General Effects Of Crack Use Include Burning The

1. General Effects Of Crack Use Include Burning Of The Lips
2. Effects Of Crack Use During Pregnancy

In general, the long term effects of crack cocaine include restlessness, mood change, irritability, auditory hallucinations, extreme paranoia, and eventually and rather quickly, addiction. The maximum physiological effects of crack cocaine take place approximately two minutes after the users inhalation.

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Key Facts About Crack Abuse

What Is Crack?

What does crack look and smell like?

If you're worried that your teenager is doing crack, it's helpful to know what to look for. Shaped in irregular white chunks of varying sizes sometimes gives crack the nickname 'rock'. Though the drug itself doesn't carry a distinct smell, the method it's taken—typically smoked—produces a burning or smoke odor.

Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine. Crack's popularity, in part, was due to its appeal for drug users seeking an inexpensive, ultra-potent, fast acting high.^1,4 The name crack actually comes from the sound that is produced from burning the rock-shaped chunks.² Other names for the substance include:³

• Nuggets.
• Jelly beans.
• Gravel.
• Dice.
• Candy.
• Rocks.
• Base.
• Cookies.

As a powerful stimulant, crack use can elicit a rapid, euphoric high.¹ Its stimulant effect on the body means that it will speed up various mental and physical processes, serving to increase energy and give you a sense of control.² As a smoked form of cocaine, crack cocaine use results in near-immediate effects because the drug is inhaled into the lungs, where it is then absorbed into the bloodstream quickly.⁴ The effects are quick to be felt, peak quickly, and then end after only 2-20 minutes.¹ Because the high is so short-lived, users often abuse crack in a binges.¹ The binge and crash cycle of use adds to the risk of tolerance, dependence, and addiction.

Why Do People Use Crack?

Those who use crack do so to achieve a “high” that includes:^4,5

• An intense euphoric feeling.
• Inflated sense of self and increased self-importance.
• Increased alertness.
• Hyperstimulation.
• Decreased appetite.

As with other drugs, with persistent use, the desired effects quickly become replaced with negatives.

Signs and Symptoms

Crack is a very dangerous substance. It is very unlikely that someone can use crack cocaine in a casual or recreational way for any significant duration, due to its powerfully addictive nature.⁴ Any crack use must be taken seriously. Symptoms of crack abuse may be both physical and psychological.

Crack is addictive because it causes an intense euphoric rush that fades quickly, leaving the user wanting more.¹ The brain's reward centers are activated by crack stimulation, reinforcing continued use of the drug.^3,4

When the high wears off, the user feels a need to smoke more crack because he or she becomes agitated, restless, paranoid, or anxious.^4,5

Parents or others close to a individual potentially addicted to crack may benefit from knowing what some of the warning signs or such an addiction are. Physical signs include:^4,5

• Dilated pupils.
• Reduced sleep.
• Increased heart rate.
• Hypertension (raised blood pressure).
• Suppressed appetite and weight loss.
• Fasciculations / twitching of the muscles.
• Nosebleeds.

Psychological signs may arise that may indicate a person is abusing crack cocaine. These signs may include the following:^4,5,6

• Aggression and volatile mood swings.
• Psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and paranoia.
• Persistent thoughts about smoking crack/strong cravings.
• Inability to stop despite a strong desire to do so.
• Tendency to put a high priority on obtaining the drug.
• Smoking crack at the expense of your finances, your relationships, or other important aspects of your life.

Other Signs: Tolerance and Withdrawal

Addiction is likely present when someone will engage in risky, dangerous, or problematic behaviors to continue receiving and using the substance.

Someone who persistently engages in crack use can easily build a tolerance to the drug. Tolerance occurs when your body adapts to the crack in your system and requires greater amounts of it to have the same effect. If you are no longer satisfied with a small amount of crack and feel a need for larger and larger amounts, you have built a tolerance.⁴

Once tolerance has manifested, and increasing amounts of drug are used to overcome it, addiction to the substance may follow soon thereafter. Addiction is likely present when someone will engage in risky, dangerous, or problematic behaviors to continue receiving and using the substance.⁷

In the throes of an addiction, someone will be less rational and logical. It will likely be increasingly challenging to maintain a relationship due to the influence of the substance.

The phenomenon of withdrawal is another sign of crack abuse. As tolerance develops, a physical dependence may also develop, meaning the brain comes to rely on the drug. Without it, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms such as:⁵

• Depression.
• Increased anxiety.
• Being highly irritable and easily agitated.
• Intense cravings for more crack.

Risks of Crack Abuse

Oftentimes, those who abuse crack place themselves and others in harm's way because of dangerous compulsive drug seeking behaviors. Crack abusers tend to engage in the following behaviors:

• Risky sexual behaviors. Crack intensifies sexual desire and removes inhibitions. Those high on crack might be more likely to have sex with multiple partners and are also more likely to have unprotected sex. In addition to risky sexual behaviors while under the influence of crack, some people may choose exchange sex for the drug.⁷
• Increased tendencies towards violence. Crack cocaine intensifies emotional experiences, including anger and rage. People who are high on crack may be violent toward others. They may also harm themselves intentionally or unintentionally.^4,8
• Getting into risky situations in order to obtain crack. Crack users often enter dangerous neighborhoods or agree to do risky things in order to obtain the substance. Crack addiction is a powerful motivator, and many individuals ensnared by it are willing to do almost anything in exchange for some more of the substance.
• Neglecting their other responsibilities. People in active crack addiction will prioritize drug use over responsibilities like paying their bills, attending work, maintaining relationships with family members, or even caring for their children.⁶
• Breaking the law. Many addicted to crack may steal to support their habit. They also may commit robberies or engage in other illegal activity to gain money to buy crack. In addition, crack possession itself is illegal, so some will face legal trouble for using it even if they don't engage in these behaviors.⁸

Effects of Crack Abuse

In both the short- and long-term, crack abuse can give rise to a number of side effects that can drastically compromise your health.

Short-term health risks of crack abuse include:^4,5

• Cardiovascular risks including higher heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
• Higher breathing rates.
• Nausea.
• Odd or bizarre behaviors.
• Delusional thinking.
• Paranoia.
• Anxiety and panic.

The above negative effects of the substance can occur after only one use at a high dose.

Crack's Long-Term Effects

Long-term effects can occur after days, weeks, months, and years of consistent abuse. They include:^4,5,9

• Long-lasting cardiovascular issues that may include heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.
• Malnutrition due to significant weight loss.
• Marked cognitive decline.
• Confusion / delirium.
• Psychosis.
• Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not present).
• Damage to the lips, mouth, and teeth.
• Major depression, anxiety, and irritability.
• Seizures.

Don't wait until crack use has caused numerous debilitating physical and mental health effects to pile up before beginning your recovery.

Crack Abuse Treatment

Treatment for crack abuse may begin with detoxification. This is a controlled withdrawal from crack cocaine that is usually performed at a detox center. Doctors are able to monitor patients for severe physical symptoms of crack withdrawal. Patients may experience intense psychological effects such as mood swings, agitation, depression, and anxiety during the withdrawal period.⁵ This period varies in duration based on the amount of use and the time the substance was abused. Withdrawal can be more severe if the patient has used crack at high doses for an extended duration. Some users may experience what is known as a post-acute withdrawal syndrome, in which symptoms can extend well past the acute detoxification phase.⁵

After finishing detox, many patients transition to a residential rehab center or other form of structured addiction treatment. Rehab programs are generally inpatient, which means patients live at the rehab center while getting treatment. Treatment focuses on the psychological aspects of addiction—patients receive individual and group therapy and may attend ongoing support groups (such as 12-step groups like Narcotics Anonymous). These residential programs may last anywhere from 30 days to 1 year.

An inpatient or residential rehab stay is typically followed by a period of ongoing aftercare, in which patients return to their daily lives but continue to visit the treatment center (or a pre-arranged aftercare clinic or clinician) on a regular basis to receive continuing therapy and other needed treatment. Some patients transition back to their normal lives by living in a halfway house or sober living facility. These facilities are run like regular apartments, but residents must follow house rules such as curfews and must submit to regular drug tests to prove they are clean.

Some people may elect to enroll in or undergo addiction treatment in an outpatient setting. In outpatient treatment, someone in recovery from crack might meet with a mental health or addiction therapist weekly on an ongoing basis. Someone in recovery will also benefit from community supports like sober activities and meetings and will be encouraged or required to participate in some sort of support group setting.

Sources:

1. Drug Enforcement Administration. (2013). Cocaine.
2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Cocaine (Coke, Crack) Facts.
3. Clinical Pain Advisor. (2017). Drug Slang Code Words.
4. NYC.gov. (n.d.). Cocaine Abuse & Addiction.
5. Center for Substance Abuse Research. (n.d.). Crack Cocaine.
6. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
7. Harzke, A. J., Williams, M. L., & Bowen, A. M. (2009). Binge Use of Crack Cocaine and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among African-American, HIV-Positive Users. AIDS and Behavior, 13(6), 1106–1118.
8. De Carvalho, H. B., & Seibel, S. D. (2009). Crack Cocaine Use and its Relationship with Violence and Hiv. Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 64(9), 857–866.
9. Victoria State Government. (n.d.). Teeth and drug use.
10. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2010). Protracted Withdrawal. Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory, 9(1).

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Is Crack Harmful?

Since it first appeared on the illicit drug scene during the 1980s, crack cocaine has solidified its reputation as one of the most addictive substances available on the street. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, part of its popularity is due to the fact that almost anyone can make it, provided that he has the right tools. Additionally, it can be produced in smaller, easily transported quantities that are cheaper to buy than powdered cocaine. A common method of production involves mixing cocaine with ammonia, baking soda and water. As the water dissolves, dried crystals, known as crack cocaine, form.

Users typically insufflate (snort) or first dissolve in solution, then inject powdered cocaine. However,people who use crack typically smoke the substance. While uncommon, crack can also be dissolved in aqueous solution and injected, similarly to its powdered counterpart. Smoking the drug produces a faster, more intense high than snorting does because it reaches the bloodstream and brain more quickly. However, the effects of smoking cocaine are shorter in duration, lasting only 5 to 10 minutes verses 15 to 30 minutes for insufflated powder.

Some of the potential dangers associated with using crack include:

• Lung damage.
• Respiratory problems.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Tachycardia or racing heart beat.
• Onset of psychotic symptoms.

Crack Effects Quiz question 1

Short-Term Effects of Crack

While users claim to feel euphoric or high when using crack, there are some paradoxical drawbacks to using crack; the initial euphoria can quickly turn to feelings of depression and paranoia.

The short-term physical and mental effects of using crack are generally more intense than the effects from snorting powdered cocaine and are similar to what is experienced when injecting cocaine. These effects are also similar to other commonly abused stimulants such as methamphetamine.

Because crack is produced in unregulated settings from cocaine of inconsistent purity and quality, the precise effects vary greatly, but generally include:

General Effects Of Crack Use Include Burning Of The Lips

• Euphoric “rush.”
• Increased alertness.
• Excited state.
• Decreased appetite.
• Dilated (enlarged) pupils.
• Increased heart rate.
• Intense craving for another dose shortly after the high subsides.

While users claim to feel euphoric or high when using crack, there are some paradoxical drawbacks to using crack for any length of time—the initial euphoria can quickly turn to feelings of depression and paranoia.

People experiencing crack-induced paranoia might find themselves thinking that someone is trying to get into their house, that someone is following them, or that others are trying to attack them. This can lead to aggressive behavior or unprovoked attacks on others and lead to dangerous situations for both the user and innocent bystanders.

Effects Of Crack Use During Pregnancy

Crack Effects Quiz question 2

Crack Effects Quiz question 3

Side Effects

The fleeting high from smoking crack can be outweighed by a host of negative effects. Though these can vary as widely as the positive effects listed above, commonly reported side effects include:

• Irritability.
• Anxiety.
• Headache.
• Depression.
• Aggressive, paranoid behavior.
• Abdominal pain.
• Sudden death due to heart attack or stroke.

Potential for Crack Cocaine Addiction

According to an article in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, crack use is associated with a higher rate of dependence than use of powdered cocaine.

Crack cocaine gives the user an intense, euphoric feeling. The first time a person uses crack, he or she feels an initial high that cannot be recreated by subsequent use. Users sometimes describe this as a feeling unlike anything else in the world.

Once the person experiences this initial high, he may spend years trying to chase this feeling as tolerance to the drug effects develop rapidly. In these attempts, he may take increasing amounts, putting himself of risk of overdose.

This pattern of compulsively chasing an elusive euphoric feeling is a fundamental component leading to a diagnosable mental condition known formally as 'crack use disorder'—but, more commonly as addiction. It can only take one use for a person to be well on their way to forming an addiction to crack.

Video: Crack Cocaine and Your Brain

The following video shows how your brain is affected by crack cocaine use and how using it can lead to dependence, addiction, and an array of negative effects.

To learn more, visit our blog, Crack Cocaine's Effect on Brain.

Crack Effects Quiz question 4

Long-Term Effects of Crack

In addition to negative short-term effects, long-term crack cocaine abuse can have even more pronounced drawbacks that affect users even when they are not getting high.

A short list of the most serious effects includes:

• Ever-increasing tolerance.
• Severe, unpleasant withdrawal syndrome.
• Mood disorders including depression.
• Delirium.
• Psychotic symptoms, including auditory and tactile hallucinations, and/or paranoid delusions.
• Addiction.

Some users experience a problem that abusers refer to as 'coke bugs' or 'crack bugs.' This is a type of tactile hallucination – also called formication – that makes the abuser feel like bugs are crawling on or below his skin. The user might have long scratch marks on the surface of his or her skin, caused by scratching in an effort to get rid of the bugs. Such hallucinations can make it impossible to sleep, and the resulting sleep deprivation contributes to the user’s disordered, delusional thinking.

Lasting Health Effects

Long-term crack cocaine use risks not only the mental effects listed previously but also serious risks to an individual’s health. Some lasting health effects of crack cocaine smoking include:

• Cardiovascular and respiratory problems.
• Seizures or convulsions.
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Reproductive damage and infertility.
• Malnutrition.
• 'Crack lip,” which refers to the painful blistering, bruising, and cracked lips caused by repeated exposure to the hot temperature of the crack pipe as it is pressed against the lips.
• Oral issues including infection, tooth decay, broken and yellow teeth.

• Systemic toxicity resulting from inhalation of harmful fumes from the ammonia or other volatile compounds used in the creation of the crack.
• Increased risk of developing an acute injury to the lungs known as “crack lung.” The crack cocaine smoke constricts blood vessels in the lungs, preventing proper circulation in these delicate organs. Over time, permanent damage and scarring can occur, which result in difficulty breathing and chest pain.
• Damage to the kidneys, heart, and liver.
• Neglect of daily life and responsibilities.
• Sleep deprivation.

Crack Effects Quiz question 5

Crack Dependency

Because crack use itself is known to cause depression and anxiety, using it to alleviate the onset of these feelings becomes a vicious cycle—one that can quickly result in addiction.

People of any age and gender can become dependent on crack. Crack dependency occurs after users develop a tolerance to the drug and begin using more often and in larger amounts to achieve the desired effects.

This frequent exposure to crack cocaine causes users to depend on this substance to help them avoid negative moods and feelings; those ensnared by a crack dependency will experience extreme anxiety when they are not able to obtain the drug. Because crack use itself is known to cause depression and anxiety, using it to alleviate the onset of these feelings becomes a vicious cycle—one that can quickly result in addiction.

The pleasurable or euphoric short-term effect of the drug can usher a user towards addiction after using it just once.

Crack Effects Quiz question 6

Crack Withdrawal and Addiction Treatment

Although withdrawal from crack specifically – and cocaine in general – does not cause as many physical symptoms as other recreational drugs, the psychological effects of stopping use can be quite intense, including:

• Depression.
• Irritability.
• Fatigue.
• Anxiety.
• Craving for more crack.
• Psychosis.

Inpatient treatment centers are a desirable choice for many crack abusers because these centers keep the user away from the drug and anyone using it. Inpatient programs can also provide the intensive counseling and therapy many people require to recover from crack cocaine addiction. Additional aftercare or sober living programs can help ex-abusers maintain their sobriety and rebuild their lives once they leave the safety of inpatient treatment.

Addiction is not a disease that should be faced alone. If you or someone you love needs help addressing a problem with crack cocaine, you can call 1-888-744-0069Who Answers? any time of the day for a safe and anonymous way to find treatment facilities in your state.

Sources:

• CESAR. (n.d.) Crack Cocaine.
• Drug Enforcement Administration.. (n.d.). Drug Fact Sheet: Cocaine.
• Drug Enforcement Administration. (2015). Drugs of Abuse.
• Forrester JM, Steele AW, Waldron JA, Parsons PE. Crack lung: an acute pulmonary syndrome with a spectrum of clinical and histopathologic findings.Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Aug;142(2):462-7.
• Foundation for a Drug Free World. (n.d.). Short- & Long-Term Side Effects of Smoking Crack Cocaine - Drug-Free World.
• O'brien, M. (n.d.). Risk of Becoming Cocaine Dependent: Epidemiological Estimates for the United States, 2000–2001. Retrieved October 30, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015, from