There are no actual physical withdrawal symptoms for addicts who are attempting to recover from cocaine addiction. To a certain degree this is unfortunate because it is the reason many addicts refuse to believe they are, indeed, addicted to the drug. They justify their use of the drug by claiming, “I am not physically addicted to cocaine.”

Unlike many other drugs, the symptoms of cocaine withdrawal are emotional. The total dependence and addiction to cocaine for an addict occurs in the brain. Even without physical withdrawal symptoms, cocaine is still considered a highly addictive drug. This is because users have a lot of difficulty controlling the amounts they use and will continue to use the drug even though it has a negative impact on their lives.

For a person or a family going through cocaine addiction recovery, they can expect the addiction withdrawal symptoms to include depression, moodiness, tiredness and anxiety. During the second stage of withdrawal, there are also post-acute symptoms to be aware of. These symptoms include mood swings, low enthusiasm, variable energy levels, sleep disturbances, poor concentration and cross addiction.

The idea of total cocaine abstinence for an addicted cocaine user is the most difficult part of the recovery process. The desire for the euphoric high that creates the addiction in the first place remains strong as the brain creates powerful cravings for the drug. While not every cocaine addict experiences problems with other illegal substances, alcohol abuse is a common side effect of cocaine addiction, and addicts may increase their use of other substances while attempting to decrease cocaine use.