Crack is a form of cocaine that is highly addictive. It is also deadlier. This is why anyone suffering from crack cocaine addiction needs to get help the soonest time possible. The earlier it gets treated, the better. The process of rehabilitating from crack cocaine can be tedious but it is something that can be conquered. The following are the important things that you need to understand about crack cocaine addiction:
- Crack cocaine addiction is a disease.
People who are suffering from crack cocaine addiction are not weak or reprehensible. You need to understand that crack cocaine addiction is a medical condition when one’s brain and behavior are affected. It is not a case of moral failing. One who suffers from crack cocaine addiction is not someone who simply failed to choose right over wrong. That person’s brain is suffering from a medical condition that is making it impossible for the person to choose the right thing to do.
- Crack cocaine addiction requires individualized treatment.
No one form of medication fits all who suffer from crack cocaine addiction. The recovery and healing process is not a one-size-fits-all. This is the case because people have varied reasons and circumstances that lead them to use crack cocaine. This is why an effective treatment plan needs to be tailed to the following:
- One’s particular and specialized needs
- The severity or intensity of one’s addiction
- Co-occurring disorders that one may have
- Crack cocaine addiction requires detoxification.
People who suffer from crack cocaine addiction need to undergo a medical and guided detoxification process. This is the first thing that they would need to conquer in their journey to recovery. During a medically-assisted detoxification, the body will undergo a process when crack cocaine gets eliminated and removed from one’s system. Withdrawal symptoms will occur so it is a must that medical professionals are present. This process must be done in a medically precise manner in a safe environment.
- Withdrawal symptoms can be intense when one is in the process of rehabilitation from crack cocaine addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms can be quite a challenge during one’s recovery from crack cocaine addiction. But it is conquerable. Many have recovered from crack cocaine addiction. If they can do it, so can others. So can you. Nothing is impossible. It becomes easier to deal with withdrawal symptoms when one is prepared and aware of the fact that it is to happen. The knowledge that one can suffer from intense cravings, fatigue, anxiety, or depression during recovery makes one equipped and ready to seek psychological and medical support.
- Counseling and therapy are necessary for one’s process of rehabilitation.
Behavioral therapy is the very heart of recovery from addiction. One’s frame of mind and dealing with life needs to inherently be altered in order for one to successfully recover from crack cocaine addiction. This is why one may undergo the following during rehabilitation:
- Contingency management
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Co-occurring disorders are common for people suffering from crack cocaine addiction.
It is often the case that people who suffer from crack cocaine addiction also suffer from a separate mental health issue. Often, such individuals are not even aware of it. This is why people who undergo rehabilitation for crack cocaine addiction undergo a psychiatric assessment before proceeding with a treatment program. Undergoing one will ensure that co-occurring mental health issues are also dealt with and treated. No stone will be left unturned.
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can be necessary for some people suffering from crack cocaine addiction.
People with intense cravings can undergo MAT. Using medications can be effective in reducing one’s cravings. It can also help in dealing with withdrawal symptoms. Medical professionals often recommend naltrexone or buprenorphine during the process. Naltrexone for example is used to manage alcohol use by reducing one’s cravings. It also reduces one’s feeling of euphoria when one uses a certain substance.
- A relapse prevention plan is necessary.
Relapse should be faced head-on. It is a waste of time to live in a fantasy world where the possibility of relapse does not exist. Knowing that it can happen to you is half the battle. Knowing that it can occur will help you to effectively prevent it. Your world is not going to end if you will experience relapse. Relapse is a temporary episode. You are always in control of what is going to happen next. Relapse, should it ever occur, should be used as an opportunity for growth.
- A person recovering from crack cocaine addiction needs a strong group of support networks.
People who suffered from crack cocaine addiction ended up in such a situation by their lonesome. The trick to recovering from it is the exact opposite – being surrounded by people. Having a solid support group during one’s recovery from crack cocaine addiction is a must. It will be as necessary as drinking water. Having a group of people who can keep someone accountable – may it be family, friends, or support groups – is a must.
- Long-term commitment is necessary for a person who wants to overcome crack cocaine addiction.
One needs to make non-stop healthy decisions – day in and day out – in order to conquer crack cocaine addiction. To choose to recover is to face the fact that one would have to undergo the process in an ongoing manner. One needs to be committed to making long-term lifestyle changes dedicated to having continued therapy and avoiding triggers that can lead to relapse. It is a long battle ahead. But it can be won. Always.
Reference:
Facts You Should Know about Crack
https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=33604
Naltrexone