What is crack?

The freebase form of cocaine is known as crack. It is usually smoked in order to produce a high that is intense yet short-lived. It is known on the streets by several other names such as base, cavvy, hard, iron, and rock. Crack first appeared in the mid 1980’s on the inner-city streets of impoverished neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York but has risen in popularity to become one of the most significant drug threats in the US today according to the DEA.

Additionally, the fact that admissions in most of the addiction treatment and recovery centers throughout the US have risen and are associated with crack addiction, many medical professionals consider crack as a serious public health threat. Another important aspect of crack addiction is the fact that the dependency on the drug that results from continual use is both physical and psychological in nature.

It is well known that that crack is the most addictive form of cocaine as well as one of the most addictive drugs in existence. One school of thought claims that since crack is usually smoked in order to get high, this is what makes the drug so powerfully addictive. The overwhelming compulsion to achieve the euphoric state that they first did when they initially tried crack is what drives the addiction.

How crack originated

The popularity of cocaine in powder form had peaked in the mid 1980’s so people began smoking the freebase form of it known as crack. The high resulted quicker and was considerably more powerful than snorting the powder form of cocaine. It was smoked using an ether and flame source which resulted in serious burns and even proved deadly at times. Eventually, illegally operating drug chemists realized that they could create a way to smoke crack that was much safer.

Several of the chemical elements were removed from the freebasing process and developed a way to reprocess the cocaine by simply using water. At this point, the experts felt that the crack epidemic had been born. It was at this point in time that the use of crack literally exploded nationwide, mostly in the lower income areas of larger cities at first and then eventually across smaller US communities.

The physical and psychological side effects

It is well known that the dependencies involved with crack addiction are both physical and psychological in nature. The short-term side effects of crack include:

•  constricted blood vessels
•   dilated pupils
•   increased blood pressure
•   increased body temperature
•   increased heart rate

Large amounts of crack intensify the high that the user experiences which may lead to behavior that is bizarre, erratic, and oftentimes violent. Additionally, large amounts of crack can induce muscle twitches, paranoia, tremors, and vertigo. Cardiac arrest is the most common reason for deaths that occur when a person experiences a crack overdose.

Since crack is a substance that alters the chemistry and function of the brain, there are a number of different psychological side effects that can result. These include:

•  alertness
•   cravings for more crack
•   increased energy levels
•   insomnia
•   loss of appetite
•   potential paranoia
•   supreme confidence

Increased irritability, paranoia, and restlessness result as the dependency becomes severe. When crack is ingested in large doses, the results can be extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening. This includes full-blown paranoid psychosis. When this happens, the individual experiences hallucinations and loses all touch with reality.

How does crack addiction occur?

The part of the brain that is chemically altered when a person uses crack is known as the reward system. When an individual smokes crack, the chemical dopamine is trapped in the spaces that are between the nerve cells. Dopamine creates the same pleasurable feelings that we experience when we are engaged in eating or having sex.

However, with crack addiction, dopamine stimulates the nerve cells for a period of 5 to 15 minutes at best and then begins to wear off, which leaves the individual feeling depressed and let down. What results is an intense craving for more crack in order to feel good again. What typically happens with the prolonged use of crack, the individual becomes less sensitive and need increasingly more of the drug to achieve the high they are looking for.

The question that is often asked is “how long does it take for crack addiction to occur?” This always varies from one individual to the next and there is no exact time frame that can be pinned down. This is especially the case when you are pairing up the physical dependency with the psychological one. The important thing to remember is that no two individuals are alike and not everyone reacts and responds to the onset of crack addiction in the same way.

Withdrawal symptoms of crack addiction

Despite the fact that crack produces a feeling of exhilaration when the user is smoking it, it may also lead to some potentially dangerous and life-threatening conditions such as heart attack, respiratory problems, severe mental disorders, and stroke. When a person abruptly stops using crack either on their own or during detox at an addiction treatment and recovery center, the following withdrawal symptoms may be experienced:

•  agitation
•   anger
•   anxiety
•   depression
•   exhaustion
•   intense cravings for more of the drug
•   irritability

Additionally, it is not advisable to quit doing the drug on your own when suffering with crack addiction. It is much safer to enter an addiction treatment and recovery center and enroll in one of their rehab programs to overcome their dependency and recover from it.

The Delray Recovery Center is here to help you

If you or a loved one is suffering with crack addiction, you should contact our rehab center and talk with one of our staff members about our different addiction treatment and recovery programs. We offer some of the most effective ones in the US that have some of the highest recovery success rates in the country. Call us today at the toll-free phone number listed above.