When you’re dealing with a cocaine comedown, it can feel as though the nauseating symptoms last forever.
However, while cocaine comedowns can leave you feeling worse for wear, they do typically go away within a couple of days or even after a few hours. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take at home to help alleviate symptoms and ease the pain.
To help, we’ll look at how long a cocaine comedown lasts, symptoms of a cocaine comedown, and how to treat it.
How Long Cocaine Comedowns Last
Cocaine comedowns are different for each individual. As such, the symptoms for some can subside after a few hours, while others may take days to feel better.
But why is it that cocaine comedowns are experienced differently depending on the person? Well, it’s all to do with your metabolism, how much of the drug was taken, the strength of it, as well as how you took it.
For example, if you have a naturally slower metabolism, it will take your body longer to process the leftover drug. As such, your cocaine comedown may take on the longer side to subside.
In terms of the drug itself, a purer form of cocaine can cause a longer comedown, while you’ll also typically experience a longer comedown with larger amounts of the drug.
You can also experience different comedown periods depending on whether the drug was snorted, smoked or injected, as well as if it was mixed with other drugs.
What is a Cocaine Comedown?
Put simply, a cocaine comedown is the body adjusting to its normal state after the high of taking the drug.
When you take a drug, your body experiences a euphoric sensation referred to as a ‘high’. Like many drugs, cocaine releases dopamine into the system, which causes intense feelings of pleasure.
A comedown happens when the drug starts to leave your system, leading to a depletion of dopamine. Your body then has to adjust to its regular state of being, known as homeostasis, and this process is what’s known as a comedown.
Symptoms of a Cocaine Comedown
Cocaine comedowns can be quite difficult, causing a range of symptoms impacting both the body and mind. You may experience symptoms such as:
- Fatigue: As cocaine overstimulates the central nervous system, it’s common for people to experience fatigue during a cocaine comedown.
- Insomnia: With the cocaine still lingering in the system, falling asleep can be a challenge, leading to insomnia.
- Muscle Aches: As cocaine is a stimulant, it’s common for people to flex their muscles during the high. When you start to come down, your muscles may feel achy, tender, or sore.
- Brain Fog: When you have a drug-induced high, the brain enters an increased state of alertness. As such, brain fog is common during the comedown as the brain regains control.
- Hunger: Cocaine acts as an appetite suppressant, meaning many people don’t eat during the high. As a result, you may feel intense feelings of hunger when you come down.
If you experience fatigue, insomnia, or muscle aches during a cocaine comedown, avoid taking medications like sleeping tablets, paracetamol, or ibuprofen. As the body is extremely fragile during this period, medicine which is usually perfectly safe can have adverse effects.
How to Treat a Cocaine Comedown
1. Drink Plenty of Water
When you take stimulants such as cocaine, it’s common to experience dehydration during and after the high.
As stimulants increase heart rate and metabolism, you may notice you overheat and sweat more, which increases how much water your body loses. Additionally, cocaine increases the need to urinate, which means you’re losing body fluids more quickly, too.
To treat signs of a cocaine comedown, you need to make sure you’re drinking lots of water. You can also try electrolyte drinks or orange juice to rehydrate your body. The NHS recommends you drink between 6 and 8 cups of fluid a day to stay hydrated.
2. Eat Healthy Food
Your body goes through a lot during a drug-induced high. As such, it’s important to nourish it with healthy food when you’re experiencing a comedown.
You’ll want to eat foods that are high in protein, fibre, and complex carbohydrates, but low in fat. Protein helps support your muscles, carbohydrates stabilise your blood sugar levels, and fibre improves your digestion.
Some of the best foods to eat during a comedown include almonds, chicken, tuna, or Greek yoghurt. You can also try drinking papaya, strawberry, or pineapple juice in between meals.
3. Get Rest
Your body recovers best when you’re sleeping, meaning getting enough rest is crucial for treating a cocaine comedown.
However, as insomnia is a common symptom of a comedown, you may find it hard to fall asleep. If you are finding it difficult to rest, avoid taking a sleeping tablet, as the medicine can have adverse effects during a comedown.
Instead, you can try fruits like pineapple, banana, or cherries to help you sleep. As these fruits all contain the sleep hormone melatonin, they act as a natural and safe sleeping aid.
4. Go For a Walk
It’s common for feelings of anxiety or depression to creep in during a cocaine comedown. One way to remedy this is to get yourself out and about.
You don’t need to do lots of exercise. In fact, studies show that even something as simple as a 15-minute walk in nature can have incredible benefits for your mental health. Exercise releases endorphins, known as the feel-good hormone, which help boost your mood.
You can go for a short walk around the park to get some fresh air and nature, or walk to a friend’s house for a cup of tea.
5. Speak to Your GP
If at any point you’re worried about a comedown lasting too long or experiencing particularly intense symptoms, it’s best to speak to your GP.
Speaking to a GP is especially important if you have prescribed medications. As medicines act differently during a comedown, you need to speak to them about whether it’s safe to continue taking the medication as your body flushes out the drug.
If you experience suicidal thoughts, chest pain, trouble breathing or lose consciousness during a cocaine comedown, call 999 as soon as possible.
6. Check in With Loved Ones
Dealing with a cocaine comedown can be incredibly mentally taxing, leaving you feeling anxious and drained. It’s important to get in touch with loved ones during this time.
We know when you’re experiencing cocaine comedown symptoms, it can be tempting to lie in bed and wait for it to subside. However, this can actually make the comedown feel worse.
You should rely on your support network during this time. Even if it’s a quick text or a chat over the phone, speaking to loved ones can help alleviate some of the anxiety and stress that typically comes along with a comedown.
7. Reach out to Addiction Specialists
The best way to treat a cocaine comedown is to treat the addiction itself with specialist treatment.
Addiction rehab gives you access to around-the-clock care from addiction experts, giving you the best chance of recovery. Once you’ve left their care, most rehab centres include specialised aftercare to help you continue your recovery journey once home.
If you’re worried about a cocaine addiction in loved ones or yourself, get in touch with us today. Our team is ready to help.
Is a Cocaine Comedown the Same as Withdrawal?
No, a cocaine comedown is not the same as a withdrawal. While a lot of the symptoms are similar, they are two different stages of drug use or addiction.
A cocaine comedown is what happens in the immediate aftermath as the drug’s effects begin wearing off. Typically, symptoms of a comedown are temporary, only lasting a few hours for most people.
Cocaine withdrawal occurs when you start detoxing from the drug after a period of addiction. Symptoms of withdrawal feel much more intense than a comedown and usually last quite a bit longer as well.
While you can manage symptoms of a comedown at home, it’s best to seek the support of addiction specialists for withdrawal, as detoxing alone isn’t advised.
Our Team is Ready to Support You on Your Cocaine Recovery Journey
Here at Stonebridge Communities, we provide expert rehabilitation to help you regain control of your life from a drug addiction.
As a CQC-qualified treatment centre, you can trust you’re getting the best possible care to support you on your recovery journey. We offer care for drug addiction, alcohol addiction, as well as sex and social media addiction, ensuring we can help you no matter what you need.
Get in touch with us today to discuss what options are available to you. You can reach us via phone on 01934 311965 or send an email to info@stonebridge.rehab.
Looking for more information? Learn why drugs often cause anger or what drug-induced psychosis is, over on our blog.
