Crack cocaine is one of the most addictive substances available today. Crack cocaine has devastated entire communities in many countries around the world from Mumbai to Maidstone.
The crack addict knows no limits in the steps he or she will take in order to obtain this powerful drug. Crack cocaine addiction is usually accompanied by criminal tendencies.
Crack cocaine, also referred to simply as cocaine, is a stimulant drug which targets the central nervous system when taken to provide an energetic, hyper-alert high. While taken recreationally, it has a very high abuse potential.
The dangers associated with crack cocaine manifest when an individual takes it at an excessive level.
Once the high has passed, taking crack cocaine over a long period of time can cause:
And it isn’t just the body that becomes affected. Abusing crack cocaine can also cause several mental health issues such as the increased risk of panic attacks, symptoms of psychosis like paranoia and delusions, and erratic and aggressive behaviours.
An additional danger comes when crack cocaine is mixed with alcohol. Such consumption can cause cocaethylene to develop in the body, a toxic substance which damages the cardiovascular system and puts individuals at risk of overdose.
When crack cocaine is taken over a long period of time, the body and mind become dependent on it in order to function normally. When it is taken away, withdrawal symptoms develop, subjecting individuals to both discomfort and pain.
The first 24 hours (and often the first 72 hours) bring along the initial set of withdrawal symptoms. Physically, individuals can experience aches and pains, but the majority of symptoms are psychological.
It is most common for anxiety, insomnia, and irritability to manifest, as well as the first signs of cravings. In rare instances, hallucinations and delusions have been known to occur.
Symptoms only increase in strength across the first week of withdrawal. The initial wave of symptoms begins to take its toll on behaviour, with fatigue, depression, and apathy becoming more prevalent. Generally, cocaine withdrawal is not physical [1].
Intense cravings reach their peak in the second week of withdrawal. Individuals will become their most desperate, their most irritable, and their most anxious. An increase in appetite is also common with such cravings.
Once this phase has passed, however, the body and mind start to adjust to sobriety. Cravings die down, symptoms subside, and individuals begin to feel generally more comfortable.
In some cases, however, symptoms can persist. These are known as post-acute withdrawal symptoms, and they tend to be more common among those who have abused crack cocaine more heavily. Symptoms can affect memory, mood, sleep, and pleasure.
Withdrawal can affect everyone differently, so the potential symptom list is massive.
Examples of common symptoms not mentioned above include:
In order to break away from crack cocaine addiction, it is recommended that individuals undergo rehab.
Crack cocaine rehab can be a scary consideration, but its processes are necessary when it comes to alleviating both physical and psychological dependency.
When an individual takes crack cocaine regularly, they develop a tolerance for it. The more and more they ingest, the more and more their body becomes used to it, and this process continues to escalate until the body reacts violently when the drug is absent.
In order to reverse this, crack cocaine must be taken away in a gradual, tapered process. This is known as detox.
Detox sees medical experts supervising an individual’s weaning from crack cocaine, monitoring their progress and slowing or speeding the process to match the body’s response to sobriety. In some cases, Benzodiazepines are prescribed to calm withdrawal.
While physical dependency is important to consider, crack cocaine addictions are far more psychological. This means that, while the body can crave the drug, the primary motivation for abusing crack cocaine exists within an individual’s thoughts and behaviour patterns.
Crack cocaine consumption causes the release of dopamine in the brain, a chemical synonymous with feelings of pleasure. Over time, the brain becomes so used to these high levels that it comes to expect them all the time and is therefore unequipped for less.
In terms of behaviour, this causes an individual to believe they need crack cocaine in order to live normally. They think they can’t cope without it, and so become obsessive about acquiring and taking it.
In order to tackle this, therapy is required. This treatment can adopt a number of forms and styles, but the consistent objective is to reverse this harmful way of thinking and identify the triggers that prompt individuals to want crack cocaine so much.
It can be really frightening if you think a friend or loved one might be struggling with crack cocaine addiction.
Especially when you know the physical and psychological toll the condition can take on them, you will want to know how to be sure that they need help.
There are plenty of signs to look out for, some more obvious than others, that can help you in knowing whether they need crack cocaine rehab:
Not everyone is equally vulnerable to developing a crack cocaine addiction.
Being able to recognise the risk factors associated with the condition does not only improve the chances of a susceptible individual being protected, but it can also help in treating them during crack cocaine rehab.
Those with direct family members who have struggled with crack cocaine addiction are more likely to also suffer themselves.
Genetics influence a lot of our behaviours. Genes influence brain development, and in turn affect how likely addiction is to develop, how severe withdrawal symptoms are, and how the mind is going to react to sobriety.
In the last decade, studies have started to objectively identify a connection between inherited genotypes and crack cocaine addiction development [3].
Mental health conditions can have a huge impact on the likelihood of becoming dependent on crack cocaine.
Anxiety, depression, and trauma, for example, are conditions that cause negative symptoms. They can lower mood and increase stress, and individuals who live every day with such symptoms are more likely to turn to crack cocaine as a source of self-medication.
When this happens, it is known as dual diagnosis, and crack cocaine rehab must be aware of such a connection between addiction and mental health in order to be fully effective.
The home we grow up in strongly determines our attitudes towards drugs and alcohol.
If an individual is raised in an environment where crack cocaine is used and spoken about as though a normal part of life, then they themselves will be more likely to abuse it.
Also, if a child takes crack cocaine at a young age, their body will recognise the pleasurable effects of its consumption and therefore want to experience it again.
If an individual’s normal life is stressful, either because of a busy work life or a hectic private schedule, then they will be more likely to use crack cocaine as a way to keep up and maintain the level of energy they need to complete tasks.
Social life can also take a toll, with clubbing and partying being another factor that can lure individuals into consistent crack cocaine use.
Who we associate with can influence our behaviour almost as much as who we are raised by. Friends or colleagues who use crack cocaine and talk about it every day can cause an individual to also begin using it.
The effects of peer pressure are also much more pronounced in adult life than many of us care to think. If we associate with a group where crack cocaine users outnumber those who don’t, consumption is likely to begin at a frequent level.
It can be easy to dismiss the power of crack cocaine rehab and how it can change your life. Is it really as beneficial as its reputation suggests? Will my life really change?
Quite simply – yes! Crack cocaine rehab not only treats the body and mind so that it doesn’t feel the overpowering urge to abuse the substance, but it also prepares individuals for a life of sustaining such progress and living healthily.
If an individual tries to beat their addiction alone, they might succeed in quitting their usage, but they will not be able to resist the temptations and distress for long.
Crack cocaine rehab takes care of all this and stands by an individual’s side every step of the way.
It’s a huge question, and a lot of people’s first reaction will be a resounding no. Denial is a fundamental part of living with addiction [4], but facing up to the problem is the only way that quality of life will improve.
So, how do you know if you need crack cocaine rehab? A useful technique is the CAGE questionnaire, a set of four questions that an individual can ask themselves to identify whether they exhibit addictive tendencies.
These are:
Residential programmes see individuals taking up accommodation within a treatment centre while they undergo rehab, and when it comes to approaching crack cocaine rehab, they are the best of the best. But why is this?
Outpatient settings can help with addiction recovery, but the advantages of residential support mean it is by far the better option to go with.
Such advantages include:
Of course, not all crack cocaine addictions will require the same approach to treatment. In some cases, residential rehab will not necessarily be needed, and instead, an individual will access outpatient recovery services.
Outpatient services are available for individuals to access as they continue with their everyday lives, working and living at home. They come in sessions, during which individuals work with an addiction expert to combat their addiction and get advice.
This form of support is the most flexible road to recovery. Sessions can change week-to-week in order to cater towards whatever needs or obstacles an individual is facing at that given time. This works to optimise the effectiveness of support.
However, due to such an unstructured approach, outpatient services can only benefit those with new conditions with limited symptoms.
Crack cocaine addictions that put health at risk cannot be treated via outpatient support as neither detox nor supervision can be offered.
While detox and therapy are the two fundamental stages of crack cocaine rehab, they do not make up the entire recovery process. One final stage of treatment is relapse prevention, and it is by no means less important to long-term recovery.
Before an individual returns home from crack cocaine rehab, this last treatment looks to equip them for maintaining their healthy progress and implementing everything they have learned into their everyday life.
Relapse prevention often involves making plans for how triggers can be managed or avoided, as well as practising techniques that empower individuals when they are tempted to return to crack cocaine use.
Two of the most important things to consider before starting your crack cocaine rehab journey are time and money. Treatment is unfortunately not universally free to access, and nor is it an overnight process.
Most people will spend around 28 days in crack cocaine rehab. The first 7 days are dedicated to detox (if necessary) and the remaining 3 weeks are used for therapy.
However, individuals can spend less or more on treatment. If a physical dependency has not developed, then detox won’t be needed, and rehab will not be as long. Conversely, if an individual enters rehab unmotivated, the process of therapy can take longer.
When it comes to paying for crack cocaine rehab, there is much more variation in terms of what individuals can expect. Prices can range depending both on what kind of treatment an individual needs as well as what accommodation they require.
The highest cost is 28-day rehab. Single rooms cost £8,000 to £12,000 in these programmes, and shared rooms cost £6,000. Similar differences are found with 10-day detoxes, as single rooms cost £3,000 to £6,000 and shared rooms cost £2,000 to £4,000.
The lowest cost is home detox programmes at around £1,500.
Crack cocaine can be physically addictive, but the extent to which the drug affects the body is nothing compared to how much it influences the mind.
Consistent use of the substance changes how the brain works and thus how individuals think and behave.
To address this strong psychological impact of crack cocaine addiction, therapy must pull a lot of the weight in treatment. Detox is essential in some cases, but therapy is essential in all.
Therapeutic approaches play the pivotal role of highlighting what causes the belief that crack cocaine is needed in order to live a functional life.
Detox alone can cleanse the body, but once an individual leaves treatment, they will only fall back into their unhealthy habit.
There are so many different ways that therapy can look when an individual starts their crack cocaine rehab.
With the variety of different triggers that can lie at the core of a condition, therapy must be equally malleable in order to tackle them.
Popular examples include:
Working individually with a therapist, sessions take a personal approach to discussing addiction and working through triggers. This style’s strength is its intimacy which facilitates the development of a trusting bond between the individual and therapist.
Concerning itself with thoughts and their relationship with patterns of behaviour, CBT tries to prevent repetitive cycles from reaffirming dangerous substance use.
It attempts to recognise what thoughts fuel addiction, what fuels such thoughts, and end such cycles.
When the inability to process emotion pushes individuals towards substance abuse, DBT steps in to facilitate healthier coping mechanisms. When grief, upset, or anger become impossible for individuals to deal with, DBT helps them understand and process them.
Learning from others also going through crack cocaine rehab can be massively important for an individual’s progress and sense of purpose. Within sessions, recovering individuals can share stories and help one another in order to dispel feelings of isolation and hopelessness.
Many triggers can be worked through solely with a therapist, but when they concern family relationships, the relevant relatives must be involved in the process. Family therapy facilitates working through tensions that fuel addiction and reducing future risk.
Not all therapy approaches concern themselves entirely with addiction. Holistic therapy takes a much broader approach, seeking to improve overall health, wellbeing, and perspective through the use of exercise, art, music, and other fulfilling activities.
Rather than focusing on triggers, some approaches prioritise supporting individuals as they progress through their other treatments. Motivational interviewing looks to keep individuals goal-oriented, keeping their aspirations firm in mind and reinforcing their commitment.
The end of crack cocaine rehab sees individuals returning home having achieved both physical and psychological sobriety. This does not, however, mark the end of an individual’s fight against addiction.
Once treatment ends, there is one important source of support individuals can access: aftercare. While occurring after crack cocaine rehab has ended, aftercare provides therapeutic support to individuals during a really important phase of their recovery.
In addition, it can also act as a way for physical health to be maintained, with drop-in sessions with doctors being a vital opportunity to track progress and get advice.
Some individuals can access lifetime aftercare, while others might only use it for a few months. Regardless, the aim is for individuals to be able to access whatever support they need to live a healthy life and attain the long-term effects of rehab.
If you don’t want to go to crack cocaine rehab, you can come up with a variety of reasons to justify that decision. You like your current crack cocaine usage.
You don’t see a problem spending your money on what you enjoy. It’s only your own life that you are affecting.
The problem is that this isn’t true. Crack cocaine addiction affects the people around you in ways that you might not realise. These include:
Drug dealers remove hydrochloride from cocaine during a process known as ‘freebasing’. Cocaine powder is dissolved in water and baking soda.
This mixture is then boiled until a rock substance is formed. The name ‘crack’ arose because of the crackling noise the drug makes when smoked.
Since crack is significantly less expensive than cocaine the less well-off are disproportionately hit by its use, particularly in urban areas such as London, Birmingham and Glasgow.
When crack cocaine is inhaled chemicals rush to the brain. The brain releases all of its dopamine content causing intense feelings of pleasure. Once dopamine is released crack prevents the brain from producing more dopamine.
This makes the user feel depressed and the cycle of addiction begins. Crack cocaine has a deadly effect on users’ circulatory system.
Blood pressure is quickly increased upon consumption which can lead to cardiac arrest and stroke.
Crack cocaine addiction is known to lead to all manner of psychological and physical ailments. Withdrawal symptoms from crack cocaine onset within a few hours after its use and can include paranoia, psychosis and extreme hallucinations.
Withdrawal from crack cocaine is known as ‘crashing’ when users feel extremely anxious and paranoid. It is extremely difficult for an addict to withdraw from the drug without professional assistance.
Our crack cocaine rehabilitation programme typically takes place in a residential or ‘inpatient’ basis.
When you begin our crack cocaine rehabilitation programme you are subject to 24 hours a day medical observation and prescription drugs such as Ibogaine may be offered to ease intense withdrawal symptoms.
Our medical team closely monitor withdrawal symptoms throughout this period.
Crack cocaine withdrawal symptoms occur just several hours after the drug was last consumed.
Withdrawal symptoms include:
Once crack cocaine detoxification concludes, you receive a number of ‘holistic’ therapies. These include group and individual therapy sessions run by qualified counsellor or therapies.
Therapy and counselling mean old negative beliefs are replaced by powerful coping strategies.
When the time to leave our rehabilitation centre comes, our medical team draws up a personalised relapse prevention plan. This means you are less likely to relapse upon returning to your normal life outside our centre.
Suffering from addiction is a terrible situation to find yourself in, and crack cocaine abuse is no less distressing than any other kind.
While it is a tough spot to be in, there is no need for you to have to face the challenges and fears alone.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, our team are on hand to answer any questions you have about crack cocaine rehab, talk through your situation to find the best path to recovery for you, or listen to your fears and doubts about the future.
If you are ready to enter residential treatment for your crack cocaine addiction then give Rehab 4 Addiction a call today.
Crack cocaine addiction treatment could save your life and the cost of the treatment is usually minuscule in comparison to the cost associated with the continuation of addiction.
Call Rehab 4 Addiction today on 0800 140 4690 or complete the enquiry form.
[1] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000947.htm
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181074/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25247548/
[4] http://pure-oai.bham.ac.uk/ws/files/25519189/DENIAL_PICKARD_M_L_FINAL_PRE_PROOF.pdf
