Crack Cocaine Addiction | Signs, Symptoms & Effects

The UK Government estimates that there were 47,168 crack cocaine users in the UK between 2019 and 2020. While the COVID-19 pandemic means that more recent numbers are not yet available, those numbers show a year-on-year rise from 2017-2018 (39,694 users) and 2018-2019 (45,632).

The number of people using both crack cocaine and opiates has also followed the same pattern:

• 2017 – 2018 – 104,864
• 2018 – 2019 – 119,731
• 2019 – 2020 – 129,584

Crack cocaine addiction is basically when someone can’t stop using crack cocaine, even though it is harming them. It is unlikely to become addicted to crack after one use, with drug addiction usually developing in stages:

First use

You try crack cocaine for the first time and experience a powerful high, which can make you want to take it again.

Regular use

You start using crack more often to feel that same high, but after a while, you find you need more than before. This is called “tolerance”, and it is when your body starts to become immune to the effects of small amounts of crack, so you have to up the dosage.

Risky use

Your use becomes more frequent and risky, affecting your daily life and responsibilities.

Physical dependence

You begin to feel like you need crack just to function normally, and without it, you feel anxious, depressed or irritable. This means you have become physically dependent on crack, and stopping suddenly can be dangerous because your body can have an extreme reaction to its absence.

Crack addiction

At this point, you lose complete control of your crack cocaine use. This is the hallmark of crack cocaine addiction and will see you prioritise getting and using crack over everything else, even though it’s causing serious problems in your life.

While the effects of powdered cocaine do not last very long, the effects of crack are even shorter-lived, often lasting only ten minutes or so. This means that people addicted to crack have to take repeated doses constantly. Crack cocaine is far cheaper than powdered cocaine, which, alongside the need for repeat use, greatly increases the chances of crack addiction and abuse.

There are also different personal reasons, unique to everyone, which can make it more likely that you become addicted to crack:

Crack addiction and abuse can lead to many serious problems which can ruin your life, tear apart your family and blight entire communities:

Financial problems

Constantly buying crack can lead to money problems, including debt, job loss, bankruptcy and homelessness.

Mental health decline

Long-term crack use can lead to serious mental health issues like depression, anxiety and even psychosis. These can be new mental health problems or pre-existing ones which are worsened by cocaine use.

Crack cocaine addiction treatment involves several key steps. First, you will go through drug detox to get the crack out of your system with medical help to manage withdrawal symptoms. Drug rehab therapy is then crucial to understand and cope with the reasons behind your crack cocaine use, including one-on-one, group and family sessions. After that, you will then leave rehab but continue with therapy through an aftercare programme, join local support groups like Narcotics Anonymous or Cocaine Anonymous and practise healthier living.

If you or a loved one is struggling with crack cocaine addiction, Linwood House is here to help. Our compassionate and experienced team is dedicated to supporting your journey to recovery. We offer a safe and supportive environment where you can take the first step towards a healthier, drug-free future. Reach out to Linwood House today to learn more about how we can help you overcome addiction and start a new chapter in your life.