Are There Specific Treatments for Cocaine Addiction?

When you think of addiction treatments, you probably have a pretty good idea of what opiate treatment looks like because you have seen it in the movies a million times or you may know someone who has gone through it. But, stimulant addiction doesn’t readily conjure up a fully formed set of expectations and treatments. What treatment is offered to stimulant addicts? Is any of it specific to a cocaine addiction?

Yes, there is a model of therapy designed for stimulant addicts. But, don’t expect any medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically for use with cocaine addiction. There aren’t any and the National Institute on Drug Abuse is currently funding research in this area.

In general, treatment centers cobble together medications and therapies used for other addictions and combine them in ways that make them applicable to cocaine addiction. This can make you feel like the methods and models are a bit undefined and detached from stimulant use. But, you needn’t worry; they aren’t.

The therapy model developed specifically to combat cocaine and stimulant abuse is called the Matrix Model and what follows is a detailed overview of this approach. If it sounds like something that could help you to recover from your cocaine addiction, you really should look for a rehab program that uses it. The best treatment program will be the one that meets your needs.

The Foundation of the Matrix Model

The Matrix Model, dating back to the 1980s, is relatively new when you compare it to Alcoholics Anonymous, which began in 1935, or the concept of sober housing, which extends back to the 1890s. And the reason for the more recent advent has to do with rehabilitation populations, who tended to be seeking help for alcohol addiction above all else. The methodologies designed for a predominantly alcoholic population simply didn’t work on cocaine abusers.

The addiction experts at the Matrix Institute began by pulling from an existing body of treatment models and methods. Through rigorous study, they isolated elements that were applicable to combatting cocaine addiction and combined them to form an interconnected model. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration identifies some of the components acquired: “elements of relapse prevention, cognitive–behavioral, psychoeducation, and family approaches, as well as 12-Step program support.”

The Matrix Model isn’t terribly simple; it is highly structured and contains a variety of components. However, participants should be reassured by the amount of information they will receive, and well as assistance forming a cocaine-free life and support in creating and maintaining a drug-free life.

The Therapist

Your therapist will be a key element of the matric model treatment approach. He or she will serve as both your coach and your teacher. Expect the therapist to use authentic, direct interactions to foster a relationship. Have no worries that they will be authoritative or parental; they won’t. Ideally, the pair of you will form a loving, positive bond that will enable you to make some positive life changes. Your self-esteem and your dignity will receive nurturing and support.  

The Counseling Sessions

Therapy will have a finite beginning and end, but you will have to attend several intensive sessions per week. Counseling extends for 16 weeks. Session are somewhat open-ended and they begin when you initially drop in and end when you have finished all of them. All treatments are outpatient, so you do not have to worry that you can only be served by inpatient care.

There are five different session types, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

• 3 sessions of individual/conjoint family counseling
• 8 sessions of early recovery skills group counseling
• 32 sessions of relapse prevention group counseling
• 12 sessions of family education group counseling
• 36 sessions of social support group counseling

On top of counseling, the matrix model will present you with information about support groups, time management, scheduling and other supports and life skills. You will also be regularly tested for drugs and alcohol.

Empirical testing has proven the Matrix Method to be an effective form of treatment for cocaine addicts.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have both conducted research and the results were positive regarding this model of treatment. 

If the idea of a structured treatment for your cocaine addiction appeals to you, consider doing more research and locating a facility near you that offers the Matrix Method. It may be the model you need to succeed.