Crack Cocaine Treatment and Rehab

Crack Cocaine Info

• Crack Cocaine Addiction and Abuse
• Crack Cocaine Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Crack Cocaine Treatment and Rehab
• Crack Cocaine Withdrawal and Detox

Crack addiction leads to a range of problems for you and your family, making it difficult to function as you normally would as an employee, partner or parent. Looking for information on how to get help is a positive sign. With the right treatment from trusted experts, you can begin the process of transformation; with help you can stop your addiction right in its tracks.

Treatment for Crack Cocaine Abuse

It’s not easy to recover from crack cocaine addiction, but it’s certainly possible, especially with professional help. Your journey begins when you resolve to quit, and the fact that you are reading this is an important first step.

There are a number of treatment options which work hand in hand and are used at different stages of the healing process depending on when they will be most effective.

How Crack Cocaine Rehab Works

Crack cocaine rehab helps you and your family deal with the problems created by addiction. Good rehab centres create treatment programmes to meet your individual needs and help conquer your cocaine dependence.

At the right drug rehabilitation centre, you can get comprehensive care, and treatment proven to be effective. Not every rehab is the same, as they differ in treatment modalities and styles, but they all follow a few important procedures. For instance, there’s likely to be an intake and evaluation step where an initial treatment plan will be formulated. In this initial assessment, medical tests will be performed and a full history taken, including your drug history and physical health.

Rehab centres typically deploy crack detox, which is the phase when you stop taking crack and clear it from your system. This can feel like the hardest part of the process, as you may experience uncomfortable drug withdrawal symptoms and cravings that can lead to relapse. At a rehab centre you’ll have the assistance of experienced medical professionals.

In addition to conventional counselling, you may receive other treatments and therapies, depending on the rehab you choose. Such therapies may include acupuncture, meditation and yoga. Many rehab centres include aftercare services, where continued therapy will help you stay on track even after you’ve left the centre.

In terms of privacy, crack cocaine rehab is considered medical treatment, so is bound by confidentiality. Unless you give direct permission, your treatment information and medical records will not be discussed with anyone else. Whilst at a centre, you should have a room to yourself so you can benefit from maximum privacy.

Crack cocaine treatment programmes may take anywhere between one and three months, depending on a number of factors, including the severity of the addiction. You can expect treatment to progress at the necessary pace, but it may be completed via outpatient therapy after you have spent a certain time at the centre.

Why Treatment is Necessary

increased breathing rate, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, heightened risk of contracting hepatitis C or HIV/AIDS, seizures, nosebleeds, coughing up black mucus, nausea and vomiting, convulsions, restlessness, damaged lungs and loss of appetite.

Among the possible psychological effects of crack cocaine addiction are insomnia, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, paranoia, delusions, hyper-sexuality, violence, depression, auditory and physical hallucinations, and even physical brain changes.

It’s important that treatment is sought as soon as possible, as long-term use of cocaine can result in a severe type of psychosis, where you may believe that there are bugs crawling underneath your skin. Such delusions have been known to drive people to violence or suicide. There’s no need to let it reach this stage when you can get treatment from professionals right away.

You Can Break Free

Your addiction is not the end of your life and you can fully recover. With the right professional help, you’ll be on your way to complete recovery and rehabilitation. Crack can be defeated, and you have the strength to do it. All you need is some guidance to help you find that strength. You’ll overcome your addiction and learn to live the healthier, more balanced life that you and your family deserve.

What Treatments are Available?

You may be prescribed medication to help with challenging psychological withdrawal symptoms. To help you cope with cravings and their triggers, you may have behavioural therapies like cognitive-behavioural therapy and contingency management. You’ll also get nutritional and vocational classes to help you get your life back on track.

This kind of treatment – with 24-hour care in a controlled environment – will be beneficial if you need time away from the usual stresses of your life.

Another popular treatment option for crack cocaine addiction is outpatient treatment. You’ll still get the same medication and behavioural therapy as you would with inpatient treatment, depending on your needs. The difference is that you’ll be able to go home after attending treatment, making it ideal if you need to be with your children or/and family.

Mutual-help groups are great for sustaining abstinence after you have completed your treatment programme. You could partake in a twelve-step program, along with other people who are also trying to get their lives back on track. Being part of such a group – with members helping one another – can be an integral part of your recovery from crack addiction.

Residential/Inpatient Treatment Centres vs. Outpatient Services

The choice of treatment type will largely depend on your needs and unique circumstances. Both inpatient and outpatient programmes have different offerings and subcategories that will be best suited to different kinds of people.

If you go down the inpatient treatment route, you’ll stay at a residential facility or be hospitalised. You’ll remain there for the duration of your treatment and participate in structured activities that usually include skills training and medication management, as well as therapy.

While most residential programmes last between 30 and 90 days, others may take as long as six to twelve months, although this is rare. The programmes may vary in intensity depending on a number of factors, including your emotional capacity for stress, your medical needs, and the amount of time you’ll be staying at the facility. Look for a treatment solution that best suits you.

Outpatient services provide many of the same services as you’ll get in a residential treatment centre, but the difference is you live at home. Some outpatient programmes are short and intense, while others take up only a few days of the week or a few hours of your day. Such programmes tend to be longer, but will allow you to attend school, go to work, and maintain family commitments.

There are different types of inpatient treatment programme, including sober living homes, short-term and long-term residential treatment. Types of outpatient treatment include twelve-step or peer support programmes, and intensive outpatient treatment or partial hospitalisation.

Short-term inpatient programmes typically involve talk therapy-based treatment, after which you can go home and continue treatment through an outpatient programme. The part of the programme where you’ll be hospitalised or live in a facility will likely be shorter than three months. The short-term inpatient treatment is mainly focused on detox from cocaine and introducing you to talk therapies.

Long-term residential treatment will not be offered in a hospital setting, but residential treatment centres will have medical professions on hand to provide medical guidance. This type of programme may extend beyond 90 days, and usually involves a combination of group therapy and one-on-one therapy. Programmes like this are focused on rebuilding your social network and the way you interact with your community.

Sober living homes don’t offer treatment for the early stages of crack cocaine addiction treatment. This means they won’t offer medication management or detox services. Instead they provide a strictly sober environment for those who need to maintain sobriety.

If you take up residence in a sober living home, your stay may be as short as six months or as long as two years. There are no set minimum or maximum stays. During your stay, you should have a job, pay rent and maintain your own therapy sessions.

Twelve-step or peer support programmes don’t constitute professional care and are not considered technically as outpatient treatment. Such programmes provide a structured and supportive environment where you can learn about your addiction and gain skills to help you overcome your impulses. If you join a programme like this, you’ll attend meetings regularly and have a sponsor to help keep you accountable.

Intensive outpatient treatment and partial hospitalisation are different, but they have similar structure and benefits. Typically, you’ll have to dedicate several hours of your day and days of your week to individual and group therapy, as well as medication management. Programmes like this are for after you have successfully stopped using cocaine.

There are other types of outpatient services which can be prescribed by your doctor. Such services may be found in the medical centres of universities, hospitals or their own specialised facilities. Programmes typically involve your friends, family, and community as part of your journey to recovery. You may also have to visit an overseeing physician as part of the programme.

Inpatient rehab may be best for you if you have additional physical or mental health issues. At a hospital or residential treatment facility you’ll have immediate access to the professional care you need, for a faster and safer recovery. Inpatient treatment also ensures you get medical oversight during the detox phase.

Inpatient rehabilitation offers a controlled environment away from ‘triggers’ in your normal life. If you have not been successful in outpatient programmes, inpatient treatment should be an option to consider.

Advantages of inpatient treatment include access to professional care round-the-clock and therapy focused on understanding your addiction. It restricts your access to drugs and potentially triggering environments and relationships. It will be easier to take your mind off crack cocaine with a structured schedule. You can choose a programme that aligns with your life philosophies.

While inpatient programmes can be very beneficial, it is important that you are aware of the limitations. As you might expect, you will not be able to maintain a regular school or work schedule and they can also be expensive, although there are different payment plans you can explore. While the structured schedule certainly has its advantages, it also means you won’t be able to see your family or friends too often.

One of the major benefits of outpatient treatment is the fact you can stay in the comfort of your own home. You won’t have to miss school or work and you’ll have more privacy. Also, you’ll be able to maintain your current community ties, as well as any career or family commitments.

While outpatient treatments are generally less expensive and afford you a higher level of flexibility, they have downsides. First, most outpatient programmes don’t include detox, so you may still have to go through a short-term inpatient programme. They are not as structured as inpatient programmes and may leave you too much time to let your mind wander. Also, you are more at risk of facing triggers that may lead to a relapse.

There is also the problem of getting easier access to crack, since you are not in a strict environment, especially when there is not much your family can do to stop this. You’ll be entirely responsible for getting to doctors’ appointments, meetings and therapy sessions.

Ultimately, the best treatment option depends on you and your medical team. The goal is to ensure that you get the best possible help to guide you through your journey to recovery.

Behavioural Interventions

Behavioural treatments have proved effective in both outpatient and inpatient facilities. Motivational incentives or contingency management (where prizes are awarded for passing a drug test) have proven to be particularly effective and practical. The results may differ depending on individual circumstances, but it’s a good place to start for initial abstinence.

For preventing relapse, cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT) has proven to be effective. A computerised form of CBT, called CBT4CBT, has now been developed and has been found to increase treatment success rates. Therapeutic communities and sober living homes have also been found to be effective, as have twelve-step programmes. Interestingly, a low-budget option – telephone-based counselling – appears to show some promise for aftercare.

The most important concern is not the mode of treatment itself, but the fact that you receive the treatment that is best suited to you. Also, remember that it starts with you. The more determined you are to be rehabilitated and abstain, the easier the journey to recovery will be.

Crack Cocaine Withdrawal and Detox

Typically, withdrawal symptoms will be the reverse of what you experienced when you were using crack. The two phases of cocaine withdrawal are acute withdrawal and post-acute or protracted withdrawal. While acute withdrawal symptoms refer to immediate symptoms, protracted withdrawal symptoms are those that may manifest weeks or months after quitting cocaine.

Acute withdrawal symptoms may include mood changes, irritability, difficulty concentrating, unpleasant dreams, exhaustion, and anxiety. Common protracted withdrawal symptoms include emotional outbursts and anger, inability to feel pleasure, lack of motivation, difficulty sleeping, cravings, shaking or agitation, depression, and anxiety. The nature and severity of your symptoms may depend on the length of addiction, your tolerance level and metabolism.

Whatever symptoms you face will only last for a period of time and eventually recover. Providing you have resolve and the right care in a treatment facility, you’ll pull through.

Paying for Crack Cocaine Addiction Treatment

After chronic, long-term use of crack cocaine, it can be costly to get treatment for your addiction. There are a number of payment options you can explore. The cost of treatment should be viewed in the context of the long term costs of remaining addicted. It makes sense to explore all your payment options.

You may want to turn to members of your family who can afford to take on the cost of treatment. You may not feel comfortable doing so, but it’s worth asking for contributions from those who care most about you. Another area to consider is your health insurance. It may include cover for drug addiction treatment, and it’s worth checking to see if your insurance agency is following what the law requires in terms of coverage.

Another option is to seek financing via loans. If you have access to military benefits or credit unions, you might want to look into getting a low-interest medical loan this way. If you have a job, you could take out a work loan if your employer has a programme geared towards aiding employees with addiction treatment.

Sourcing the Best Crack Cocaine Addiction Rehab for You

Why is Crack so Addictive?

Crack cocaine is a very potent form of freebase cocaine, which rapidly pushes you into substance dependence. It reaches the brain in approximately eight seconds, stimulating the brain’s pleasure centres and resulting in heightened euphoria. Soon after you start using it, your usage becomes compulsive and your body quickly develops a tolerance for the drug. Tolerance is where you need more of the drug each time in order to reach the same level of ‘high’. There is also a rapid come-down with crack cocaine. These two factors increase the addictive nature of crack cocaine.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Crack Abuse and Addiction?

The signs and symptoms of crack cocaine abuse and addiction can be both physical and psychological. You may find that you are experiencing excessive bursts of stimulation and energy that are out of character for you or beyond a reasonable limit. You may find that you have no appetite at all or you may eat a lot more than usual. You might also start to talk rapidly or find yourself nervously agitated.

After your last dose of crack cocaine wears off, you may find that you are extremely tired, causing you to sleep wherever you are. You might even sleep for days on end. After abusing crack cocaine for a long time, you may begin to experience hallucinations and paranoia. Other symptoms include: nosebleeds, aggression, muscle twitching, weight loss, hypertension, increased heart rate, insomnia, dilated pupils, disregard for the effects of your addiction on finances or relationships.

Methods of Use and the Effects of Crack

Cocaine use may be repeated or compulsive and may be occasional or episodic, with various patterns between those extremes. The drug may be taken by inhaling the smoke or vapour, taken into the bloodstream by drug injection, snorted by inhaling powder through the nostrils, or sniffed.

Each method of ingesting cocaine comes with its own risks. For instance, you may contract HIV/AIDS if you share a needle with an infected person. If you smoke it instead, you may develop compulsive cocaine use even more rapidly.

Short-term mental and physical effects of crack cocaine may differ, but they commonly include: an intense craving for another dose of the drug once the high subsides, increased heart rate, dilated pupils, excited state, increased alertness, and decreased appetite – possibly leading to an eating disorder.

Long-term effects of crack cocaine use may include: addiction, psychotic symptoms (such as paranoid delusions and hallucinations), depression and other mood disorders, delirium, severe withdrawal syndrome and increasing tolerance to the drug.

What Does It Mean to be Addicted to Crack?

To be addicted to crack means that you are psychologically and physically dependent on the drug to the extent that you cannot control your cravings. Prolonged use of crack cocaine ‘rewires’ your brain so that it needs the drug in order to function. When you try to stop taking it, you begin to experience extremely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Helping a Loved One Get Treatment for Crack Cocaine Addiction

When a loved one is afflicted with crack cocaine addiction it can be distressing and confusing for those around them. With the right help you can find information and get access to addiction treatment experts and quality facilities at home or abroad. With your help, your loved one can get on the path to drug rehabilitation.

The Rehabilitation Process

When you contact a rehab consultant about your addiction, the first step they will take is to perform a full assessment of your situation, after which they’ll help find the perfect treatment facility and experts for you. The next stage, and the first phase of your treatment proper, is detoxification, which involves ridding your body of crack cocaine substances. The first stages of your recovery are likely to be in an inpatient setting, where you’ll receive professional guidance in a controlled environment.

If inpatient treatment is not suitable, you’ll be placed in an outpatient setting which is more flexible. After the initial stages of detoxification and intense therapy, you’ll be directed to join a fellowship programme, where you’ll get the continued social support you need to maintain sobriety.

Post Detoxification Therapy

During detox, you’ll partake in therapy and counselling sessions which are aimed at tackling the psychological aspects of your addiction. After you‘ve successfully completed detoxification, the focus moves more towards group therapy and you may be advised to join a twelve-step programme. Your healthcare team may also take a different approach to wellness and recommend vitamin therapy, meditation, yoga and acupuncture. It will all depend on what works best for you.

Is Detox the Answer to Crack Cocaine Addiction?

Detoxing is important if you want to be free of your addiction, because you need to clear all traces of cocaine from your system. It should be done under the supervision of medical personnel to improve the chances of success and ameliorate symptoms. While detox is crucial, it is just the start of your recovery process: you must continue with therapy sessions and counselling after detox. They will help you continue the journey to rehabilitation and prevent you from relapsing.

Advice for the Family

If your loved one is dealing with crack cocaine addiction, it’s best that you learn as much as you can about their addiction. You’ll also need to be patient and compassionate. Your loved one needs to know they can count on you for support, without judgement. It’s hard for you, but hard for them too.

What To Do After Crack Cocaine Treatment and Rehab

The best idea is to get involved in the community once you have completed rehab, to boost your self-esteem. Also, be sure to stay in touch with your therapy team.

Staying Clean and Sober

You can stay clean and sober after treatment by taking the necessary steps to eliminate associations and relationships that are involved with crack cocaine abuse. It helps to nurture relationships with people who can provide the strength and encouragement you need. Your healthcare team will likely recommend that you join a local support group.

Peer/Family Support and the Road Ahead

If your friend or loved one has just come out of rehab or has completed treatment for crack cocaine addiction, they need your support more than anything. While you are expected to motivate them and create a supportive environment, you also need to exert some control where necessary in order to block any channels that may lead them back to crack. It also helps to have open and honest conversations about what they are going through and what you can do to help.

Helping the Crack Cocaine Addict

If your loved one or friend is addicted to crack cocaine, the first thing you can do to help is to learn about their addiction. Try to talk about the addiction with them and do your best to be patient. If they are not willing to get treatment, consider staging an intervention, where you and other members of the family will let your loved one know how their addiction has affected you all. This could be the push your loved one needs to seek treatment voluntarily.

Learning New Habits

At a rehab facility you begin to form new habits as part of your treatment. You must completely detach yourself from habits that were related to (or tightly linked with) your old habit of cocaine use. It will take time to learn new habits, but start by trying out different activities that you like and enlisting the help of friends who love the same activities, to keep you on track.

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