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Cocaine addiction recovery is a long-term effort that extends beyond any initial detox or treatment effort. Individuals in recovery can face powerful cravings, life’s emotional ups and downs and environmental situations that can trigger a relapse.
For example, if you’re early in recovery and find yourself in a situation where people are abusing drugs, it can be difficult to overcome the desire to use yourself. Even if you’re years into recovery, a significant stressor, such as a difficult time at work or a divorce, could lead to cocaine cravings.
This post explores common triggers for cocaine relapse, practical coping strategies for dealing with those triggers and the role of therapy and healthy life choices in lasting drug recovery.
Understanding Triggers for Cocaine Relapse
Recognizing the events and situations that might make relapse more likely is an important step in the recovery process. While triggers vary from person to person, common triggers many people experience when recovering from cocaine addiction include:
- Stress. High levels of stress can cause people to engage in a variety of unhealthy coping mechanisms. For example, some people eat more junk food or drink alcohol when they’re stressed. If you’re in recovery from cocaine addiction, stress related to work, finances, relationships, health or other factors can cause you to crave cocaine or be at risk for returning to cocaine use.
- Situations associated with cocaine use. If you’re around people associated with your previous cocaine use or in a location where you used to use cocaine, you may be more likely to relapse. Your relapse risk is especially high if you’re around people who are using cocaine.
- Parties. Social situations, such as parties, weddings or other celebrations where others may be using alcohol or recreational drugs, could put you at risk for relapse.
- Negative emotions. Strong emotions, including depression, anger or loneliness, can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, including relapse into cocaine use.
- A lack of purpose. If you don’t have a purpose or goal you’re working toward or some sort of structure in life, you may be restless and bored — two situations that can make relapse more likely.
Coping Strategies for Long-Term Recovery
When it comes to understanding how to quit cocaine, it’s essential to learn and practice healthy coping strategies. From using breathing techniques to having a sponsor to call, these methods help you face situations that might trigger a relapse and come away sober.
Identify and Avoid High-Risk Situations
Start by identifying high-risk situations that put you at the greatest risk of relapse and avoiding them when you can. For example, if you have a group of friends from before recovery who still enjoy going out to clubs on the weekends, you might pass on those outings if you know the environment is dangerous for your sobriety.
Other choices you might make include spending less time with people who don’t support your recovery or removing unnecessary stressors. Sometimes these choices are as simple as taking a different route home from work to avoid driving by locations where you used to score cocaine.
Obviously, you can’t cut every possible stress or high-risk situation out of your life. However, identifying them helps you create proactive plans to face them. For instance, if you know a certain family gathering may be triggering, you can plan with your spouse or a trusted loved one to leave early.
The Role of Therapy and Support Groups in Cocaine Recovery
Cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatment methods play a huge role in early recovery in inpatient and outpatient environments. But therapy and other forms of aftercare help support life in recovery even years after you’re discharged from an initial treatment program.
Therapy provides a structured space to explore triggers and address underlying causes of cocaine abuse and addiction, such as past trauma, mental health diagnoses or negative thought patterns. In individual therapy, you can discuss these obstacles with a licensed professional who guides you through developing and practicing better coping skills.
Support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, help you connect with peer support in your community. Peers who are also in recovery can provide helpful guidance and motivation for your journey. In many programs, you can connect with a sponsor when you’re dealing with the worst cravings or other recovery challenges.
Even if you have a supportive family and social system, the people in it may not fully understand the journey you’re going through. Connecting with those who do understand can reduce the isolation you might feel.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Relapse
Knowing how to stop cocaine use also involves learning how to care for your mind and body better. Implementing healthy lifestyle changes can reduce your risks of relapse. Some areas to work on include:
- Sleep schedule. Good quality sleep is critical for emotional regulation and overall well-being. Find a sleep schedule that works for you and stick to it consistently, getting at least 7 hours of sleep most nights. Cut out caffeine in the afternoon and evening, avoid using screens 45 minutes to an hour before bed and invest in comfortable sleeping arrangements to improve sleep quality.
- Diet. Proper nutrition energizes your body and helps the brain repair itself after extended substance abuse. Talk to a dietitian about how best to fuel your body, and replace processed foods and sugars with whole foods high in protein and nutrients.
- Exercise. Physical activity can reduce stress and enhance your body’s functionality. Walk, run, bike or engage in other exercise you enjoy. Consider joining a gym for accountability for your workout.
- Meditation. Integrate mindfulness techniques such as meditation into your day-to-day life to become more self-aware.
- Meaningful goals. Set meaningful and realistic goals so you have something positive to look forward to.
Start Your Cocaine Addiction Recovery Journey
If you’re dealing with cocaine cravings, you’re not alone. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, more than 27 million Americans have tried cocaine in one form or another. While the tips provided above can help prevent relapse and support a more positive cocaine recovery, one of the best things you can do is to get your recovery journey started on a strong foundation. Contact FHE Health to find out about treatment options that help you do just that.
