Just stopped using cocaine? Read this.

Ok, there are a few things I want you to be aware for your first few months of quitting Cocaine.

(Well actually I am sure there is a book load, but for now we will start with the most important things for when you stop Cocaine use. I have helped many people change their behaviour with cocaine, and these are the things that I have found are key).

Ok let's start at the beginning with the obvious.  Cocaine is a drug, we take it because we like it, well that's why you started.  It feels nice, it releases all those feel good chemicals in the brain and with the adrenaline, a bit of excitement and pleasure is always nice.

Pleasure, reward.  You do this with certain people, at certain times in certain places. Maybe you combine Cocaine with alcohol. You are setting anchors, making habits.

You might even notice that with certain people you want to take cocaine with them, the urge is strong, or it's when in a certain place like at a bar when you want to mix cocaine and alcohol, or at a certain time of day.  Or a mix of all of these.

If you notice that certain people are a trigger, you feel like you want to use when you are with them.  Then, you can avoid them whilst you are quitting cocaine and in the process of changing some habits.  You can tell them what you are doing and ask for help, be clear about what it means to support you.  You can socialise with them in a different way, different time of day and place.

If you notice that certain environments make you want to use, this one is simple, don’t go there.  Avoiding them for a little while will help you stop cocaine use.  Don’t panic, it doesn’t take long to make new habits.

If its certain times of day, then plan things in for that time.  For instance say its always a Friday night, then what can you plan in for your Friday night that means it’s a no brainer, you will not be anywhere near cocaine, or people, environments that may trigger you.

Do you use cocaine when you feel a certain way? Sometimes it’s a range of feelings.  Things go wrong, celebrations etc.  What can you do differently when you feel this way?

We also need to talk about low mood and depression. This will be dependant on so many things, your lifestyle, what support you have, how much cocaine you have been using, how much you have been drinking, how much sleep you get, diet, exercise etc

It's not a clear cut thing.

It's not uncommon for people to feel different levels of low mood and depression after a period of using Cocaine and this is something that gets missed unless a practitioner or health worker has the correct training and experience.

What can happen is people stop cocaine use, for all the right reasons.  But then they find they keep relapsing because they feel like life is shit, they feel crap, everything is grey, what's the point?

There is no pleasure. 

There are a number of reasons this might happen.  It's possible you have become so used to getting your feel good hits from a drug that you have forgotten how to experience this. Sometimes we have used so much that we have a period of time after quitting cocaine where our brain chemistry has to relearn pleasure, what goes up must come down.  Maybe sleep and diet have fallen by the wayside, maybe alcohol is a factor.

There are things you can do to help.  Sleep, drink water, eat good food, whole foods, protein, nutrition, some light exercise.  In time your body and brain will repair.  It can take time and if you are really struggling please go and see your doc and ask about antidepressants, they can help for a short period of time.  

If you need some support with quitting cocaine, contact me today.

You can also sign up for my free videos https://www.ichange21.com/how-to-stop-using-cocaine and my free ebook How to get started with stopping.