Understanding Crack Addiction

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Ever since it became popular in the 1980s, crack has become a major player in the drug epidemic spreading across the United States of America. Crack is a drug that is made from cocaine, but it comes in a larger crystal form. Users heat it and smoke it as opposed to snorting it like powder cocaine. Crack is also much cheaper than powder cocaine, but it is far more addictive.

Crack is usually considered to be a more dangerous substance than powder cocaine because smoking it delivers a more intense and immediate high than snorting it does. Crack addiction is very difficult to overcome, but it’s possible with the right treatment from a treatment center with addiction specialists and healthcare professionals.

If you are one of the millions of residents in the United States that is being affected by crack addiction, it is not too late to ask for help and seek drug addiction treatment. Crack has a horrible reputation for being one of the most difficult substances to stop using. Seeking crack treatment from a treatment center will give you a chance to live a healthy life free from addiction.

The Names for Crack

Crack is an illegal substance that has no medicinal value. It can only be found on the street. It has many slang street names. These names are often used to evade the attention of loved ones or the police. If you hear someone you love mentioning any of these names, they may be using crack cocaine:

24-7
Baby T
Beat
Glo
Kangaroo
Nuggets
Love
Beemers
Hail
Biscuits
Hard ball
French fries
Troop
Fat bags
Tornado
Crumbs
Electric kool-aid
Topo
Snow coke
Devil drug
Paste
Kryptonite
Roxanne
Cubes
Hell
Piece
Boulders
Bump

The Effects of Long-Term Abuse of Crack

The longer a person uses crack cocaine, the more likely they will be to experience the more serious side effects. Crack is a severely dangerous drug, and it is often mixed with other chemicals. There are many long-term effects of crack abuse including:

Stroke
Heart disease
Lung damage
Liver damage
Kidney damage
Respiratory failure
Heart attack
Chest pains
Tooth decay
Contraction of infectious disease
Sexual dysfunction
Infertility
Malnutrition
Partaking in risky behavior
Psychosis
Severe depression
Paranoia
Disorientation
Aggression
Hallucinations
Death

Crack Withdrawal

When a person stops using crack cocaine, they will go through detox. This is the natural process the body goes through to rid itself of crack cocaine. If you are addicted to crack, your body will be dependent upon it, and you will start to feel ill without it in your system. Those who are withdrawing from crack may experience the following physical symptoms:

Hypersexuality
Increased appetite
Vivid dreams
Restlessness
Heart attack
Erratic sleep
Exhaustion
Brain seizures
Fatigue
Diarrhea
Lethargy
Excessive sweating
Spitting up black phlegm

Those who are withdrawing from crack may also experience the following psychological symptoms:

Irritability
Paranoia
Depression
Agression
Mood swings
Anxiety
Cravings for crack
Low sense of motivation
Difficulty concentrating
Low sense of motivation

Crack Addiction Treatment

If you are considering crack treatment, it’s never too late to seek help for your drug addiction. The Recovery Village Ridgefield offers inpatient and outpatient programs to help patients break the chains of addiction. Situated in the Cascade Mountains, our facility is convenient to Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Give us a call today if you are considering treatment. It’s time to take back control of your life.