, so it is ready when you go home.

It helps to talk to us before or during cocaine withdrawal if you:

• have used cocaine regularly or heavily for a long time
• have tried to stop before and started using again
• also drink heavily or use other drugs
• have a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression
• are worried about how stopping will go

Call us on +27 21 541 0643 with your questions about quitting cocaine, whether you have already stopped or are still deciding. Our team will listen, give you honest advice and tell you what the options are.

At our rehab centre in South Africa, you are away from the places and routines linked to your cocaine use. That distance gives you the calm to go through withdrawal and treatment without the triggers of daily life. Our programme brings detox, therapy and aftercare together in one plan. Whether you are asking for yourself or for someone close to you, call us on +27 21 541 0643 with your questions about cocaine withdrawal symptoms.