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Crack Cocaine Withdrawal
Crack Cocaine Withdrawal
Authored by Philippa Gold Edited by Hugh Soames
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Crack Cocaine Withdrawal
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Crack Cocaine Withdrawal
What is Crack Cocaine
Crack Cocaine is one of the most widely abused drugs in North America and Worldwide. Addiction is nothing now, but what is new is the super worrying trend of increasing deaths due to Crack Cocaine overdose. In part, this can be said to be due to a number of factors such as:
- Lack of education around Crack Cocaine
- Increase in Pharmaceutical Prescriptions generally
- A failure of Governments worldwide to do enough to stop Crack Cocaine addiction and related deaths
- Societal thinking regarding addicts and Crack Cocaine addiction
- Lack of Harm Reduction methods around Crack Cocaine usage
- Lack of addiction related education in the medical professional
Further reading about Crack Cocaine from around the web
Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment calls it the most addictive form of cocaine.
Crack cocaine first saw widespread use as a recreational drug in primarily impoverished neighborhoods in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami in late 1984 and 1985; this rapid increase in use and availability was named the “crack epidemic”, which began to wane in the 1990s. The use of another highly addictive stimulant drug, crystal meth, ballooned between 1994 and 2004.
What Are Crack Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms?
Withdrawal from Crack Cocaine is a serious matter. The effects on the body from Crack Cocaine use is extreme, and because of these effects Crack Cocaine withdrawal can very quickly become an acute medical emergency. Withdrawal from Crack Cocaine can cause a hypertensive crisis or myocardial infraction. In other words, a stroke or heart attack caused by sudden stoppage in taking Crack Cocaine or respiratory distress syndrome whereby your body shuts down from the lungs and respiratory system outwards. Crack Cocaine withdrawal can also lead to serious anxiety and mental health related issues.
Never in any circumstances underestimate the seriousness of Crack Cocaine withdrawal1https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2891684/. If you are withdrawing from Crack Cocaine it is advisable to seek medical attention and in the case of medical emergency from Crack Cocaine withdrawal do not hesitate to head to the nearest Emergency Room.
Crack Cocaine withdrawal will vary for everyone and will be affected by several factors. The length and severity of Crack Cocaine use with be one of the main predictors of withdrawal symptoms and intensity. With Crack Cocaine withdrawal, it’s impossible to accurately predict how an individual will react to withdrawal.
Crack Cocaine Withdrawal Timeline
Full Crack Cocaine withdrawal often takes seven to fourteen days but sometimes longer, and the Crack Cocaine withdrawal symptoms are categorized according to their severity.
There are no minor symptoms of Crack Cocaine withdrawal. The first symptoms to exhibit themselves, usually 3-12 hours after Crack Cocaine withdrawal starts proper are headaches, tremors, sweating, itching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and total confusion with anxiety or depression.
These are followed relatively quickly by the next stage in Crack Cocaine withdrawal timeline by:
- Insomnia
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Confusion
- Tremors
- Anxiety
- Digestive discomfort
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Panic attacks
- Muscle pain
- Psychosis
- Delirium tremens
- Relapse
Worryingly, every time an individual attempts Crack Cocaine withdrawal the severity of symptoms tends to increase.
Crack Cocaine withdrawal has a mortality rate of between three and 19 per cent, depending on seriousness of Crack Cocaine usage.
Withdrawal from Crack Cocaine is a physically demanding process, in which the body will utilize every means possible to remove toxins, while creating psychological challenges because of the changes to the individuals brain chemistry.
Crack Cocaine Detox Process
The severity of Crack Cocaine detox makes it a process that should be approached carefully. Crack Cocaine Detox, especially for those with a heavy or long-lasting Crack Cocaine dependency, produces a range of symptoms and in extreme cases withdrawal can be fatal. However much they may want to end their addiction to Crack Cocaine, it’s vital to seek medical advice and enlist the support of their loved ones.
Crack Cocaine Withdrawal at a Rehab
Detoxing from Crack Cocaine within a treatment facility ensures medical help if it’s needed during the treatment process. Because Crack Cocaine rebound is a significant danger during withdrawal, having medical personnel present 24-hours a day can mean an instant response to any hypertensive or life-threatening crisis that may occur as a professional tapering process lowers the chances of patients experiencing fatal episodes.
Crack Cocaine withdrawal and detox begins with an initial medical exam to determine the patient’s physical condition upon entry into the rehab. This pre-detox Crack Cocaine withdrawal period can last up to 24 hours, as medical personnel determines both the patient’s general medical condition and drug history.
Detoxification of the patient’s body from Crack Cocaine begins after the pre-detox period ends. Medically assisted or tapered withdrawal from Crack Cocaine can take up to a few weeks to complete.
Rapid Detox from Crack Cocaine
Rapid detox from Crack Cocaine is a controversial topic and one that is unlikely to be accepted by everyone for its positive uses. It is a concept that has helped individuals addicted to Crack Cocaine and other drugs kick the habit and gain the help they need to live a healthier lifestyle.
A patient undergoing a rapid detox from Crack Cocaine is put under anesthesia for up to six hours. During this time, an opioid antagonist drug such as naltrexone is used to remove the Crack Cocaine from the patient’s body. Rapid detox can alleviate some of the more distressing symptoms of Crack Cocaine withdrawal.
The Crack Cocaine rapid detox method is used to stop a patient from feeling the devastating effects of Crack Cocaine withdrawal. Sedating the patient and putting them under anaesthesia allows them to “sleep” through the initial heavy Crack Cocaine withdrawal and detox process. The hope is that after the rapid detox process, the patient will wake up with their body completely clean of Crack Cocaine. The remainder of the withdrawal process will be minimal enabling the person to get on with the rehab process. Throughout rapid detox, the patient is monitored to ensure safety.
Does Crack Cocaine Rapid Detox Help Withdrawal Symptoms?
Experts claim that rapid detox from Crack Cocaine is a safe way to cleanse the body. It is also more pleasant as individuals who go through Crack Cocaine withdrawal can experience shakes, sweats, nausea, and other issues for long periods.
Crack Cocaine withdrawal can take weeks to fully complete. However, rapid detox from Crack Cocaine can take only a few days to a week at most. While the process of undergoing anaesthesia is just a few hours, Crack Cocaine detox patients can be kept in a medical clinic for monitoring afterwards. The process enables a patient to get – for many – the most difficult and frightening part of rehab out of the way. Once completed, patients can focus on the mental and emotional side of recovery.
For most Crack Cocaine addicts, the biggest barrier of attending rehab is withdrawal. The pain and distress Crack Cocaine withdrawal can have on a person can drive them back to using. Therefore, limiting or stopping a person’s physical Crack Cocaine withdrawal symptoms allows them to focus on making a full recovery.
By completing a residential rehab program following rapid detox, individuals can fully recover from their Crack Cocaine addiction.
