Crack cocaine is readily available in Colorados inner cities and in some smaller communities. Treatment for crack addiction often seems far away and out of reach. Frustrated families and loved ones reach the breaking points on a regular basis when it comes to dealing with crack addiction. Both the addict and the family are all to often in a state of hopelessness about truly beating the demon of crack addiction especially when there have already been one or more failed attempts of crack treatment..

There are actual mechanics to the downward spiral of use, addiction, failed treatment, relapse and further addiction. This does NOT have to be how it goes. The mechanics of addiction can be understood and true lasting rehabilitation for a lifetime is possible.

There are many types of crack treatment and choosing the correct crack treatment option is vital to your recovery. Types of crack treatment include; out-patient crack treatment, inpatient crack treatment, crack counseling, crack detox, short term crack treatment or long term crack treatment.

Our professional addiction counselors have tremendous knowlege and experience in assessing your specific treatment needs and we utilize an extensive Drug Treatment Database containing Washington crack treatment options and nationwide drug treatment programs.

To find out if there are any Crack rehabs serving people in Washington that are suitable for your needs, please call 1-877-404-9362.

Crack Information

Crack is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug. Crack is the street name given to the form of cocaine that has been processed to make a rock crystal, which, when heated, produces vapors that are smoked. The term “crack” refers to the crackling sound produced by the rock as it is heated. Crack is abused because it produces an immediate high and because it is easy and inexpensive to produce--rendering it readily available and affordable.

How is Crack Produced?

Crack is produced by dissolving powdered cocaine in a mixture of water and ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). The mixture is boiled until a solid substance forms. The solid is removed from the liquid, dried, and then broken into the chunks (rocks) that are sold as crack cocaine.

How Is Cocaine Abused?

Crack is nearly always smoked. Smoking crack cocaine delivers large quantities of the drug to the lungs, producing an immediate and intense euphoric effect.

How Does Cocaine Affect the Brain?

Crack Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that increases levels of dopamine, a brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) associated with pleasure and movement, in the brain’s reward circuit. Certain brain cells, or neurons, use dopamine to communicate. Normally, dopamine is released by a neuron in response to a pleasurable signal (e.g., the smell of good food), and then recycled back into the cell that released it, thus shutting off the signal between neurons. Crack Cocaine acts by preventing the dopamine from being recycled, causing excessive amounts of the neurotransmitter to build up, amplifying the message to and response of the receiving neuron, and ultimately disrupting normal communication. It is this excess of dopamine that is responsible for crack’s euphoric effects. With repeated use, crack can cause long-term changes in the brain’s reward system and in other brain systems as well, which usually leads to addiction. With repeated use, tolerance to the crack high also often develops. Many crack abusers report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first exposure. Some users will increase their dose in an attempt to intensify and prolong the euphoria, but this can also increase the risk of adverse psychological or physiological effects.

What Adverse Effects Does Cocaine Have on Health?

Abusing crack cocaine has a variety of adverse effects on the body. For example, crack constricts blood vessels, dilates pupils, and increases body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. It can also cause headaches and gastrointestinal complications such as abdominal pain and nausea. Because crack tends to decrease appetite, chronic users can become malnourished as well. Crack users may also experience acute respiratory problems, including coughing, shortness of breath, and lung trauma and bleeding. Crack cocaine smoking also can cause aggressive and paranoid behavior.

What Treatment Options Exist?

Behavioral interventions—particularly, cognitive-behavioral therapy—have been shown to be effective for decreasing crack use and preventing relapse. Treatment must be tailored to the individual patient’s needs in order to optimize outcomes—this often involves a combination of treatment, social supports, and other services.

Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications for treating cocaine addiction; thus, developing a medication to treat crack cocaine and other forms of addiction remains one of NIDA’s top research priorities. Researchers are seeking to develop medications that help alleviate the severe craving associated with cocaine addiction, as well as medications that counteract cocaine-related relapse triggers, such as stress. Several compounds are currently being investigated for their safety and efficacy, including a vaccine that would sequester cocaine in the bloodstream and prevent it from reaching the brain. Current research suggests that while medications are effective in treating addiction, combining them with a comprehensive behavioral therapy program is the most effective method to reduce drug use in the long term.

How Widespread Is Cocaine Abuse?

Monitoring the Future Survey*

According to the 2008 Monitoring the Future survey—a national survey of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders—cocaine use among students did not change significantly, though it remained at unacceptably high levels: 3.0 percent of 8th-graders, 4.5 percent of 10th-graders, and 7.2 percent of 12th-graders have tried cocaine; 0.8 percent of 8th-graders, 1.2 percent of 10th-graders, and 1.9 percent of 12th-graders were current (past-month) cocaine users. Crack cocaine use, which has been steadily declining since 1990, showed a significant decrease among 12th-graders in the past year.

To find out if there are any Crack treatment facilities serving people in Washington that are suitable for your needs, please call 1-877-404-9362.