Crack Addiction Treatment Options & Programs

Kimberly Langdon, M.D.

Medically Reviewed By: Kimberly Langdon, M.D.

on December 8, 2022

Crack cocaine addiction is best treated using intensive treatment options that include medical detoxification, inpatient rehabilitation, behavioral therapy, and aftercare support.

Crack cocaine, a freebase and smokable form of cocaine created with baking soda, water, and heat, is a notoriously addictive drug of abuse. And recovering from the long-term effects of crack abuse can be a difficult and demanding process.

If you or a loved one struggle with crack cocaine addiction, a professional treatment program can help, giving you structure, support, and guidance as you keep working towards a cocaine-free future.

Crack Addiction

Among all the drugs of abuse commonly used in the state of Ohio, crack cocaine use stands out as one of the most psychologically addictive. In fact, formal addiction to crack cocaine can be diagnosed in as little as 2-3 weeks after a person starts using the drug.

While powder cocaine and crack cocaine contain the same natural stimulant chemical, smoking delivers the drug to the bloodstream through the lungs with a swiftness that resembles cocaine injection into a vein. 

This abruptly spikes dopamine levels in the brain, flooding receptors for a brief but incredibly intense and habit-building euphoria that will likely pull a person back to take the drug again and feel that crack high over and over.

This quick, instant, and intense pattern of drug use and gratification rapidly builds into addiction and dependence that becomes deeply ingrained in a person’s mental space and behavioral patterns.

Crack Detoxification

If you’ve been smoking crack cocaine for a period of time, giving up the drug will likely trigger one or more weeks of uncomfortable and often painful withdrawal symptoms that can include:

  • feelings of anxiety or depression
  • exhaustion
  • vivid dreams or nightmares
  • thinking and concentration problems
  • mood swings
  • increased appetite
  • intense cocaine cravings
  • irritability
  • restlessness
  • suicidal thoughts or impulses
  • psychosis

And yet, cocaine withdrawal is a necessary part of the treatment process for crack cocaine addiction, though you shouldn’t face it alone.

Medical Detox Program

Ohio Recovery Center offers professional, inpatient medical detox services where medical professionals watch over participants working through the withdrawal process. 

If needed, you may receive medications to help you deal with various withdrawal symptoms while you also participate in positive activities, enjoy creature comforts, and receive support through individual or group counseling.

Inpatient Rehab For Crack Addiction

Inpatient rehabilitation is the best option for building a sustainable, long-lasting recovery from severe drug addiction.

In an inpatient program, you should expect to move into a residential inpatient treatment facility for an extended period of time, often 30 or 60 days. And this move is important for a variety of different reasons:

  • it opens your schedule so you can participate in a highly structured, personalized, and intensive treatment program throughout each day
  • you become removed from behavioral triggers and habits associated with the spaces where you would normally use crack cocaine
  • it surrounds you with other people working towards recovery as well as supportive healthcare professionals dedicated to helping you get better

Inpatient treatment services offered at Ohio Recovery Center include cognitive behavioral therapy, support groups, group therapy, and mental health counseling for dual diagnosis.

Dual Diagnosis Care

Substance use disorders (drug addiction) occur, in part, because someone lives with another physical or mental health disorder. Or, cocaine abuse may cause someone to develop other significant and untreated medical disorders.

These co-occurring disorders are often things like adult ADHD, chronic pain, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, PTSD, heart disorders, high blood pressure, and many others. Allowing these issues to go untreated increases the risk an individual will relapse, especially without a healthy support system in place.

Dual diagnosis care provided by inpatient treatment centers can help by blending treatment for substance abuse and addiction with medical treatment for these other health issues, leading to highly personalized treatment plans.

Behavioral Therapy

A variety of different types of behavioral therapy, also known as psychotherapy, can be used to help support those in recovery from crack cocaine addiction.

Of these different therapeutic interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common and centers on the theory that addiction is, at least in part, a learned behavior that can be unlearned.

Those participating in CBT are taught to identify the thoughts and habits that contribute to their crack use so they can anticipate and counter them with coping strategies, taking back control over their mind and personal behavior.

Aftercare Services

Even if a person does successfully complete the rehabilitation process, the long-lasting effects of crack cocaine on habit, behavior, and memory can result in sudden relapses weeks, months, or years into the future.

Aftercare programs are designed to help individuals after their time in the rehab center is finished. 

These programs feature services that can include therapy (individual, group, or family therapy), support groups like Cocaine Anonymous (a 12-step program), employment counseling, sober living housing, and more.

To learn more about Ohio Recovery Center and how we can help you or your family members build a lasting recovery from crack cocaine abuse, please contact us today.

  1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) — Cocaine DrugFacts https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine
  2. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) — Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Nicotine) https://nida.nih.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/evidence-based-approaches-to-drug-addiction-treatment/behavioral-therapies/cognitive-behavioral-therapy
  3. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus — Cocaine withdrawal https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000947.htm
  4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disorders

Written by Ohio Recovery Center Editorial Team

© 2024 Ohio Recovery Center | All Rights Reserved

* This page does not provide medical advice.

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