Crack Cocaine Addiction: Symptoms and a Healing Path

If you or someone you love is struggling with crack addiction, you’re not alone. The hold of crack cocaine can be overwhelming, but there is hope and there is help. Today, we are walking through what crack addiction is, how it affects you or your loved one, and the steps you can take toward healing. Let’s dive in to discover a path forward, together.

What Is Crack Addiction?

Crack cocaine is a highly addictive form of cocaine, which is produced by mixing cocaine with baking soda or ammonia to form small, rock-like crystals that are then smoked for an intense high. The intense drug provides a rapid, euphoric high, but the effects of crack cocaine are short-lived, often leading to a cycle of repeated use.

Crack addiction, or crack cocaine addiction, is when an individual becomes both physically and psychologically addicted to this drug and cannot quit despite the damaging effects.

Unlike powdered cocaine, which is typically snorted, smoking crack cocaine sends the drug rapidly to the brain, making it especially addictive. The low cost and availability of crack, as estimated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have spurred the epidemic of substance abuse, especially in disadvantaged communities. The intense high hooks users quickly, often after just one use, pulling them into a cycle that’s hard to break without support.

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Why Is Crack So Addictive?

The high eventually wears off, so you’re searching for the next high. The brain eventually loses its ability to make dopamine naturally, and it needs more and more of the drug in order to experience pleasure. This is why crack addicts often describe feeling trapped, as the drug rewires their brain’s reward system.

Recognizing the Signs of Crack Addiction

Spotting crack abuse early can make a huge difference. The symptoms of crack cocaine addiction are both physical and behavioral, and they can disrupt every part of life. And they have the potential to interfere with all areas of life.

The most significant symptoms of cocaine use disorder include the following physical, behavioral, and emotional symptoms.

        Physical Symptoms

•         Dilated pupils, even in direct light
•         Weight loss due to decreased hunger
•         Burn marks on fingers or lips from smoking crack cocaine
•         Increased heart rate or risk of heart attack
•         Chronic cough or respiratory issues

        Behavioral and Emotional Signs

•         Mood swings, from euphoria to irritability
•         Paranoia, anxiety or aggression
•         Disregard of duties at work, school, or home
•         Theft or deception to finance drug use
•         Secrecy or social withdrawal

These symptoms include both short-term and long-term effects. If you notice them in yourself or someone you know, it means that you need to seek help, immediately. The earlier you do so, the more chances you have of recovery.

The Impact of Long-Term Crack Cocaine Use and Abuse

The long-term effects of crack cocaine are catastrophic, extending to every aspect of mental wellness and health problems. Physically, long-term crack use can lead to severe heart and lung damage. Long-term use increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and respiratory failure. Smoking crack cocaine is also toxic to the lungs, causing such diseases as crack lung, a syndrome that includes pain in the chest and shortness of breath.

Emotionally, the price is paid just as dearly. Long-term crack users generally struggle with depression, anxiety, and paranoia. The impact of the drug on stores of dopamine can render even small pleasures unreachable, so you or the person you know feels empty without it.

Socially, crack use can destroy relationships, result in loss of jobs, and create financial ruin. But here’s the truth: no matter how dire things are, recovery is possible with the right help.

What to Expect in Treatment

It’s scary to come into treatment for substance use disorders, but it’s a lifeline. This is what a good program needs to have.

• Detoxification: Safely managing withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision.
• Therapy: Individual and group therapy to determine the reason for addiction and how to overcome it.
• Holistic Support: Nutrition plans, exercise, and mindfulness to heal your body and mind.
• Aftercare: Ongoing support, like outpatient programs or support groups, to maintain sobriety.

Research shows that integrated treatment addressing both addiction and mental health significantly improves outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Taking the First Step

Battling crack addiction is no joke. It’s hard to watch or experience, whether you or a loved one is fighting it. The side effects, the weight loss, the fear of losing control, it can seem endless. But you don’t have to do it by yourself. Seeking help is about fighting for a better tomorrow.

Imagine a life where you’re not controlled by the next hit, where you can laugh, connect and feel whole again. That life is within reach.

Summary

Call today to speak with our team and learn more about our programs. We Level Up Washington: (509) 348-4077. Your next step starts here.