Cocaine addiction is a severe problem in our society. It’s especially dangerous for young people. Their brain and body are constantly developing, so they can suffer some unwanted consequences when they contact Cocaine.
Luckily, there are many ways to address this and help your children. Parents should only understand the details regarding this occurrence, learn how to recognize it, and treat it on time. Here we’ll help you with that. In this complete teen cocaine addiction treatment guide, you’ll find facts, reasons why teens get addicted, the possible dangers, and of course, efficient treatments. So, let’s start.
Cocaine Addiction in Teens
Cocaine is a dangerous illegal drug; we all know this. There is no governing body that controls what goes into Cocaine. There is no set standard of production, making it even more of a wildcard to affect one’s health. It’s a stimulant that predominantly attacks the central nervous system, causing the addicted person to experience changes in their behavior and body in general.
It comes from the plant coca found in South America. After it’s processed, it’s turned into two forms of Cocaine. More precisely, it can be found as a powder and as crack. As a powder, it has white color and can be blended with other substances until it becomes an even more potent and dangerous stimulant. “Crack” represents another common name for Cocaine. Crack cocaine takes the form of a rock crystal and is consumed by smoking. Other names that the drug goes by are coke, rock, blow, snow, and similar.
Understandably, addiction to Cocaine happens when a person needs to constantly take a certain quantity of the drug. With it, they feel a surge of energy, and they become more alert and attentive. However, this comes with a price, as when the drug’s effect fades away, the teens that are addicted are left feeling worse than they did before.
For this reason, parents should observe their children’s state very carefully, and if they notice some signs that are out of the ordinary, they should seek help. To properly deal with adolescent cocaine addiction effectively, it’s advised to look for teen cocaine addiction treatment that works for them. Joining a Los Angeles Teen rehab center like Key Transitions, for instance, has worked for many teens struggling with teen cocaine addiction. Teen addiction treatment centers like this, employ clinical experts that can help teens get through their problems, deal with them, and find practical solutions to help the teens along their life path.
Some Facts About Teen Cocaine Addiction
As we mentioned, the key is to try and understand teen cocaine abuse treatment to the best of your ability. Cocaine is usually snorted and goes directly to the brain. It all falls on dopamine, which is the natural substance responsible for the feeling of joy and pleasure. Cocaine as a stimulant blocks the substance from being reabsorbed in the brain. This causes young people that consumed the drug to feel powerful, overly excited, and high.
Aside from this, it brings harm to one’s mental health as people don’t feel mentally well after the effect of Cocaine runs out. Also, there are risks of contracting more serious illnesses, heart attacks, HIV, damage of the lungs, and others. As the evidence suggests, the mind and body become too dependent on coke, craving for more frequent and stronger doses.
The Ways Teens Use Crack Cocaine
There are multiple ways that teens consume Cocaine. They include:
- Snorting – This is a way that’s the most commonly used when teens have Cocaine in powder form. It enables them to absorb the drug fast, making it the main ingestion form when it comes to powder. Moreover, youngsters tend to snort bumps or lines.
- Smoking – As Cocaine comes in rock form, smoking is another very common way of ingestion. A few ways people smoke Cocaine are:
- Through a pipe,
- Using tin foil, or even combined with marijuana.
- Injecting – Finally, crack can be injected, as well. However, it’s considered to be a more intense method and more painful than the others. The powder is put in water and then injected into the veins in the form of liquid. Parents can notice this if they carefully observe their child’s arms for signs of needle holes and act on time.
Teenage cocaine use comes with a big risk of overdose and different physical and mental symptoms like increased anxiety and emotional distress.
Why Do Teens Get Addicted to Cocaine or Substance Abuse?
Teen cocaine addiction happens when young people constantly use the drug, which results in a damaged activity of the brain and the body. Mainly, it appears as a result of various risk factors. Among them are abuse, trauma, and other types of stressful situations in life that lead to more teens using substances like Cocaine.
Of course, other possible reasons for an addiction could be exposure to substances or alcohol before being born, genetic predisposition, hanging out with peers that use drugs, and lack of attention and monitoring by parents. The family atmosphere plays a big part in teenage cocaine addiction. If young people live surrounded by chaos and a lack of understanding from their parents, they may turn to take drugs more frequently. In truth, teens are prone to taking risks and trying things that are unknown to them. Cocaine is often one of those risks, and teens often get addicted.
Cocaine Abuse Symptoms
Parents should know that the sooner they recognize the symptoms of teen cocaine abuse, the faster they can prevent a serious addiction to the substance. In this regard, they should look out for:
Cocaine Symptoms on physical health – They are usually clearly visible. For instance, the young person’s pupils can be dilated, their nose running, and they may lose appetite. Yet some symptoms are internal, and teens feel them like strong headaches, nausea, pressure fluctuations, chills, sweating, and similar.
Cocaine Symptoms on social behavior – The social life doesn’t remain intact, either. People with cocaine abuse tend to distance themselves from those that matter to them the most and spend more time alone. This can cause depression and anxiety. Also, they can be violent, which puts away the people around them.
Cocaine Symptoms on Parents and Teen Relationships – Parents and teen relationships can suffer when an adolescent experiences teen cocaine abuse. As the behavior of the young person changes and they become more impatient and nervous, parents find themselves confused and unable to understand what’s happening. That’s why it’s essential to talk with your teens, stay in their lives, and love them.
The Dangers of Cocaine Dependence: Short term and Long term Effects
As Cocaine is among the most addictive drugs out there, it poses many dangers for people’s physical and mental health. They may find themselves lost with no confidence and plans for the future. These short-term and long-term effects are incorporated in the following parts.
Cocaine Effects on the Brain
When it comes to the brain, the real threat is dopamine. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that Cocaine is responsible for the increased levels of this pleasure chemical. Due to cocaine abuse or addiction, large amounts pile up in the brain. This is what causes the feeling of euphoria. If this occurs frequently, teens’ brains may suffer long-term consequences, considering that it’s still developing.
Cocaine Effects on the Body
The first question to ask here is how bad is coke for the heart. This is because the heart is the most vulnerable organ to the drug. High blood pressure and heart rates are understandably more common in teens that are addicted to Cocaine.
Aside from this, their pupils may dilate, and the blood vessels may constrict. This is very dangerous, especially for young people. Not to mention that it’s accompanied by other physical effects like nausea, malnutrition, nose issues, including loss of smell, and blood-borne diseases.
Cocaine Effects on Emotions
The effects of Cocaine can be felt in the emotions, too. Changes in behavior are often related to how young people feel. And usually, coke can mix up their thoughts, making them confused and lost. Also, various emotions may come to them all at once, causing them to feel overwhelmed and helpless.
Cocaine Effects on School Performance
School is a vital part of youth’s life. So, cocaine addiction and abuse impact the performance of students significantly. They aren’t able to dedicate themselves to the lessons, and their confusion contributes to bad grades.
Cocaine Effects on Social Behavior
Eventually, Cocaine affects the social behavior of those that take it. They tend to estrange themselves from close peers and isolate themselves. In some cases, this even leads to depression and other psychological problems.
Cocaine Can Bring Transmissible Diseases
According to the National Institutes of Health, coke users are more likely to catch transmissible diseases, depending on the type of ingestion. For instance, those that use needles are in danger of contracting HIV and other blood diseases. Moreover, the risk of hepatitis C is very high as well. However, these risks are there if teens take the drug by smoking and snorting.
Rehab Treatment for Teen Cocaine Addiction
The good news is that teen cocaine addiction can be addressed and cured via proper teen rehab treatment. Through it, the adolescents participate in a process that will change their lives and keep them sober.
Because of its sensitivity, it is conducted by experts in this field and unites several types of therapy. Usually, the services offered by treatment centers include:
Early intervention services
As the name suggests, early intervention is meant for early detection and intervention so that the teen cocaine treatment effectiveness has a higher chance of success.
Outpatient treatment
For instance, Teen Outpatient Programs like the one from Key Transitions are carefully crafted, keeping in mind the specific situation that teens are going through. The adolescents feel more comfortable sharing their troubles and accepting the healing through an outpatient program like this that supports group, family, and individual therapy.
Intensive outpatient
The outpatient treatment is known for a combination of group, mentorship, individual and family therapy. Whenever it’s necessary, and the situation is more serious, it’s more intensive to enable teens to heal quicker without consequences. The therapy sessions are more frequent and last longer. Also, they often tend to be conducted in groups, giving more teens a chance to participate in, and learn from others at the same time.
Residential/inpatient treatment
Teen cocaine residential treatment programs are considered a highly efficient treatment because they take the addicted teen completely out of their environment and away from any triggers. The teens get admitted into a facility where the treatment program takes place. However, it’s recommended mainly for those that are strongly addicted and have tried to stop ingesting Cocaine but continuously failed to do so.
Medically Managed Teen Cocaine Detox Intensive Inpatient Treatment
Medically Managed Teen Cocaine Detox Intensive Inpatient is a type of inpatient treatment that involves 24/7 medical staff. It’s used to help teens with withdrawals from coming off Cocaine to get rid of the craving for Cocaine and learn to live without it. Again, it’s suitable, especially for more serious cases where the addiction is in an advanced stage.
Multiple Therapeutic Models
Family-based therapy
One of the models of therapy is a family-based one. In this type, the teen’s family members are actively participating in treating them and getting them back on the right track.
Individual and Group Therapy
Individual and group therapy includes sessions with a therapist or another medical professional with just the teen who suffers from addiction or with a group of teens. This therapeutic model may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), brief intervention/motivational interviewing (BI/MI), the contingency management reinforcement approach (twelve-step programs, therapeutic community (TC), pharmacotherapy), and others.
What Is the Cost of Cocaine Addiction Treatment
When families think of sending their adolescent to a teen cocaine addiction treatment program, one of the first things that will pop into mind is, of course, the price.
While the price itself may vary, the cost is driven by a couple of factors. Some of these factors include the type of addiction being treated, whether it’s a complete residency program or a partial one, inpatient, or outpatient, the type of the facility, its location, amenities, and more.
Some data points show that addiction treatment facilities cost between $14k and $27k dollars for a month-long program. On the other hand, outpatient treatment is usually $500+ dollars for a session.
Does Insurance Cover Cocaine Addiction Treatment?
One of the most common ways families end up paying for their teenager’s cocaine addiction treatment is through their insurance. The amount isn’t fixed, and instead, is influenced by the insurer and whatever the health providers accept. Most PPO insurance plans are accepted. Another option is programs that offer possibilities for financing.
Do Teens Have Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms
Teen cocaine Rehab programs and the professionals who work in these facilities know perfectly well how to deal with cocaine withdrawal symptoms and ones from drugs and addictive substances. According to the American Addiction Centers, some medications are used to treat some symptoms like anxiety, such as propranolol, beta-blockers, and similar. With all these treatments, medical staff has in mind the possible side effects, changes in behavior, and similar. The health of the patient is a priority in these facilities like the Key Transitions, for one.
- Based on the treatment experience, there are several stages for cocaine withdrawal symptoms. In the mild stage of the symptoms, teens may experience mood swings, having trouble sleeping, cravings, being irritable, and similar.
- A teen may experience symptoms in the moderate stage, such as more severe cravings, inability to concentrate, inability to control their mood, etc.
- Severe-stage symptoms can be common in the case of some adolescents. These include exhaustion, a feeling of depletion, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
To put the situation under control, teens and adults who suffer from substance abuse and alcohol abuse, and similar should seek treatment and professional help. Whether it’s through inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, or other types of drug rehab services, therapy is important to get healthy and normal again.
Conclusion
Teen cocaine addiction is even more dangerous than addiction in adults because the age of a teenager is crucial for the proper development of the entire body and all of its systems. Harmful drugs like Cocaine, marijuana, and other substances causing addiction can lead to long-term damages to one’s body.
Teen cocaine addiction treatment and the recovery stage can be long and painful for some. But it’s important to be persistent and to never give up on the journey. It can be made easier with Teen IOP aftercare involvement, talking with therapists and friends, parental support, and more. Also, it may help to write a journal and find gratitude, and take things one step at a time.
Besides that, some coexisting disorders, peers, and friends who use drugs may get in the way of a complete and seamless recovery. Teens should be the strongest in these situations and try their best to stay away from the bad influences in their life.
A positive thing in the services for teen cocaine addiction treatment is the new and upcoming technology-based aftercare, advancements in medicine, and studying the development of the brain. Research involving these areas has shown promising potential, and many top-tier facilities are already thinking of implementing new, science-backed, and state-of-the-art programs for curing addiction.
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