Cocaine dependence: alcohol and other drug dependence and withdrawal characteristics

In this study, a cocaine abstinence syndrome is confirmed. Moreover, the cocaine withdrawal syndrome was found to be medically and psychiatrically benign and required no medication for detoxification in this inpatient setting. The 150 patients who underwent cocaine withdrawal did not show the three distinct phases of the abstinence symptomatology previously described. No patients required pharmacological intervention for cocaine withdrawal, and the dropout rate was 8% of the 150 cocaine dependents. The common symptoms of acute cessation of cocaine were transient craving, hyperactivity, slight tremor, insomnia and apprehension. The diagnosis of cocaine dependence alone without an additional drug or alcohol diagnosis was unusual in this study at 5%, as is the solitary use of cocaine also uncommon according to other studies. Studies clearly document that the concurrent and simultaneous use and dependence on multiple drugs and alcohol is present in the majority of treatment populations and common in the general population. As many as 54% of cocaine dependents qualified for alcohol dependence in this study, and many were dependent on alcohol prior to their cocaine dependence. Cocaine dependence appears to be yet another diagnosis in the spectrum of the multiple drug and alcohol dependent.