People who struggle with crack cocaine addiction often experience serious side effects that can impact physical and psychological health for years.

Article at a Glance:

  • Crack cocaine abuse can affect many aspects of a person’s life, including finances, relationships and careers.
  • Long-term health effects of crack abuse include tooth decay, stroke, infertility and even death.
  • Long-term psychological effects of crack abuse include hallucinations, paranoia and aggression.
  • Children born with prenatal crack exposure may exhibit many health and developmental problems.
  • Signs of a crack overdose are chest pains, stroke, irregular heartbeat and unconsciousness.

Signs of Crack Abuse

Crack cocaine is a volatile drug that rewires a person’s brain to ensure they crave only one thing — crack. This addiction can cause many changes in a person’s life. To someone on the outside, it may seem like the friend or family member they once knew is gone, replaced by a person who no longer has any ties to former interests.

People who struggle with crack cocaine abuse or addiction often experience problems in these areas:

While anyone could experience trouble in these areas, these problems are very common among people who struggle with addiction. Often, addiction to crack cocaine or other substances causes trouble in all of these areas simultaneously.

During this addiction, crack becomes the most important thing in a person’s life. Other parts of their life, including their finances, may suffer as they pursue their next high.

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Signs of financial trouble due to crack addiction include:

While many financial problems stem from purchasing the drug, people with crack addiction may also experience financial hardship due to associated legal troubles. Hiring a lawyer or paying bail can be very expensive, especially when it becomes a repeated pattern.

Signs of legal trouble due to crack cocaine addiction are:

Signs of interpersonal problems due to crack addiction are:

Signs of work-related problems caused by crack addiction include:

Signs of school-related problems due to crack cocaine addiction include:

Signs of social problems caused by crack addiction are:

Side Effects of Crack Cocaine

A person will experienceimmediate side effectswhen they use crack cocaine. These effects can last for many hours, but some detrimental effects can last a lifetime.Side effects of crack cocaine use include:

Long-Term Health Implications

The longer a person uses crack, the more likely they are to experience more serious side effects. Crack is a dangerous drug that consists of many harsh chemicals, and it is often mixed with other drugs as it’s made. Over time, thesenegative health effectscompound in the body and can cause extreme physical and psychological reactions.

Thelong-term physical effectsof crack abuse include:

The long-term psychological effects of crack abuse include:

Signs and Symptoms of a Crack Overdose

One possible outcome of crack abuse is overdose. Overdose occurs when a person ingests too much of a substance, essentially poisoning themselves. The body is unable to detox the large dose before it causes seriously harmful and often deadly side effects. Overdoses are typically unintentional, but sometimes, people may overdose on purpose.

The risk of overdose increases when someone uses crack and another substance,such as alcohol, at the same time. In these cases, overdose typically occurs because the body is trying to detox two drugs at once and cannot dispel them fast enough to avoid harmful effects.

Signs of a crack cocaineoverdose may include:

A crack cocaine overdose is a medical emergency that can have life-threatening consequences. If you believe you or someone you know may be overdosing, call 911.

If you or someone you love is struggling with a crack cocaine addiction, help is available at The Recovery Village.Contact ustoday to learn about addiction treatment programs that can work well for your situation.