Spotting the Signs of Crack Cocaine Addiction

As of 2017, roughly 3.3% of Americans aged 12 or older reported having used crack cocaine at some point in their lifetime. Unfortunately, this statistic isn’t very shocking when you consider the relative ease with which a person can get crack cocaine in the U.S.; a 2010 survey of American students revealed that as many as 45% of high school seniors, 32% of high school freshmen and 23% of eighth graders felt that crack was easy to obtain.¹ Numbers like these make it clear that crack cocaine use continues to be a dangerous national epidemic.

Stages of Crack Cocaine Addiction

Crack addiction progresses through a few different stages. At first, a person may simply be “trying” crack cocaine under peer pressure or in an attempt to escape personal problems. Often, the person then begins using more regularly because he or she enjoys the intense high of the drug and the escape from reality it provides.

Over time, crack cocaine creates a physiological dependency in the brain and body, causing the person to need it to function normally. Eventually, the addiction becomes so intense that it takes over everything and becomes the central focus of the person’s daily activity. At this stage, significant professional help is needed to safely and successfully quit smoking crack.

Early on in the formation of a crack cocaine addiction, some of the harsher, more obvious symptoms are not yet visible. You may, however, be able to notice a few concerning early signs of addiction:

• Changes to personality
• Sudden irresponsibility
• Hanging out more often with others involved in drugs
• Canceling or forgetting about plans more often (potentially to smoke)
• Increased use of other drugs (commonly used together with crack cocaine)²

Crack Cocaine Addiction Signs to Watch For

A person who is addicted to crack cocaine will eventually begin to exhibit a variety of physical and behavioral symptoms as his or her condition advances. If you suspect that friends or loved ones may be at risk of developing a crack addiction, watch carefully for changes to their physical appearance, mannerisms, social behavior, etc.

Crack Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

Crack cocaine, like any drug, can create a variety of uncomfortable symptoms when it is withheld. For those whose addiction to crack is especially severe, some withdrawal symptoms can even be life-threatening. If a person has been using the drug regularly and in large doses, the shock of withdrawal may be enough to cause seizures, stroke, and/or heart failure, any of which could be fatal or leave the person with severe brain damage.

The following are just some of the possible signs of withdrawal:

• Shaking, tremors
• Physical pain
• Nausea, vomiting
• Disturbing hallucinations and nightmares
• Lashing out violently
• Drug cravings
• Flu-like symptoms
• Signs of psychosis
• Suicidal thoughts and feelings

Because of these symptoms, attempting to quit crack cocaine by simply going “cold turkey” is an incredibly dangerous idea. For a safe and successful experience, it’s important to get involved with a professional drug treatment program that provides medically supervised detox.

How You Can Identify Signs and Help a Loved One

Being able to identify crack cocaine addiction symptoms is the key to helping a loved one seek help and avoid serious repercussions. However, a common hallmark of addiction is the incredible lengths to which people will go to hide their substance use. It is important for you to know that you are not responsible for your loved one’s addiction, and it is common for people to miss the signs even if they’re watching carefully.

If you do notice signs of crack cocaine abuse, talk to the person about it in earnest. Whether you simply provide resources about treatment or offer to set your loved one up with residential treatment at Yellowstone Recovery, the most important thing you can do to help is offer your support, love, and compassion.

Helpful Self Screening Questions

Sometimes the only way to help a loved one recognize an addiction is to give him or her a reality check with some tough questions. If you plan to talk to a friend or family member about your concerns but worry that they will deny having a problem, take these self-screening questions with you. As the person answers them honestly, the reality of the situation may come clear.

1. Have you used crack cocaine in the last month?
2. Do you feel like you are in pain or not enjoying life unless you have smoked crack recently?
3. Do you start to feel ill when you haven’t smoked for a while?
4. Do you find yourself thinking about crack often throughout the day (smoking it, making it, finding money to buy it, worrying whether you have enough)?
5. Have you canceled plans, missed work, or forgotten to do something important because you were buying, using, or thinking about getting crack cocaine?
6. Other than the purchase of the drug itself, have you done anything illegal or immoral (e.g., stealing money, lying about serious issues, committing a violent act) to obtain crack? What about as a result of taking it?

If your friend or loved one answers “yes” to even a couple of these questions, he or she may indeed have a crack cocaine addiction. As the person answers these questions, the issue may become more apparent. Once your loved one has admitted to the problem, you can begin to seriously discuss finding help.

Professional Treatment for Crack Cocaine Addiction

Yellowstone Recovery’s residential programs are ideal for treating an addiction to crack cocaine, no matter how severe it is. Our clients first go through a carefully monitored detoxification process to overcome their chemical dependency. Once its hold is broken, clients work with professional counselors in group and individual therapies to address the underlying addiction and other behavioral health issues.

Are you ready to help a loved one get the treatment he or she deserves? Call us today at (888) 418-4188.

Sources

1. https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/crack-cocaine/symptoms-signs/
2. https://cocaine.org/crack-cocaine/telltale-signs-symptoms-of-crack-addiction/