10 Signs You Are Addicted to Crack

Crack is an extremely addictive substance. According to the National Library of Medicine, a large percentage of those who try crack, even once, become addicted to it. Unfortunately, while you are using it, it is very difficult to tell if you are addicted or not. The signs of addiction might vary depending on your individual circumstances but these are all good indications that you are addict to crack and it is time to seek treatment from a doctor or rehab facility.

You want more

Immediately wanting more after you have gotten high is a sign that the pathways in your brain are changing. Crack causes a dopamine overload. This changes the dopamine receptors in the brain very quickly. Each time you smoke the drug, it changes more. When the amount that you use increases to produce the same high, you are addicted.

You wake up and want to smoke crack

When the first thing that you think about is your desire to get high, it is a sign of addiction. When you are sleeping, your body depletes dopamine. Since crack floods your system with dopamine, you start to crave it first thing in the morning. This can range from just wanting it to immediately getting high to showing withdrawal symptoms when you wake up.

You experience rapid mood changes

The constant desire for crack is a sign of addiction.

Most crack addicts exhibit mood changes. You might be happy and euphoric one minute and depressed and anxious the next. Many users describe having issues controlling their anger or irritability, many even become abusive to their friends or loved ones when they do not have access to crack.

Paranoia is also common in addicts. Many stimulants cause paranoia when you are actively using them and when you are coming down. It is not unusual for an addict to think that someone even someone they trust is after them or out to get them.

You don’t enjoy the things that you used to

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a loss of interest in activities that you once loved is a sign that there is a serious problem. Although this is indicative a quite a few other conditions, if you are using crack on a regular basis, it is a very big symptom of addiction. Crack deadens your ability to feel pleasure in anything but using the drug. Each time you use it this damage gets worse.

The only thing that you think about is smoking

Since crack damages the pleasure center of the brain, the only way you get pleasure is through the drug. After using it, the only thing you think about is how to use again. You forget about everything else in your life except for the endless cycle of using crack to get high and then finding ways to obtain more so you can get high.

You lose your job due to your crack use

If you lose your job because you get high at work, are late to work due to the night before, or because you miss work to get high, you are probably addicted to the drug. When crack interferes with your ability to perform work related tasks, it is a clear symptom of addiction.

You spend more money than you have

Many times a person with an addiction spends much more than they actually have. They neglect rent, utilities, and other financial responsibilities in order to purchase crack. If your bills are overdue, yet you still spend money on smoking or if you lose your living arrangement due to smoking, it is a good idea to seek treatment for crack addiction.

You neglect your appearance

Most addicts eventually begin to neglect what they look like. They stop bathing, trimming their nails, brushing their teeth or combing their hair. Self-neglect is one of the first signs of a problem with a drug. When you are too busy using, in order to take care of your body and your health it is time to seek some sort of treatment for addiction.

Your friends and family become concerned

Family and friends that do not use crack are often the first people to be concerned about your drug use. They may ask about it and you might deny that you are using even though you are. If you feel the need to hide your drug use from everyone around you, there is a possibility that you are addicted.

You do things that you would not ordinarily do to obtain the drug

As the drug consumes you, you find yourself doing things that you would not ordinarily consider doing. A few of these things are:

• lying to friends and family,
• stealing from friends and family,
• denying that you are using,
• selling drugs,
• selling your possessions to pay for the drugs, and
• selling yourself to pay for drugs.

This behavior often becomes worse as the need for the drug becomes more intense. Most people find themselves in legal trouble because they break the law trying to get more of it.

Crack consumes everything in a person’s life. Many users describe it as eating them alive or whole. Although there are many signs of addiction, someone who is actually addicted might exhibit some or none of these signs. When using a drug interferes or destroys aspects of your life, it is called an addiction. If you think that maybe you are addicted to crack or any drug, it is probably a sign to seek treatment for the addiction.