You don’t have to crash to feel like yourself again. Our team can help you stabilize and heal.
What Is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant. It primarily affects the brain by increasing dopamine levels, leading to intense feelings of euphoria. Typically found as a white powder or in crystalline form, it’s often snorted, smoked, or injected. While it produces short-term energy, alertness, and confidence, it carries severe risks, including addiction, heart problems, and mental health issues like paranoia or anxiety.
Understanding Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine addiction develops when the brain begins to rely on the drug to function normally, leading to compulsive drug-seeking behavior despite harmful consequences. Over time, it can cause serious physical and mental health issues, including heart problems, respiratory failure, anxiety, paranoia, and cognitive impairment.
Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Addiction
- Intense cravings. Powerful urges that disrupt daily life.
- Mood swings and emotional instability. Euphoria, anxiety, irritability, paranoia, aggression, or restlessness.
- Increased energy and hyperactivity. Bursts of energy followed by a “crash” that leads to exhaustion or depression.
- Physical symptoms. Dilated pupils, sweating, runny nose, nosebleeds, or irregular heartbeats; chronic use damages the nose and respiratory system.
- Risky behavior and poor decision-making. Reckless behavior, financial issues, risky sexual activity, or neglecting responsibilities.
- Withdrawal symptoms. Fatigue, depression, agitation, difficulty concentrating, and intense cravings.
What the Research Shows
An estimated 27.8 million U.S. residents aged 12 and older have used some form of cocaine at least once in their lifetime, and about 41 million adults report lifetime use. Nationally, drug overdose deaths involving stimulants rose sharply from 12,122 in 2015 to 57,497 in 2022. Most cocaine sold in the U.S. is sourced from Colombia, predominantly entering through Mexico, and an estimated 6.2 million U.S. residents aged 12 and older have used crack at least once in their lifetime.
Cocaine Treatment Options and Levels of Care at GBAC
Partial Hospitalization (PHP)
Day treatment, roughly 20–30 hours of programming a week, for people who need more support than weekly therapy but don’t need to live at a treatment center.
Intensive Outpatient (IOP)
Roughly 9–20 hours of weekly programming, including an evening option, designed to fit around work, school, and family.
Outpatient and Aftercare
Standard outpatient suits people who are stable or stepping down from a higher level of care. Aftercare includes ongoing counseling, peer support, and a relapse prevention plan.
Therapy Options for Cocaine Addiction
Treatment typically draws on CBT, DBT, ACT, relapse prevention therapy, group therapy, and family therapy, focused on the cravings and relapse triggers behind cocaine use, plus support for any depression, anxiety, or trauma underneath it.
How to Choose the Right Level of Care
Our admissions team weighs how long and how heavily you’ve used, your heart health, any co-occurring conditions, and your home environment, to recommend a starting point.
What Happens When You Contact GBAC
A confidential first call covers your use history, your health, and your living situation. From there, next steps typically include insurance verification and a level-of-care recommendation.
Does Insurance Cover Cocaine Addiction Treatment?
Many private plans cover medically necessary treatment, though deductibles, copays, coinsurance, network rules, and prior authorization vary by plan. We work with most major insurers and verify your benefits and expected costs for free; checking doesn’t commit you to treatment.
Talk to Someone Who Can Help You Take the Next Step
We’re in Needham, MA, serving Boston, Dedham, Newton, Waltham, Wellesley, West Roxbury, Dorchester, and nearby communities. Call (877) 920-6583 for a free, confidential conversation, or verify your insurance online — neither one commits you to anything.
Frequently asked questions
What are the withdrawal symptoms of cocaine?
Fatigue, depression, agitation, difficulty concentrating, and intense cravings are common. It's usually not life-threatening, but it's hard to get through without support.
Can you overdose on cocaine?
Yes. Cocaine use can cause a heart attack, stroke, or sudden death, and the risk rises with higher doses or when it's mixed with other substances. Nationally, drug overdose deaths involving stimulants rose sharply between 2015 and 2022.
Do clients from Waltham and Newton seek cocaine treatment at GBAC?
Yes. We're based in Needham, MA, and see clients from across the area, including Waltham, Newton, Dedham, and Boston.
What therapies are used to treat cocaine addiction?
CBT, DBT, ACT, group therapy, family therapy, and relapse prevention therapy are common parts of treatment, focused on the cravings and triggers behind the use. There's no FDA-approved medication specifically for cocaine use disorder.
Does insurance cover cocaine addiction treatment in Massachusetts?
Many private plans cover medically necessary treatment, though deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and authorization requirements vary by plan. We verify your benefits for free before you commit to anything.