0800 470 0382
If you’re addicted to crack or cocaine, you must reach out for help as soon as possible. The sooner you reach out for the help you need, the easier it will be for you to recover. If you are struggling with drug addiction, we understand it can be difficult to reach out for help. However, it is important and not anything you should worry about. Get in touch with our team today; we would be happy to answer any questions and give you the advice you need to start your recovery journey.
What is the Difference Between Crack and Cocaine?
Crack is a type of cocaine that is made into rock crystal through a process of adding powdered cocaine with other compounds. The crystals are then smoked by either sprinkling them onto tobacco or marijuana or heating them.
Pure cocaine or unprocessed cocaine is a type of powdery white substance. This is usually snorted through the nose or rubbed on the gums. It may also be dissolved and injected. Cocaine is often laced with opioids or other dangerous substances. In some cases, the person taking the cocaine may know that the powder is laced with other substances, or they may not.
What are the Immediate Effects of Crack Vs Cocaine?
The instant effects of both crack and cocaine are quite similar. However, the effects may vary depending on how the drug is taken. A person who smokes crack can produce immediate effects that may last for around 5 – 10 minutes. When someone takes cocaine by snorting or rubbing it on the gums, it can cause immediate effects that last for around 15 – 30 minutes. The immediate effects and risks that are associated with both of these substances include the following:
- Irritability
- Violent behaviour
- Euphoria
- Paranoia
- Increased perception of sounds, sights, and touch
- Increased alertness
Aside from the length of time and the intensity of the effects, both of these substances have the same short-term effects.
What are the Long-Term Health Risks of Crack Vs Cocaine?
The long-term effects of crack include the following:
- Fluid in the lungs
- Asthma
- A higher likelihood of developing an addiction
- Chest pains
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing up blood
- Decreased oxygen in the body
- Damage to the lungs
- Pneumonia
- Interstitial lung disease
- Pulmonary hypertension
The long-term effects of cocaine include the following:
- Nosebleeds
- Loss of smell
- Scarring
- Collapsed veins
- Difficulty swallowing
- Perforation of the tissue between the nostrils
- Higher risks of hepatitis C, HIV, or other blood diseases
- Severe tissue or skin infections
Both crack and cocaine may lead to the following long-term effects:
- Kidney damage
- Heart attack
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- Permanent brain damage
- Ulcers
- Inflammation of the digestive tract
- Seizures
- Weekend immune system
If you or someone you know has been experiencing any of these long-term effects of crack or cocaine use, it’s important to know that it’s never too late to get help and prevent the problem from worsening. If you continue to misuse cocaine or crack, it can cause many severe problems, including those listed above. With continued misuse, it could even lead to death. This is why it’s important to reach out for the help you need as soon as possible.
Is One More Addictive than the Other?
When someone smokes crack, the effects are very intense and instant. These effects can last for up to 10 minutes. When someone snorts cocaine, the effects start within 5 minutes and usually last for around 30 minutes. However, the effects of cocaine are less intense than those smoking crack. This fast, intense high from crack can make it more addictive than cocaine.
Crack is taken in through the lungs and then spreads throughout the body, creating a high effect much more quickly. This causes a cycle of bingeing on the inhalation and then crashing. This can put the person smoking the crack at a much higher risk of dependence on the substance. How you ingest cocaine can affect how addictive it is. If you smoke or inject cocaine, this will cause it to enter your bloodstream and reach your brain much faster when compared to snorting it or rubbing it on your gums. The faster the drug can get to your brain, the more reinforcing it is and, therefore, the more addictive it is.
As many people associate crack cocaine with smoking and powdered cocaine with snorting, there is a false belief that crack cocaine is much more addictive. However, if you inject or smoke the powered version of cocaine, this is just as addictive as crack.
Find the Help You Need for Your Crack or Cocaine Addiction
If you or someone close to you has an addiction to cocaine or crack, it’s important that you know that many treatment options are available for substance abuse. Addictions are mental health or behavioural health condition and can be treated with addiction therapy and other treatment options. When you go through your recovery process in a drug rehab setting, you will get medical supervision to ensure that you remain as safe and comfortable as possible throughout your entire rehab process.
We are here to help you achieve a life without cocaine or crack. If you want to overcome your addiction and learn the skills you need to move forward towards a happier, sober lifestyle, we can help you. Getting treatment is always worth it; it will allow you to regain control of your life.
Contact us today on 0800 470 0382 if you’re interested in finding out more about rehab treatments for crack or cocaine addictions. Our team of professional addiction experts are on hand to take your call and answer any questions you may have about your addiction or the treatment options available. This may be the most important phone call you ever make.
