Have you ever taken cocaine to stay alert to complete an important task before an impending deadline? Did you notice that you were more exhausted and hungry in the days that followed?
This is known as cocaine comedown. In 2021, an estimated 662,000 Californians used cocaine. All of these people most likely experienced cocaine comedown as the substance naturally left their bodies.
At Pacific Sands, our goal is to help people understand the effects of taking any substance even one time. Today, we are going to discuss one of these potential side effects.
Understanding What Cocaine Comedown Is
Before understanding what a cocaine comedown is, it is important to understand how the effects of cocaine occur in the body. Cocaine is a stimulant that binds to dopamine receptors in the brain. These dopamine receptors are in the brain’s reward center and allow someone to feel things they might find pleasurable.
When cocaine does this, it creates many short-term side effects, such as euphoria, increased energy, mental alertness, and a decreased need for food and sleep. This initial period, typically beginning within a few minutes of taking the substance, is known as a “high.” This high feels good and encourages someone to continue consuming cocaine in the future.
With that said, the “high” doesn’t last forever. On average, someone will only experience this high for 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the ingestion method used. A cocaine comedown occurs immediately after a high as the pleasant side effects fade away and are replaced by the not-so-pleasant side effects of cocaine use, like fatigue and irritability. As a cocaine comedown takes place, it encourages a person to want to take more of the substance to avoid those uncomfortable sensations. This might lead to someone binging on the substance and possibly overdosing.
Recognizing Cocaine Comedown Symptoms
Cocaine comedown has various effects when it comes to both the mind and the body. They can occur whether someone has taken cocaine for several years or if this is their first time. This is because these symptoms are the result of the initial high and euphoria of cocaine fading away.
Common symptoms that someone might associate with cocaine comedown include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Inability to fall asleep
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Runny nose
- Aches and pains
- Increased appetite
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
Understanding Why Cocaine Comedown Happens: Cocaine Crash and Its Rebound Effect
As cocaine leaves a person’s system, two main effects happen during a cocaine comedown, both result in the person feeling side effects. These effects are known as the “crash” and the “rebound effect.”
The crash occurs with many stimulants, not just cocaine. It can also occur when someone consumes meth or high doses of caffeine. Since stimulants boost energy and focus while reducing the need for sleep, their absence often leads to a period of intense exhaustion. In turn, the body tries to recover from the effects of the substance and any lack of sleep it missed out on due to the stimulant.
A rebound effect is what happens when the body tries to rebalance itself once the substance is leaving the system. This often results in the opposite effect that is normal for the substance occurring. In the case of cocaine, when someone takes this substance, it results in feelings of alertness and energy. After those effects wear off, people will often feel depressed or physically exhausted and drowsy. Taking more of this substance to counteract this increases a person’s risk of developing a cocaine use disorder.
Breaking Down the Timeline: How Long Does a Cocaine Comedown Last?
As mentioned earlier, the cycle of taking cocaine begins with a high that begins a few minutes after the substance is taken, depending on the method of ingestion. This method might include snorting, gumming, smoking, or injecting. This high typically lasts 5 to 30 minutes, sometimes longer, once again depending on how you took cocaine. After this period, is when the cocaine comedown begins.
How long this period lasts depends on how regularly someone consumes the substance. If it is someone’s first time taking cocaine or they don’t consume it regularly, it might last for 1 to 2 days. The symptoms they experience will most likely be mild as cocaine naturally leaves their body and the brain returns to its normal functioning. For someone who binges on cocaine regularly, they might experience a longer and more intense comedown.
Are They the Same? Exploring Cocaine Comedown vs. Cocaine Withdrawal
Cocaine comedown and cocaine withdrawal are similar, but they aren’t the same thing. Cocaine comedown typically only lasts for a couple of days, and the symptoms aren’t as intense as withdrawal. Cocaine comedown can also happen to anyone who takes the substance. It doesn’t matter how often they have used the substance, as this process is simply what happens as cocaine naturally leaves the body.
Cocaine withdrawal, on the other hand, typically only occurs if someone is regularly consuming the substance and has a cocaine use disorder. Symptoms are typically more intense, last for several weeks, and begin 6 to 12 hours after the last use of cocaine. Cocaine withdrawal symptoms might include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Extreme exhaustion
- Intense cravings
- Agitation
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Inability to experience pleasure
It can take several months before someone fully recovers from cocaine withdrawal, and cocaine use disorder treatment is often required to help someone reach a place where their energy is back, their anxiety is reduced, and they can feel a sense of pleasure again. When it comes to cocaine comedown, this is not necessarily the case.
Effective Ways to Manage a Cocaine Comedown
For most people, a cocaine comedown will only last a few days before the symptoms fade away. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any ways to make it easy to wait for them to dissipate. The symptoms are similar to that of a cold or flu, and many of the same ways you manage those symptoms transfer over to managing a cocaine comedown.
This includes ensuring you drink plenty of fluids like sports drinks or water. These drinks help keep you hydrated and reduce the risk of becoming dehydrated, a possible risk as this substance leaves your body. If you have body aches or headaches, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers, like ibuprofen, to help.
Many people during a cocaine comedown might begin craving fatty and unhealthy foods. While it might feel tempting to give in to those desires, choosing healthier meals will ease the symptoms you are experiencing. Also, make sure that you are getting enough rest. Since cocaine is a stimulant, the crash and rebound effects often result in extreme fatigue and restlessness. Trying to rest will help your body recover from the effects of cocaine.
Begin Your Cocaine Use Disorder Recovery in Santa Ana, CA
You don’t necessarily need to have a cocaine use disorder to experience cocaine comedown, as anyone who has ever taken the substance will probably experience it. However, if you are experiencing the symptoms constantly or they are severe, it might be an indication that what you are experiencing is withdrawal, which can be a sign of a cocaine use disorder.
This condition makes it difficult for many people to stop taking the substance as the withdrawal symptoms they are experiencing only encourage them to take more. Even though this experience might feel like something you have to go through on your own, you don’t have to, nor should you. Attending a cocaine detox program provides you with the tools and resources that will allow you to effectively recover from cocaine use and withdrawal.
Pacific Sands has a 6-client maximum with private rooms. Each person in our care receives the treatment they deserve to leave cocaine or another substance behind. Our clinical director is on-site 50 hours a week to care for clients and answer any questions. To schedule a consultation, contact us at 949-426-7962.
Pacific Sands – The first step towards a new life.
