“What goes up must come down.” We are confident that the original intent of this statement was not to describe the mental health of a habitual cocaine abuser, but if the shoe fits…
Cocaine is a well-known and exceptionally potent Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant. It temporarily ‘hijacks’ the brain’s pleasure centre, causing a rush of feel-good dopamine while simultaneously preventing the brain from clearing out excess dopamine as it normally would, causing feelings of confidence, energy, and euphoria—a cocaine high.
But, eventually, the party is over, and what is now high comes crashing down, spectacularly so.
A cocaine comedown, sometimes referred to as a cocaine hangover or crash, occurs as cocaine’s effects start to wear off. The brain shuts down dopamine production while also clearing out any ‘residual party dopamine’. The process of restoring normal dopamine levels is uncomfortable, leaving one tired, irritable, and anxious—a cocaine crash.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about coming down from cocaine: what to expect, how a cocaine crash works, how to treat the symptoms, and answers to common questions.
Learn more about our cocaine addiction rehab programmes or contact us directly for more information on cocaine rehab and recovery.
While powerful, cocaine’s effects are relatively short-lived. Typically speaking and depending on several factors, including the user’s drug habits, cocaine purity, and method of use, users experience the first signs of comedown anywhere between one and three hours after last use. This short period often translates into multiple cocaine uses per session to maintain the high, at the cost of a more serious comedown later.
When the party’s over and the brain starts working on normalising its neurochemistry, most people can expect to experience symptoms that more or less reflect the opposite of what cocaine does. This is called the rebound effect and is seen across all categories of drugs.
Commonly reported cocaine comedown symptoms include:
Cocaine overstimulates the central nervous system, causing the user to feel energetic and alert. As it wears off, physical fatigue may set in while residual cocaine prevents the user from falling asleep. Do not take sedative-hypnotics to treat cocaine hangover insomnia, as this can lead to dependency or adverse interactions.
Cocaine’s intense euphoria is temporary, and as brain chemistry normalises, it flushes out existing dopamine and prevents the brain from producing more. This leads to feelings of sadness, irritability, and, for some, crippling anxiety.
Frequent snorting of cocaine can damage the nasal passages, causing irritation and swelling. This often leads to a blocked or runny nose, which becomes more noticeable after use stops.
Because cocaine is a potent stimulant, users may flex or engage their muscles while high without realising it. This is particularly noticeable in the jaw as users clench their teeth. Coming down, the body relaxes, and muscles that have been clenching for hours begin to ache.
Cocaine enhances alertness and focus during the high, but the crash can leave users feeling mentally sluggish and unable to concentrate. This is due to overexcited neurotransmitters and the brain struggling to regain balance after what is essentially a chemical storm.
Cocaine is a powerful appetite suppressant, so once its effects fade, users often experience intense hunger.
Although there is an overlap between a cocaine comedown and cocaine withdrawal symptoms, there are notable differences in their duration, intensity, and context within drug use.
Cocaine comedown refers specifically to the effects of a ‘single session’ of cocaine abuse. The brain rapidly counteracts overstimulation, causing crash symptoms to set in within a few hours of the last use and, depending on several factors, last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.
Cocaine withdrawal, on the other hand, refers to a longer-term process and physical and psychological symptoms that habitual users go through when ending cocaine abuse. Withdrawal symptoms can last anywhere from a week up to several months in cases where the user suffers from post-acute withdrawal symptoms, or PAWS.
Although many of the symptoms of cocaine comedown and withdrawal are the same, withdrawal is often experienced as more intense as the body rids itself of any remaining cocaine metabolites.
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to treating a cocaine comedown: the good news is that, despite feeling like you got hit by a truck delivery truck, a cocaine comedown presents little long-term physical danger to an otherwise healthy adult. It won’t kill you; you just have to ride it out. On the other hand, experiencing a cocaine hangover is in itself a symptom of a larger and much more serious problem, cocaine abuse. While treating a cocaine comedown focuses on alleviating discomfort and promoting recovery, the best treatment for a cocaine hangover is to avoid it altogether. Despite cocaine’s reputation as a fun and less harmful drug, habitual cocaine abuse may have serious and irreversible consequences.
Some good advice for dealing with a cocaine comedown include:
Even when not used alongside alcohol, cocaine users don’t exactly focus on staying well-hydrated during sessions. Drink lots of water or electrolyte-rich fluids to replenish lost fluids and support recovery. Avoid caffeinated or overly sugary drinks that may exacerbate a headache and anxiety.
Nobody does cocaine, makes themselves a nice cup of tea, and goes to bed early for a good night’s sleep. Both your mind and body will almost certainly need time to recover. Avoid any physically or mentally demanding tasks and try to get some rest while your body flushes out the cocaine, restores depleted glucose reserves, and recovers. It might be difficult to fall asleep, so ensure that you have a calm and comfortable environment in which to rest.
After a night of abusing cocaine, you will almost certainly feel sadness, irritability, or like you’re balancing on a knife’s edge the next day. This is normal, and you must avoid the temptation to counteract these symptoms with further substance abuse. Please contact an addiction specialist if you regularly use cocaine, then self-medicate to treat the emotional component of a cocaine comedown. While it may be challenging, light physical activity, such as walking, can help stabilise your mood.
Healthy foods can help your body replenish glucose and other nutrients after a night of abuse and also play a role in stabilising an unstable mood. Steer clear of greasy or fatty fast foods, as they can spike your blood sugar levels only to cause them to drop quickly. A sugar crash on top of a cocaine crash is miserable.
By focusing on hydration, rest, emotional well-being, and nutrition, you can help your body recover more effectively and reduce the intensity of a cocaine comedown. It’s advisable to seek professional help to address potential substance misuse if you experience frequent or severe comedowns.
Gladstones Clinic has been helping people from all walks of life permanently overcome cocaine addiction and abuse. We understand the complexities of dealing with potent stimulants, enabling us to provide targeted and effective care. We provide a medically supervised detox to ensure minimal discomfort during withdrawal, day-one access to professional and experienced psychotherapy and counselling, and industry-leading aftercare services that ensure free and lifelong access to the Gladstones community, group therapy, and other vital recovery resources.
Get in touch for an obligation-free discussion of how we can help you return to a life lived with confidence and control.
A cocaine comedown typically lasts 24 to 48 hours. Symptoms often reach their peak intensity at around 3 to 9 hours after use, slowly easing off over the next day and a half or so.
It feels like a sudden, intense loss of physical energy and emotional stability. You feel tired, irritated, anxious, and low-key depressed—pretty much the exact opposite of a euphoric cocaine high.
A cocaine comedown is typically not life-threatening, but it can be emotionally and mentally distressing. If one repeatedly takes more cocaine to avoid the crash, they increase the risk of an overdose, which can be fatal.
Yes. In fact, more often than not, staying hydrated, eating healthy, balanced meals, and getting plenty of rest is the medically advised way to deal with a cocaine comedown. Medical intervention is rarely necessary.
Most cocaine users will experience some degree of fatigue, irritability, or low mood as cocaine wears off. The severity of the comedown will vary depending on factors like the frequency and duration of use, the effects of other substances, and even the individual’s health.
