Cocaine and Mental Health

Understanding Cocaine

A class A drug, cocaine use in the United Kingdom was banned in the 1920s.  Although cocaine use is illegal in the United Kingdom, it is estimated that 2.4% of the Great British population consume cocaine at least once a year.

Consumed orally and intravenously, cocaine is administered in various ways.  As cocaine is a stimulant drug, users report feeling more alert, energised and happy when cocaine is consumed.

However, these sensations are often short-lived and cause many to ‘crash’ as the side effects of the drug wear off.  Unable to cope, increasing amounts of cocaine are required, often leading to cocaine abuse and addictions.

Regrettably, frequent cocaine use can induce physical illnesses such as organ failure, heart problems, seizures, heart attack and stroke.

Cocaine use is also known to cause individuals to experience psychological problems such as insomnia, paranoia, psychosis, hallucinations, depression and anxiety.

Co-Occurring Cocaine and Mental Health Disorders

Unbeknown to many, various studies have highlighted how cocaine addictions increase an individual’s risk of simultaneously struggling with personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and depressive disorders.

In the last ten years, hospital admissions relating to cocaine use and mental health disorders is believed to have tripled.  Data published by the NHS contributes to this, highlighting that more than 96,000 admissions were made for drug-related mental health disorders in the last year alone.

Although using and abusing cocaine does not automatically mean that an individual will develop a co-occurring mental health disorder, research, as noted above, has determined that cocaine use significantly increases the risk of developing a mental health disorder due to the short and long-term side effects repeated drug use has on the brain.

It should also be noted that although cocaine use can increase the likelihood that an individual will develop a mental health disorder, some individuals that have previously been diagnosed with a mental health disorder will turn to cocaine in a bid to alleviate the symptoms they encounter on a daily basis.  However, doing so can cause mental health disorders to intensify and become unbearable.

While many mental health disorders can arise from cocaine use or contribute to whether an individual will abuse cocaine, we have listed the most common co-occurring cocaine and mental health disorders below.

• Cocaine and Anxiety
• Cocaine and Depression
• Cocaine and Post-Traumatic Stress
• Cocaine and Stress

Dual Diagnosis Treatment For Cocaine and Mental Health

If you have become reliant on cocaine and also struggle with a mental health disorder, here at Asana Lodge, we are on hand to ensure that you have access to the dual diagnosis treatment you need.

Offering personalised programmes, our dual diagnosis treatment will be catered to your cocaine and mental health needs.

Below, we have outlined treatments that are commonly combined and incorporated into our dual diagnosis treatment programmes.

• A medically induced detoxification
• One-to-one counselling
• Well-being therapy
• Satori Chair Therapy
• Brain and body restoration
• Aftercare support

As you review the treatments we incorporate into dual diagnosis treatment programmes, we would ask you to bear in mind that although these treatments are widely administered at our cocaine rehab, you will be subject to a clinical assessment upon entering our centre.

This assessment will enable our team of medical and therapy professionals to understand the physical and psychological consequences of your coexisting disorder and recommend suitable treatment based on your personal requirements.