Is there someone in your life exhibiting crack addict behavior? It’s difficult to know how to help someone you love when you suspect they are abusing drugs. Substance abuse treatment programs provide the medical and mental health services people need to safely detox and learn the skills they need for long-term recovery.
Call Serenity Grove today at 844.904.3485 for more information about our drug detox in Georgia and our options for crack cocaine addiction.
What Is Crack?
Crack is a type of cocaine that comes in rock form instead of powdered form. Crack is processed to make it easy to smoke. Ammonia, baking soda, water, and other additives are mixed with powdered cocaine to form a rock-like crystal.
It is typically smoked by heating it in a glass pipe. Crack cocaine can also be added to marijuana joints and tobacco cigarettes.
All types of cocaine are classified as Schedule II drugs, which means they can be used legally for certain medical purposes but are not legal for public use. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that produces a feeling of euphoria and high energy.
Smoking crack cocaine causes a faster and more intense reaction than snorting it. However, the euphoric feelings only last a few minutes and are followed by a depressive crash, which elicits intense cravings for more. For this reason, crack cocaine is considered even more addictive than cocaine that is snorted.
Like other drugs, repeated use of crack changes brain function, specifically in the reward center. These circuitry changes increase the desire to use the drug and can quickly lead to addiction and physical dependence.
How to Tell if Someone Is High on Crack
Crack addict behavior is somewhat easy to spot if you know the signs. The effects of smoking crack are almost immediate. Directly after using the drug, a person may experience:
- Aggressive or violent behavior
- Anxiety
- Loss of appetite
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Dilated eyes
- Paranoia
- Extreme or even manic happiness
- Sensitivity to sound, touch, and light
- Increased body temperature
- Nausea
- Muscle tremors or twitches
- Restlessness
The above signs show you how to tell if someone is high on crack. However, with prolonged use, more serious side effects can develop. Damage to the internal organs, including the brain, can happen relatively quickly compared to many other drugs. Signs for how to tell if someone is on crack long-term include:
- Depression
- Malnutrition
- Severe tooth decay
- Increased risky behaviors
- Psychosis
- Respiratory problems
- Liver damage
- Abscesses
- Heart attack
- Sexual dysfunction
- Kidney failure
Death by brain seizure, stroke, and heart attack is a risk among individuals who use crack cocaine. Homicide is also a potential cause of death among people who are addicted to crack. HIV and other viral infections are also common.
How Can You Tell if You Need Help for Crack Addiction?
If you are using crack cocaine but don’t think you are addicted to the substance, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I experience intense cravings for crack?
- Do I need to take crack to feel “normal?”
- Am I willing to do anything, even cheat or steal from family members, to get more crack?
- Am I taking extreme risks to get crack?
- Do I continue to use crack even though it has caused harm to my health, my career, or my personal relationships?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you have likely already developed a crack cocaine use disorder or are on the path to developing one.
Find Help for Crack Addiction at Serenity Grove
Understanding how to tell if someone is on crack is an important first step to recovery. Getting help from a qualified treatment center with compassionate staff is the next step. Contact Serenity Grove today at 844.904.3485 for more information about our cocaine addiction treatment program.
