The primary chemical difference between crack and powder cocaine is that crack cocaine is fat-soluble, which allows crack cocaine to create a faster and more intense high than inhaled powder cocaine. When crack cocaine is vaporized and inhaled, it creates a very strong and an instantaneous euphoric sensation. That sensation dissipates within twenty minutes after the vaporized crack cocaine is inhaled. Because it creates such an immediate and strong sense of pleasure, a crack cocaine user will be tempted to inhale more crack cocaine as soon as that first sensation is gone.
When cocaine molecules reach a person’s brain, they cause a flood of dopamine to be released. Over time, both powder and crack cocaine users will develop a tolerance to excess dopamine, causing them to use greater amounts of the drug and to use it more frequently in order to achieve the same level of high that they experienced when they started using it. Tolerance then progresses to addiction, and at this stage crack addicts will find that they need crack in order to feel normal, with no attendant sensations of euphoria.
Breaking a crack addiction habit is often a three-step process. First, a crack cocaine addict will need to break his physical dependence on the drug through a detox period that can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Physicians might prescribe a pharmaceutical treatment, such as flupenthixol decanoate, to reduce physical cravings. In other respects, a crack addict will typically experience several days of fatigue and listlessness during a detox period.
Next, a recovering crack addict will need time for his metabolism and physical condition to stabilize and to perform normally without crack cocaine. Anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs might be prescribed to help a recovering crack addict in this stabilization phase.
Finally, a crack addict will enter a recovery phase by attending a residential treatment program. Crack cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug. A crack addict can remain sober for years, only to succumb to a relapse when faced with stress or other problems that he is suddenly unable to handle. Treatment and therapy empower clients to gain life skills with confidence in order to navigate all of life’s challenges, clean and sober.
If you are struggling with a crack addiction, you are not alone. Design For Change offers a refuge for those with addiction, wishing to come out victorious over drugs like crack. Providing hope and freedom, our residential treatment programs are changing lives one step at a time. For information, call us today: (877) 267-3646
