Crack Addiction

Crack is a crystalline rock form of cocaine that is fact acting and highly addictive. Crack is a form of freebase cocaine that is cheap to produce and is typically inhaled through a pipe or with tin foil. The effects of crack cocaine are felt in users less than a minute after inhalation and the high from the drug continues for up to 15 minutes. Crack has strong immediate physical and psychological side effects. Chronic use of the drug is associated with damaging and severe physical and psychological side effects, and some deaths have been reported with the use of crack cocaine.

Crack addiction has become common in the United States because crack cocaine is a more potent form of cocaine. Crack cocaine is also easy to conceal and has become readily available in many cities throughout the United States. Crack cocaine is both physically and psychologically addictive. Crack addiction is a very serious medical illness that can lead to long term health and psychological problems.

Crack addiction can be successfully treated at crack rehab centers. Crack addiction can be treated through a number of different methods, and each crack rehab center will provide a patient with a unique plan for treatment. Crack rehab can help a patient overcome his or her addiction through detoxification, supportive therapy, and medications as necessary.

Crack Addiction Symptoms

Crack addiction is related to several physical and psychological symptoms due to the potency of the drug and the fact that many addicts will repeatedly using the drug over a short period of time. Abnormal behavior and side effects in a suspected addict may be signs of a crack cocaine addiction or other drug addiction. An addict may have small baggies or pieces of foil in which crack cocaine is hidden or transported. Since the drug’s effect does not last long, addicts will use crack cocaine repeatedly throughout the day and may disappear for long periods of time to hide their abuse of the drug.

Addicts will also demonstrate several of the symptoms and effects associated with crack addiction. Physical effects of crack cocaine include dilated pupils, glassy eyes, nausea, vomiting, changes in blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, rapid breathing, insomnia, swelling and bleeding of mucous membranes, and more. The most serious side effects of crack addiction include lung and nasal septum damage, heart attacks, emphysema, weight loss, strokes, convulsions, and death in some cases.

The psychological side effects of crack cocaine are numerous. Both short term and chronic use of the drug can produce anxiety, impaired judgment, impulsivity, hyper vigilance, irritability, aggression, paranoia, fear of death, delusions, panic attacks, and more in addicts. The more severe psychological symptoms include psychosis, hallucinations, suicidal ideations, mania, and severe aggression which may lead to addicts causing harm to themselves or others.

Crack Withdrawal

Crack withdrawal is commonly experienced by addicts because the drug produces such a short effect. Addicts typically go through several periods in which they are unable to take crack cocaine due to a lack of availability of the drug or the lack of access to a location to take the drug. The drug has a 10 to 15 minute effect, and as soon as its effect wears off, a crack addict will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms. In many cases, it is not only the euphoria or high that drives addicts to repeatedly use the drug, but it is also the avoidance of the withdrawal symptoms that will cause an addict to use crack cocaine several times during a day.

Withdrawal symptoms of crack addiction may include weight gain, severe fatigue, depression, cravings for the drug, agitation, anxiety, lack of motivation, shaking, muscle pain, and insomnia. The withdrawal symptoms vary between individuals. Relapse is common when individuals attempt to withdraw from crack cocaine on their own. Withdrawal symptoms may be treated at a crack cocaine rehab center with psychiatric medications or other medications, continual psychotherapy to treat psychological symptoms, and a detoxification plan that will prevent a patient from relapse.

Crack Detox

Crack detox is recommended at a crack cocaine rehab center so that patients may be monitored and have their symptoms treated by medical and addiction professionals rather than attempting to deal with the symptoms on their own. The potentially severe psychological symptoms of crack addiction often result in patients relapsing and binging on the drug. Binging on crack cocaine may lead to severe physical effects such as stroke or heart attack. Other dangers include the mixing of crack with other drugs that may produce a synergistic effect in patients that are on binges and result in severe physical effects or death.

A crack cocaine rehab center offers a patient everything he or she will need to not only detoxify from the addiction but also continue to fight the long term psychological effects of addiction including cravings, anxiety, and any other effects. Crack detoxification may take several days, and during the period that a patient is detoxifying he or she will require rest, access to healthy food, supportive counseling, and medications for withdrawal symptoms. Patients can receive this level support at a crack cocaine rehab center, but they will not be able to provide themselves with all of these conveniences and treatments if they attempt to detoxify from the drug on their own.

Crack Rehab Centers

Crack cocaine rehab centers treat each case of crack addiction uniquely. Treatment at drug rehab centers will involve a short term detoxification and therapy plan combined with a long term plan to keep the patient off of the drug. Both outpatient and inpatient treatment options are available at crack cocaine rehab centers depending on the needs of the individual. Inpatient programs at drug rehab centers provide protection and faster access to care and treatment. However, outpatient programs at drug rehab centers also do well at providing a similar level of support, and they can provide patients with the same therapies and treatment that they would receive at an inpatient crack cocaine rehab center. All patients will eventually require outpatient support after their initial treatment at a crack cocaine rehab center, and many patients participate in a 12-step program as a part of their outpatient treatment.

The treatment for crack cocaine addiction typically involves initial consultation and structuring of a unique rehabilitation program for a patient, detoxification if necessary, group therapy, psychotherapy for any psychological disorders, psychiatric medications when necessary, and other medications that may be provided to treat physical symptoms like pain, insomnia, and other symptoms. Licensed medical doctors at crack cocaine rehab centers provide patients with fast access to professional medical support and attention as they require.

Addiction specialists are on-call at crack cocaine rehab centers to provide patients with round-the-clock support as they require. With some of the potentially severe psychological and physical symptoms of crack cocaine addiction, patients are more suited to undergo treatment at crack rehab centers for the convenience of medical, psychological and social support as they rehabilitate.