Natural recovery from cocaine dependence

Studies of natural recoveries from alcohol, heroin, and cocaine abuse have indicated that many individuals are able to change their drug or alcohol us e when the benefits of using the drug are outweighed by the negatives. The present study investigated the recovery process using 50 abstinent (greater than or equal to 1 year) untreated former cocaine users and 21 untreated a nd nonrecovered cocaine users. The recovered group did not differ from the untreated, active cocaine users in terms of demographic variables, lifetime substance use history, psychiatric history, or cocaine-related consequence s. Recovery was most frequently related to a cognitive evaluation of the pr os and cons of continued cocaine use. Discrete life events triggering cessa tion were less frequently reported by the recovered respondents. Implicatio ns of this research for the treatment of cocaine dependence are discussed.