10 Can’t Miss Crack Addiction Symptoms
Millions of American’s abuse crack, and since crack is highly addictive, many people who abuse the drug, even after one use, develop an addiction to it. Addiction is a chronic brain disease that a person will battle with for the rest of their life.
Crack cocaine, also known as crack, is a central nervous system stimulant that most people smoke. When people smoke crack the drug reaches their brain rapidly, causing the effects of the drug to be more powerful with a quick onset. Crack produces its euphoric effects by significantly increasing the dopamine in a user’s brain.
According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, crack cocaine interferes with, and causes extra amounts of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and movement; dopamine is part of the brain’s reward system. As a result of increased dopamine, the psychological effects are highly pleasurable and after having tried crack, a user will develop an intense craving for the drug.
However, the euphoric effects of crack are short-lived, meaning that the high that the user enjoys lasts for a short period of time, and because of this many users continue to smoke the drug to maintain the desired effects. This often leads to a rapid onset of addiction, and once a person becomes addicted to crack there entire life will change and they will be under the control of their urges to continually seek out and use the drug.
10 Can’t Miss Crack Addiction Symptoms
Ten signs that a person is abusing or addicted to crack:
- The user is frequently anxious and fidgety.
- At times they have rapid mood swings, this is especially noticeable when the person no longer has crack in their system. According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, because crack works on the brain’s system of reward and punishment, withdrawal symptoms occur when the drug’s effects wear off.
- The user will be extremely happy and then become extremely fatigued and depressed. This is another withdrawal from crack once the drug leaves their system.
- There are crack pipes lying around their house.
- They have dilated pupils. One side effect from smoking crack that is unavoidable is dilated pupils. Every person who smokes or abuses crack will have dilated pupils.
- They have suffered a great deal of financial loss.
- They are losing a lot of weight quickly.
- They are not sleeping.
- They have begun to pull away from their family and friends.
- They will have red eyes. Many people who smoke crack will have swollen or bloodshot eyes while on the drug.