Crack Cocaine Addiction
Are you worried that you or someone close to you is addicted to crack cocaine? Help is at hand. Here we tell you a little about crack cocaine, what to look out for and how we can get you or a loved one the best possible treatment.
What is crack cocaine addiction?
Crack cocaine, or crack, is a more dangerous form of cocaine. It is the free-base form of cocaine – cocaine that has not been neutralized by an acid-base. Crack is a rock crystal that’s heated and the vapors inhaled, usually through a glass pipe. The name is derived from the crackling sound made when the rock crystal is being heated. Crack cocaine has many street names, including freebase, black rock, and yay.
Crack is a powerful stimulant that’s highly addictive. As with cocaine, it stimulates structures within the brain and this causes a pleasurable effect. And like cocaine, the high is immediate and intense. But unlike the high from cocaine which lasts 15-30 minutes, the high from crack lasts just 5-10 minutes. This means that the user is likely to take more frequent doses of the drug to pursue the high. Furthermore, users need an increasing quantity of crack to reach the same high, and to avoid the crash that can follow a high. They quickly become physically and psychologically dependent and this dependency can lead to crack addiction.
Signs, symptoms, and risks of crack cocaine addiction
Whereas cocaine is a “party drug”, crack cocaine can be social or solitary; it’s often used to mask depression and taken alone. A crack user will often spend a lot of time getting the substance for his or her fix. He or she may disappear frequently on mysterious errands and lock themselves away for hours on end. Keep an eye out for a change of friends or routines. Physical signs of crack addiction include sweating, dilated pupils, coughing fits, and frequent respiratory infections. Also look out for insomnia, mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. Psychologically, crack users can experience depression, paranoia, and hallucinations. Crack cocaine can have a devastating effect on the body and lead to strokes, cardiac arrests, and even death. Overdose of crack cocaine is a real risk; crack users can become more sensitive to crack’s effects and this increased sensitivity can result in an overdose after relatively low doses of the drug.
Treating crack cocaine
The first step to treating crack cocaine addiction is detox. Withdrawing from crack needs to be professionally managed, either in a residential treatment center or as a medically supervised home detox. For long-term recovery, the user will need to participate in a range of rehab treatments, including counseling and therapy, to equip him or her with the strategies required to live a crack-free life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is particularly successful in treating crack addiction. Rehab for crack addiction is most effective in a residential treatment centre. However, alternative options are available, such as outpatient programs and support groups. At Addiction Helper, we’ll help you find the best treatment for you, and do everything we can to support you and your family. Help is available at ARCA Rehabs
