Cocainism--a workable model for recovery

Presented here is a model for the diagnosis and treatment of cocaine dependence. Intrinsic in the understanding of this model is the use of the disease concept of chemical dependence. Within the construct of this model we regard cocaine dependence or "cocainism" as a disease process and part of the spectrum of the disease of chemical dependence. We note that "pure" cocainism is rare and cocaine is usually just another chemical used in the polyaddicted patient. We call cocaine the "Great Precipitator" as it often brings the polyaddicted chemically-dependent person into a crisis that requires a treatment intervention. Cocainism, with its overwhelming compulsion and destruction, often precipitates a crisis in a matter of months from first use. As psychiatrists practicing addictionology, we understand the need to deal with cocainism as a primary disease process rather than a symptom of an underlying psychiatric illness. We deal with cocainism as we deal with alcoholism. While the DSM-III requires withdrawal and tolerance changes to be an essential feature for dependence, we more easily identify the disease of cocainism by its production of intense psychological addiction. Thereby the diagnosis of the disease of cocainism, as with other drugs (including alcohol) in the spectrum of chemical dependence, is characterized by the persistent, uncontrolled, compulsive use of cocaine. This illogical, irrational compulsion with continued, repeated use of cocaine as it destroys the individual's life, is the primary symptom of this disease. In regards to specific considerations, the psychiatric complications of cocainism, which can include cocaine induced psychosis, can persist beyond the intoxication period. We also note the depression that can accompany abstinence from cocaine and often has a protracted course following initial abstinence as well. We advocate the very cautious use of any psychotropic medications after an alloted period of time since we find that many of these additional symptoms seem to dissipate during the treatment process when involved in our suggested setting. In the cases of where it is determined that additional psychiatric illness co-exist with cocaine and chemical dependence such as in "dual diagnosis" patients, we have had that success by treating both illnesses concomitantly and aggressively. The "contract" with the dual diagnosis patient has afforded excellent results in this instance. The treatment modalities most effective in this model include a treatment team with its multidisciplinary and recovering and non-recovering characteristics, and the use of the group process and peer group therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)