Psychotherapies for Cocaine Use Disorders

Psychotherapies for Cocaine Use Disorders

A variety of psychotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of co-caine use disorders have been adopted (Table 38.1). In contrast to opiate addiction, for which psychotherapies alone are insuf-ficient, there appear to be at least some subpopulations of co-caine abusers for whom psychotherapy alone may be adequate (Crits-Christoph et al., 1997, 1998, 1999). Behavioral therapies, in particular cognitive–behavioral therapy and contingency management approaches, have been demonstrated to be effective treatments for some cocaine-dependent patients.

The lack of a medically dangerous withdrawal syndrome from cocaine also suggests that some cocaine abusers may re-spond to psychotherapy alone in an outpatient treatment setting, compared with opiate- or alcohol-dependent persons for whom hospitalization may be required for detoxification. Another im-portant reason for the development of psychotherapies for the treatment of cocaine use disorders is that no medication is cur-rently approved for the treatment of these disorders. Psychothera-pies are also important platforms on which any pharmacological treatment may be supported.