Crack Addiction Treatment Center - West Valley Detox Treatment

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Crack Addiction: What It Is and How to Get Treatment

Crack addiction is a severe, potentially fatal illness that can affect anyone. It’s not a new problem but the use of crack cocaine has recently become more prevalent in the U.S. and other parts of the world.

What Is Crack?

Crack is a form of cocaine that has been processed to make it easier to smoke. Crack can be smoked in pipes, water pipes (commonly known as bongs), or small glass vials called “crack pipes.” Smoking crack delivers the drug to the brain very quickly, which leads to a powerful high that lasts only 5-10 minutes.

Crack cocaine is illegal in the United States. It is a Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and therefore has a high potential for abuse and dependence.

Crack Addiction

Crack is a form of cocaine that can be smoked. It is called crack because when it’s heated, the vapors produced are cracked like a whip. Crack looks like little chunks or rocks of a whitish-gray substance. It can be eaten, snorted, or even smoked. Crack is an addictive drug and trying it can lead to addiction in as little as one use.

Crack is a very strong stimulant. It produces feelings of euphoria and energy but also increases heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Like other drugs, crack can cause tolerance which the user needs more and more to get the same euphoric feeling.

Crack cocaine use can lead to addiction. Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. People who are addicted to crack will continue to use the drug despite the harm it causes to their relationships, finances, health, and ability to function at work or school. Crack cocaine addiction is a brain disease that affects both the body and mind. It disrupts how the brain works and how the user feels.

Crack cocaine is a very powerful stimulant drug creating an intense feeling of euphoria. It is made by mixing baking soda and water with cocaine powder. Crack is smoked in a pipe or mixed with marijuana, tobacco, or another drug and smoked. It produces a powerful, short-term high that can last for 5 to 10 minutes. It is highly addictive because it enters the bloodstream quickly, producing intense euphoria and energy. High doses of crack can cause seizures, heart attacks, and strokes that kill people instantly.

Crack cocaine is highly addictive and widespread. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported that in 2009, there were about 1.4 million crack users aged 12 or older. The number of current crack users has remained relatively stable since 2002. The NSDUH also reported that in 2009, about 813,000 people aged 12 or older had used crack cocaine in the past year.

The Effects of Crack Cocaine Use

Crack cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug that produces feelings of euphoria, energy, and power. The extremely addictive crack cocaine use has been reported to lead to violent behavior and extreme paranoia. It has also been reported that users can become addicted after a few uses of the drug.

Crack cocaine use leads to many negative effects, including:

Heart attacks and strokes
Severe paranoia and hallucinations
Psychosis, or a break from reality
Inability to feel pain or pleasure
Violent behavior and suicidal thoughts

Crack cocaine use in the United States has been on the rise since 1985 when a new method of making crack cocaine became popular among drug dealers and users

Crack addicts will do anything to get the drug, including stealing from their family and friends, prostituting themselves, or committing other crimes. They may neglect their health and hygiene to the point of becoming physically ill from malnutrition. Crack addicts will go through severe withdrawal symptoms such as depression, anxiety, diarrhea, fever, muscle pain and suicidal thoughts when they stop using the drug.

The Signs and Symptoms of Crack Addiction

Crack cocaine is not only a very addictive drug but it is one of the most potent stimulants available today. When smoked or injected, crack produces an extremely intense high in which users experience feelings of euphoria, extreme alertness, and a surge in energy. The effects are short-lived, however, lasting only about 15 minutes. As with other stimulants, such as cocaine or amphetamines, the short duration of the drug’s effects causes it to become extremely addictive.

In the early stages of crack use, a person may:

“Coke bugs,” which is a feeling of bugs under the skin
Aggression,irritability, anxiety and restlessness
Be distracted and unable to concentrate on work or schoolwork
Dilated eyes and pressured speech
Have frequent mood swings and becomes upset easily.
Have trouble sleeping and become tired during the day.
Increased heart rate, body tempreture, and blood pressure
Nausea and loss of appetite
Potential death from respiratory failure
Seizures, strokes and seven heart failure
Talk about getting high as often as possibl and intense cravings to use more

As a person becomes addicted, they may display these symptoms:

Loss of interest in things that used to be fun including sex
Withdrawal from friends and family, or trouble with relationships
Inability to concentrate and neglecting work, school, or other important obligations.
Financial problems and uncharacteristic irresponsibility
Burned or cracked lips or fingers and the presence of crack paraphernalia

The Long-Term Effects of Crack

Crack cocaine is highly addictive and can cause both short-term and long-term effects. Some of the ong-term effects of crack cocaine include:

Abscesses
Brain Problems
Cardiovascular Effects
Death
Depression
Exhaustion
Gastrointestinal Problems
Heart attack
High blood pressure
Irritability
Kidney Damage
Kidney failure
Liver damage
Lung damage
Lung Problems
Malnutrition
Paranoid behavior
Psychosis
Severe tooth decay
Stroke
Weakened Immune System
Increased frequency of risky behavior
Reproductive damage and infertility
Permanent damage to blood vessels

What Factors Make Someone More Susceptible to Addiction?

While genetics does play a role in addiction, it is not the only factor. Research has shown that there are certain characteristics and environmental factors that make some people more likely to abuse drugs than others.

The following are some of the factors that can increase a person’s susceptibility to drug abuse:

Genetics and family history contribute about 40%–60% of the risk for drug addiction. If one or more immediate family members have an alcohol and/or substance abuse problem, a person is at an increased risk of developing the same addiction.
Childhood abuse or neglect. Neglect and/or physical abuse during childhood can lead to mental health problems in adulthood
Sensitivity to drugs as some people are just prone to addiction to ohers
Mental illness or disorders, such as depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other r increase the risks for using drugs and becoming addicted.
Gender. Studies show women are more likely than men to become addicted to drugs designed to treat anxiety or sleeplessness, while men are more likely than women to abuse alcohol and marijuana.There is a higher rate of drug use and addiction among men than among women but this gender gap is closing
Ethnicity is a factor that has both biological and environmental components as some ethnic groups show different rates of metabolism of drugs. Overall drug use by African-Americans and Hispanics is lower compared to Caucasian Americans.

When It Is Time for Crack Cocaine Addiction Treatment?

If you or a loved one displays any of the following, it is time to seek treatment.

Dependence on and tolerance to crack cocaine
Distancing oneself from loved ones
Experiencing legal and financial troubles
Losing interest in hobbies or likes
Loved ones telling you to get help
Lying about substance use
Missing important obligations
Neglect of responsibilities at work, school, or home
Neglect of personal hygiene and grooming
Physical health problems
Poor work or school performance
The inability to quit on your own

The high from crack is short-lived, but it can be intense. Because the high occurs so quickly and also lasts only about 10 minutes, users often take repeated hits in larger quantities in order to maintain the high. This can lead to a cycle of compulsive use and addiction.

Crack cocaine is a highly addictive drug that can result in both short-term and long-term effects. Crack cocaine produces an intense but short euphoric high that. However, the high is so intense that users will often smoke several rocks in a row to prolong the feeling.

How To Help Someone With a Crack Addiction

If you are concerned about someone, whether it is a friend or family member, there are several things that you can do to help.

Get educated about the disease of addiction and recovery from it.
Talk to the person about your concerns and listen to their side of things.
Offer support, not judgment.
Encourage treatment if they are ready for it.
Be prepared to help the person get into a treatment program.

Treatment Options for Crack Addiction

Crack cocaine addiction treatment centers exist in a variety of different settings. Those who are seeking help for their crack addiction may find that an outpatient program is the best option for them. Outpatient programs allow patients to live at home while attending treatment for their addiction. These programs typically require that a patient attend group or individual counseling sessions on a regular basis, and may also include drug testing as part of the program. Some outpatient programs may allow a patient to attend school or work during the day and then participate in treatment sessions at night, depending on the individual’s schedule. For a more intensive and rigorous greatment boption, a 4 week or longer stay at an inpatient treatmen facility will ensure around-the-clock supervision and a break from any triggers.

Crack cocaine addiction treatment programs are designed to help patients overcome their addiction, and therefore will vary depending on the patient’s needs. Treatment programs may include individual or group counseling sessions that focus on helping a patient manage cravings for crack cocaine, avoid situations that could lead to drug use, and build a support system of friends and family who can help the patient stay sober. Some programs may also include one-on-one sessions with a therapist or treatment specialists.

Crack cocaine addiction treatment programs may also include other therapies, such as behavioral therapy to help the patient change his thought patterns and behaviors related to drug use, motivational interviewing

Which Treatment Service Is Right For Me?

The most important decision you will make in recovery is choosing the right treatment program. There are many factors to consider when deciding which treatment services are best for your needs, including:

What type of treatment services are available in your area?
What type of treatment services do you prefer?
How much does the program cost, and can you afford it?
Where is the facility located, and how do you get there?
What is the program’s success rate?

If you need help making this decision, call West Valley Detox to get an unbiased objective assessment and advise as to where to go for the best treatment option. When you or a loved one decide that it is time to get help with your addiction, the first thing you will do is call us at West Valley Detox. .The next step in the process of getting clean and sober is to come in for an assessment. This is a meeting with an addiction counselor to determine what kind of treatment you need. When you or your loved one is ready to stop self-hurting,hurting the family, and everyone else around, it is time to get help.

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