DRUG REHAB
Signs & Symptoms of Crack Cocaine Addiction
Recognising signs and physical symptoms of crack cocaine addiction are easy to spot.
The longer the addiction lasts, the more severe the symptoms get and the more harm you are likely to cause to your physical and mental health.
What is Cocaine / Crack Cocaine?
Cocaine and crack cocaine are both derived from the coca plant, but they differ significantly in their form, method of use, and impact on users.
Cocaine is found in a white powder form and is commonly snorted through the nose, delivering a powerful high that usually lasts about 15 to 30 minutes.
Crack cocaine, on the other hand, comes in small, rock-like crystals and is usually smoked or injected. Smoking leads to a more intense but shorter-lived high, often lasting just 5 to 10 minutes.
Tell-Tale Signs of Crack Abuse
Not only are there many visible signs of crack use due to changes in physical appearance, but the various ways in which crack is consumed can all leave traces for loved ones to detect. Compared to some other forms of drugs, symptoms of crack are more difficult to hide from friends and family.
- Damaged blood vessels and wounds from injections
- Issues swallowing due to mucous damage after snorting or smoking
- Finger wounds and burns
- Gum recession
- Tooth decay
- Bleeding and cuts in the mouth
- Cracked lips
- Nosebleeds
- Slurred speech
- Unexplained sweating (like, when it's not hot outside)
- Bloodshot eyes
- Mydriasis (abnormally dilated pupils that don't contract in direct light)
- Extreme short-lived bursts of energy followed by prolonged periods of lethargy
Psychological Signs of Crack Addiction
Although addiction is a gradual process that doesn’t happen at once, the first signs of crack addiction can appear only after a few uses. The reason is due to the powerful chemical reactions in the brain that cocaine produces.
The huge amount of neurotransmitters, endorphins and other brain chemicals released with a dose are highly addictive due to the quick development of physical and psychological dependence.
The body quickly develops a tolerance, which requires an increase in how much is consumed at once or how frequently, and eventually, the person can function normally only if they constantly use the substance.
People will experience different symptoms, or the same ones in different degrees, depending on how long they’ve been using crack cocaine, their general health, mental health condition, and other lifestyle factors.
- Sleep pattern disruptions and restlessness
- Inability to pay attention and focus
- Total numbness and apathy
- Energy level fluctuations
- Unreasonable amounts of joy and excitement
- Disorientation and confusion
- Impulsive, aggressive and unpredictable behaviour
- Brain fog
- Symptoms of depression
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Exacerbation of pre-existing mental health issues
- Uncontrollable and irresistible cravings
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Physical Symptoms of Crack Cocaine Addiction
On a subconscious level, each body seeks to reach a state of homeostasis, where a balance between the various hormones, endorphins, neurotransmitters, and other chemicals is perfect. Crack cocaine skews that balance, making the person dependent on the substance to function normally.
The harmful chemicals in crack cocaine can lead to devastating and even permanent damage to a person’s health. Mortality rate from intravenous use of crack has shot up five-fold between 2012 and 2022.
When talking about powder cocaine symptoms, we already discovered that heart issues are among the leading causes of death for cocaine users. Crack is no different – it increases heart rate and blood pressure, leading to potential heart attacks or strokes and crack cocaine carries the same risks, only to a greater degree due to its immediate and powerful effects.
Some of the physical symptoms include:
- Lethargy and fatigue
- Dizziness and confusion
- Muscle spasms and weakness
- Lack of appetite and weight loss
- Dilated pupils
- Flu-like symptoms
- Blood vessel damage
- Tooth decay
- Seizures
- Respiratory failure
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Chest pains
- Damage to the liver, kidneys and the heart
Behavioural Changes due to Crack Use
Whether a person realises it or not, crack use leads to dependence and addiction, which comes with a host of behavioural changes.
The need to hide the issue and the problems and complications it causes, along with the effect crack cocaine has on a person’s physical and mental health, can significantly change how they act individually and around other people.
- Constant mood swings
- Irritability and acts of aggression
- Social distancing and isolation from other people
- Lashing out and getting defensive when confronted
- Lying and covering up cocaine use
- Impulsive and highly risky decisions
- Putting the use of cocaine above any other essential need
- Apathy and emotional numbness
- Loss of interest and motivation for activities, hobbies and social events
- Falling behind on academic and business work
Withdrawal symptoms
Although physical withdrawal from crack is not as pronounced as in case with other heavy drugs, it’s the psychological side of the crack withdrawal process that makes it virtually impossible to do it on your own.
It usually takes two to three weeks to correctly detox and withdraw from crack cocaine and even that is only the beginning of the journey because it will take a substantial amount of time to recover the hormone balance in your brain.
Due to the intense rush of dopamine caused by use of crack, the brain soon learns that this is how it gets dopamine so it may completely stop synthesising its own dopamine.
This is why the most severe withdrawal symptom associated with crack detox is depression and suicidal thoughts. There was a recent meta research published in Wales exploring the link between cocaine use and suicidal ideation.
They discovered that cocaine was the only drug that was identified to have an independent casual link between its usage and developing suicidal tendencies. Independent, as in – not related to social and other indirect outcomes of drug abuse.
Dropping from a copious amount of dopamine to virtually no dopamine at all, it is completely normal to see everything in dark tones and to have mood swings and heightened irritability.
This usually passes during the week 3 of detox, however sleep disturbances and depression can linger for much longer.
As far as physical withdrawal symptoms go, the process usually involves extreme tiredness and lethargy making it difficult to go on with your day-to-day routine.
Another reason why withdrawing and detoxing in a controlled residential rehab environment makes a lot of sense for ensuring the best possible outcome.
When should you seek help?
Crack cocaine is one of the most addictive substances and has very high relapse rates due to severe withdrawal symptoms, overdose, and other terrible consequences after prolonged use.
Nobody starts using crack cocaine with the intention of getting addicted, in all cases, it’s an unintended consequence and an accident after recreational use, individually or in group settings.
There shouldn’t be any shame or guilt when facing the fact that you may be addicted or when confronting a loved one about their substance issue. The addiction can quickly spiral out of control, making it crucial for families to encourage their loved ones to seek professional help.
The condition can seem so frightening that you get paralysed and wish to avoid confronting the problem. However, even if challenging, the fight against crack cocaine addiction can be won, especially since you or your loved ones don’t have to lead it alone.
If you are concerned about a loved one, try to recall when you first noticed some of the above-mentioned signs of crack use, physical dependence and addiction. If it’s in the very beginning, having a serious conversation and transparently communicating the dangers may be enough to stop the habit from worsening. However, getting a quick consultation with an addiction counsellor is the safer alternative.
If you’re ready to seek help, we provide crack cocaine addiction treatment at our rehab centre in Bournemouth, which includes detox, aftercare & family support.
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