Young man on step looking distracted but knows what is crack.Most everyone knows cocaine as a white powder. Chemically, crack cocaine presents as a derivative of the substance, cocaine. But when you want to find out what is crack with an eye on the end user, it’s much more. In fact, it’s one of the most addictive forms of cocaine on the market.

A Chemical Difference Heightens the Drug’s Impact

Instead of powder, this kind of cocaine comes as crystals. Users smoke it by heating up the crystals in crack pipes. Because this drug is far more potent than powdered cocaine, it affects the user more strongly. Add to this the fact that smoking the substance creates a speedier pathway to the brain.

As the chemicals interact with the brain’s dopamine receptors far more quickly, the high is almost immediate. However, with a speedier uptake also comes a more rapid letdown. Now, the typical user wants to repeat the high and get it to last just a little longer. What is crack if not a recipe for addiction?

What is Crack Compared to Powdered Cocaine?

Television typically does a bad job at portraying drug use. But with regards to crack, even the movies have shown an accurate portrayal of the drug’s destructive nature. Examples include:

  • Teens easily afford crack because it’s cheaper than powdered cocaine.
  • The drug’s at the heart of inner city violence, human trafficking, and unemployment.
  • Crack’s chemical makeup results in a stronger high and subsequent addictiveness.
  • The high combines a rush of adrenaline with dopamine, which creates an extreme sense of well-being and strength.
  • The resulting euphoria reinforces the action, which leads to a quick, addictive response.

Why Can’t Individuals Using the Drug Just Stop?

Even well-informed teens and college-age young adults who know what is crack continue the abuse of this substance. From a psychological standpoint, the high and its feelings of power and well-being trump potential dangers. However, from a physical point of view, the chemicals’ alterations of the brain cause dependence. The brain chemistry no longer functions without the influx of crack’s chemicals.

As use continues, health problems begin to show. Blistered lips and broken teeth are signs that someone frequently uses a crack pipe. Blood vessels constrict during use, which results in blood pressure spikes and potentially strokes or heart attacks. Talkative individuals turn into moody and withdrawn people after the high wears off.

Finding a Way out of Addiction is Possible

So, what is crack? For one, it’s addicting. For another, it’s potentially deadly. For most, it opens a vicious cycle of use, the need to procure more, repeated use, and so forth.

After an initial detox in a medically supervised setting, a rehab facility is the best option. There, you or a loved one can overcome this crack addiction’s stranglehold. Because each attendee undergoes a customized treatment program with selected therapies, you better your odds of individual success. Examples include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps you to attain emotional stability.
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy follows suit but also factors in self-esteem improvement.
  • Family Therapy is instrumental in assisting loved ones in caring for someone suffering from an addiction without enabling the behavior.
  • Group Therapy helps those struggling with crack addiction with building a support network they can approach for assistance.

You Know What is Crack–Are You or a Loved One Using It?

Get help for an addiction to crack today. It’s not enough to know what is crack and understand the long-term effects of its use on the body. Beaches Recovery offers customized treatment approaches that help you or a loved one overcome dependence today. Dial 8666050532 now to get off the merry-go-round of crack addiction.