How addictive is crack cocaine
There are many drugs and illegal substances but one of the most commonly known is cocaine and crack cocaine is a related substance to this form of medication. Cocaine is a substance that can have a great effect on the chemicals and chemistry found within a person’s brain. Users of crack or cocaine commonly find; they experience an initial sense of euphoria which can be attributed to dopamine being released within their brain. The initial burst and euphoria gained from using cocaine normally lasts between 10 and 15 minutes and the user then experiences a crushing low or down period. This usually leads to them wanting to take more of the substance to experience the highs once again.
Some of the ways that using crack cocaine can influence a persons mind include:
- It can cause a welcome state of euphoria
- It can allow a person to have extreme levels of confidence
- Many users find they have a decrease in their appetite
- Many users suffer from insomnia
- Many users find they have an increased level of awareness
- It is believed that many users experience feeling more energetic
- Paranoia
- A need to have more cocaine also arises in the user
Some of the quickest ways to get crack or cocaine into the bloodstream can include smoking or injection. Using these methods guarantees a faster hit for any user which is why so many people use these methods. The sense of euphoria that comes from using these methods is extremely high and thought is experienced almost immediately in many users which make it even more appealing.
However, every time a person takes a hit of cocaine they will find it takes longer to experience the same sort of high. This is due to the level of time it takes for dopamine to replenish its levels in a persons brain. This means if a person maintains their crack cocaine levels, they will eventually start to experience a reduction in intensity of euphoric feelings. This may lead them to increasing their dose levels of cocaine which will invariably lead to other problems. It is not uncommon for a user of cocaine to manage three or more days without sleep. A regular crack user is known to party for extensive periods of time, supported only with top ups of their medication.
Therefore, use of cocaine is commonly found in a binge situation, where crack is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses. This situation is responsible for many cocaine users experiencing situations that lead to increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. If this situation continues, it is common for cocaine users to experience full blown paranoid psychosis and crack users may find they lose their grip on reality and start to suffer from hallucinations, both visual and auditory.
As would be expected with drug abuse of such a powerful and consistent nature, users of crack are known to suffer from serious side effects, both mental and physical. One worrying aspect for many users of cocaine can come in a form of delusional parasitoids. Any user who takes an excessive amount of cocaine or crack can quite often suffer from what is commonly known as “cocaine bugs” or “crack bugs.” This situation describes a sensation of having parasites crawling under someone’s skin. This is a common complaint for cocaine users and has been well documented and is one of the most commonly cited reasons why use of crack cocaine is not a positive measure.
An additional problem of this form of ailment is that cocaine users may find is that, they scratch themselves repeatedly. When coupled with states of euphoria or delirium, it is common for crack users to cause serious skin damage and generate a lot of bleeding. This can cause additional health problems for users of cocaine. Other noted effects from this form of medication use can manifest itself in high fevers or alcohol withdrawal. Some of the more extreme cases end with the user suffering from insect hallucinations.
There are also many physical side effects from using cocaine, crack or crack cocaine and some of these include:
- Blood vessels becoming constricted
- Pupils becoming dilated
- Suffering a temperature increase
- Noting that heart rate is being increased
- Noticing that blood pressure is rising
- Bizarre behavior
- Erratic behavior
- Violent behavior
- Tremors
- Vertigo
- Muscle twitches and many more.
With so many side effects associated with crack cocaine, crack and cocaine it is a wonder why many people choose to use this form of medication. Of course, the euphoric high that comes from using this form of medication is extremely high and is enticing for many users.
This means that although users of crack or cocaine will experience restlessness, anxiety and irritability and even a state similar to amphetamine poisoning, there remains an extremely high demand for this substance. Not even the number of deaths that are related to cocaine and associated with heart failure or seizures can prevent people from wishing to use this substance. Given that there are many people dying from first time crack or cocaine abuse, there is no doubt that there is a high element of risk for many users.
It is extremely common for an appreciable tolerance to cocaine’s high may develop and this further pushes demand for crack or cocaine. Many addicts state they seek to achieve similar highs to their first time of these substances but they fail to achieve this goal. This means there is a continual use of cocaine as people chase that elusive buzz they obtained first time around. This has led to many users frequently increasing their doses to intensify and prolong the euphoric effects they experience from cocaine or crack.
This also means that although users are using more cocaine but experiencing fewer benefits, their body may not be as well equipped to handle more of the substance into their bloodstream. This is a plausible reason why so many people die from what is seen as relatively small amounts of cocaine in their bloodstream even when they have been regular users of these substances. The reported cause of death may be a relatively small amount of crack cocaine but that may not tell the complete story with regards to a person’s drug usage.
Addiction is a worrying feature associated with many drugs and crack or cocaine is no different. Even more so, crack cocaine is by far the most addicting form of cocaine and indeed one of the most addictive drugs in general.
A key factor in the addiction levels of these substances arises from the intensive desire to recapture the initial high. The buzz that comes from using cocaine for the first time is tremendous and it is this that is so addictive for the numerous users of cocaine. This need to find new levels of intensive highs leads to user’s experimenting with higher doses or more powerful forms of medication.
A purer style or strain of crack cocaine has the ability to produce the intense feeling of euphoria for much longer than any fake or diluted version of crack or cocaine. Compared to various hits of modified cocaine, one hit of real crack will produce euphoria but can also carry a potential risk to any user. It is the hope of finding a true and pure form of cocaine or crack that drives many users on with the hope of buying more and in large quantities.
There will be some people who are able to stop taking cocaine but for many users, crack or crack cocaine can very quickly place a vice like grip over them. Similar to other addictions to substances such as alcohol or nicotine, the level of addiction very much depends on the user. Crack cocaine is capable of being extremely addictive but if a person does not posses an addictive personality, they may be able to avoid any real addiction or lasting damage to their health.
Unsurprisingly crack and cocaine users can experience a great number of health risks and issues and these risks go far beyond smoking cocaine. That is being said, using crack is less of a risk when compared to using substances such as snowballing (where cocaine is mixed with heroin) or speedballing. Mixing cocaine with other substances is far more dangerous and can lead to a greater number of deaths and casualties. Extreme caution should be advised when using cocaine but this advice seems slightly pointless given the vast dangers and risks that are commonly associated with substances like cocaine or crack.
Another key factor in why people use cocaine or crack is down to how much dopamine is released into the brain. This influx of cocaine and knock on substances can have a positive impact with regards to stimulating motivation in a person. Using cocaine has been found to release adrenaline around the body and using crack has been known to increase a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. This means that using cocaine and cocaine related substances can have a negative impact on a person’s cardiovascular health, in short and long term. There is no doubt that cocaine use has many negative aspects when relating to a users health. It is also found that cocaine, freebase cocaine and crack use can negatively impact on a person’s lungs and liver too.
Other impacts on a person’s health may arise from whatever substance has been added to cocaine or crack to fill out the amount of cocaine on sale. Any substance can be added in order to expand the volume of a batch of cocaine, or appear to be pure crack. Occasionally, highly toxic substances are used, which although seemingly offering the user more cocaine are increasing the related risks and dangers of using crack or cocaine. If candle wax is purchased and used in a mix with cocaine or crack, it will burn in the pipe as a noxious smoke. If macadamia nuts are added to the mixture to improve the weight of crack or cocaine, they will also burn in a crack pipe, producing a noxious smoke.
Other problems will also arise out of methods of cocaine or crack being added to a person’s body. Crack is not able to be snorted the same way as regular cocaine, so smoking is common. Crack melts quickly and so it does not remain potent for long.
As popular as cocaine is, and celebrity use and culture ensures cocaine remains popular, there is little doubt over how dangerous cocaine can be. The addictive nature of cocaine coupled with how quickly cocaine intensity fades can ensure a user craves more and more cocaine to experience previous highs. Cocaine will always remain the drug of choice for a great number of users and we are unlikely to see a reduction is cocaine usage anytime in the near future. Better education and improved ways of weaning off users will prove to be a valuable asset in battling cocaine but for now, any true solution to these issues looks to be a long way off.