Crack Cocaine Addiction Signs & Symptoms Of Abuse

Crack cocaine is a strong stimulant and is a type of cocaine made into small lumps or rocks that make a ‘cracking’ sound when burned. It is smoked and the main street names are rock, gravel, nuggets, crack or blow.

Smoking crack cocaine has immediate effects on the body which usually peak for around two minutes and last for just 10 minutes. Within 90 minutes of your last dose, you could already be experiencing a ‘comedown’ and craving more crack cocaine.

Crack Cocaine Abuse: Key Facts

• Cocaine is the second most commonly used drug in the UK after cannabis
• In the year to April 2016, figures from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System showed 3,657 people asked for help to overcome crack addiction – that’s a rise of 23% in a year
• The overall number of crack users in England has risen 10% between 2010-2015
• The Home Office revealed that in the year to April 2017 they saw a 16% rise in seizures of crack cocaine shipments
• An estimated 875,000 people used the drug in England and Wales in 2017
• Since 2016, the number of deaths from cocaine in England and Wales have increased by 16%

Effects Of Crack Cocaine Addiction

The short-term effects of crack cocaine include:

• Feelings of euphoria or an intense ‘high’
• Increased alertness
• An excited state
• Dilated pupils
• Decreased appetite
• Increased heart rate
• Headache
• Crack-induced paranoia which can cause aggressive outbursts
• An intense comedown which can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression and irritability
• Smoking crack gives a faster, more intense high and the effect lasts for just 5 to 10 minutes, leaving you craving another dose.

Signs And Symptoms Of Abuse

The long-term effects of crack abuse can include:

• Increasing tolerance
• Severe withdrawal symptoms
• Mood disorders including depression
• Delirium
• Psychotic symptoms such as paranoid delusions and tactile/auditory hallucinations
• ‘Crack bugs’ – a feeling of bugs crawling on or under the skin which causes constant scratching to get rid of the bugs. This can make sleep impossible which can enhance paranoid delusions
• Addiction
• Malnutrition
• Sexual dysfunction and reproductive damage
• Cardiovascular problems
• Damage to your heart, kidneys and liver
• Respiratory issues
• Seizures
• ‘Crack lung’ where smoke constricts blood vessels in the lungs, reducing circulation and leading to pain and difficulty breathing
• Sleep deprivation
• ‘Crack lip’ where your lips become bruised, blistered and cracked from contact with the hot crack pipe
• Oral issues with yellow, decaying, broken teeth or infection
• Sudden death due to stroke or heart attack

If you think somebody you love may be abusing crack cocaine, watch out for these signs and symptoms:

• Excitability
• Increased confidence
• Dilated pupils
• Muscle twitches
• Intense focus just after a dose
• Scratching due to ‘crack bugs’
• Burns or blisters on their lips or fingers
• Mood swings
• Hallucinations or psychotic episodes
• Amplified aggression
• Weight loss
• Changes in eating and sleeping patterns
• Increasingly talkative
• Loss of interest in hobbies, friends etc
• Social isolation
• Deterioration in personal hygiene
• Financial difficulties
• Increased need for privacy
• Drug paraphernalia in their room or clothing

It’s important to remember that there could be other reasons behind many of these symptoms, so monitor behaviour but try not to jump to conclusions.

Treating Crack Cocaine Addiction

When it comes to treatment for addiction to crack cocaine, private rehab is the best option. At Primrose Lodge we offer a holistic treatment programme which meets your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs. Rehabilitation for crack cocaine addiction begins with detox, where the body is flushed of all drug-related substances. We provide a supervised medical detox and support throughout withdrawal, to help manage your symptoms.

Because every addict experiences withdrawal differently, your treatment programme will be tailored to suit your needs. After making it through detox and withdrawal with the 24/7 support of our clinical team, you will receive a combination of group and one-on-one therapy, as well as other therapy to suit your individual needs, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This can help get to the root cause of your addiction and prevent you from relapsing. Our staff can also provide assistance with nutrition and exercise to help you stay healthy as you recover, as well as advice to help you get a better night’s sleep.

Crack cocaine can be a difficult addiction to beat, with cravings returning months or even years after you have successfully completed treatment in rehab, which is why aftercare is so important. We offer 12 months of aftercare free to anybody successfully completing treatment at Primrose Lodge. We also recommend joining a fellowship group where you can receive support from others going through a similar experience

Withdrawal And Detoxification Process

Detox and withdrawal from crack cocaine can be tough as the drug has such a short half-life. You are likely to experience uncomfortable symptoms which can be almost impossible to manage on your own. At our rehab, our clinical medical team will manage your detox and we may prescribe medication to help provide relief from your symptoms to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.

Going ‘cold turkey’ from crack cocaine can lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, so you may be prescribed a substitute medication which you will be tapered off slowly, to minimise your symptoms. We recommend a minimum of 28 days as an inpatient in treatment to ensure that you receive the treatment you need after withdrawal and detoxification. This helps reduce your risk of relapse and can help you to learn strategies to cope with cravings once you are back in the real world.

Get Help Today!

If you are addicted to crack cocaine, we can help. It is never too late to seek treatment for addiction, however long you have been using crack. Our expert clinical team and counsellors work together to provide a holistic treatment programme that can help you to kick your addiction and stay on the road to a healthy, drug-free future. To find out more about the services we offer at Primrose Lodge and how we can help you, just get in touch with us.