The Phases Of Crack Cocaine Withdrawal

Crack cocaine addiction is more common than many people believe. If you are addicted to this drug, then you may feel that combating your drug habit is impossible. However, with determination and support, you can stop allowing crack cocaine to rule your life. You will need to learn as much as you can about detoxing your body from this drug. Here are the 7 phases of crack cocaine withdrawal that you should be aware of:

Phase 1 - Panic

This stage occurs 1 - 3 hours after the last use. A person is focused on attaining money to buy more drugs. The addict will often do whatever necessary in order to attain the money such as sell items or even steal.

Phase 2 - Crash

During this stage, which occurs 3 - 24 hours after the last use, a person will hit rock bottom emotionally. Depression may set in and the person may regret spending money that has been spent. Suicide has a high instance of occurring during this stage.

Phase 3 - Honeymoon Stage

This stage occurs 1 - 5 days following last use. The person feels on top of the world and often believes they have beaten their addiction. Those in recovery often leave when they start to experience this phase, as they feel their addiction no longer exist.

Phase 4 - Cravings return

This stage occurs 5 - 14 days after the last use and the addict will experience a return of the drug craving with a vengeance. The cravings will often become so strong that the person has vivid dreams about attaining the crack.

Phase 5 - Emotional augmentation

This phase occurs 14 - 28 days after last use, up to 2 years. The addict overreacts to stressful situations. There could be a chemical imbalance in the brain due to lack of serotonin. There is a strong likelihood of relapse during this period.

Phase 6 - Covert cravings

Occurring 28 - 35 days after the last high, a person will experience low levels of cravings for the drugs. However, any discussion of events that causes the person to remember exactly how being high felt can cause the craving to grow.

Phase 7 - Cue conditioning

There are various triggers, such as financial issues, anger, joy, etc. which could trigger the person's cravings for the drug.

These 7 phases will be different for each person. If you are serious about getting off drugs, then you should not allow these phases to scare you, as it is provided strictly for informational purposes. You need to know what to expect if you're going to be successful at getting off crack cocaine. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

Methamphetamine Can Cause Permanent Psychosis

Severe drug trips can lead to scary situations. People have been known to suffer from hallucinations and feel intense emotions. At times it almost seems like they are losing their minds literally and figuratively. The intensity of these "bad trips" varies from person to person. Different drugs also produce different effects. Methamphetamine or meth can cause particularly horrible bouts of psychosis.

Real-world Examples of Paranoia from Meth Use

Experts say that the net effect of meth on people is the same as that of an actual mental illness. Those who have used with the drug and recovered admit to having paranoid delusions. Conspiracy theories and fear of the police were just some of the things that wore them down. They lived in constant fear that they were being followed. Inanimate objects started to move in their head. Their health deteriorated to the point that they became grossly underweight and thoroughly unsociable. 

Meth as the Root Cause of Psychosis

Some drugs like marijuana and ecstasy can trigger psychotic symptoms but only with the aid of some other mechanism. This may be sleep deprivation or an underlying anxiety disorder. With meth, there is no doubt that the drug is the main cause of the psychosis. The symptoms appear regardless of the conditions surrounding a person. It is that potent and its effects are plainly bizarre. The paranoia makes users think that other people are always after them. Strange behaviors manifest from these fears.

Persistent Effects

What's even more alarming is that these bad drug trips can have lasting effects. The brain chemistry gets changed over time. Long-time users may succumb to permanent psychosis. Even those who do recover may suffer from depression. Meth is a stimulant that triggers an initial addictive high but it depletes dopamine in the process. This is the hormone that controls the brain's perception of pleasure and reward. Once the euphoria dies down, a feeling of deep sadness takes over that is difficult to shake off. It's vital for users to get immediate treatment to prevent this. 

If You Or A Loved One Is Suffering From Drug Or Alcohol Addiction Or Abuse, There Are Always Options For Help: