Author: Gary Jackson

Crack Overdose Crack Overdose Treatment, Signs, & Symptoms

If you think someone you love is using cocaine, encourage them to seek help. Ask a healthcare provider about programs and services for people affected by another person’s cocaine use. Using it increases your risk of serious and sometimes life-threatening medical conditions like heart attack, stroke and drug overdose. Cocaine use disorder (addiction) can affect your personal relationships.

But that cocaine-driven dopamine release or rush fades quickly, leaving them wanting more of those feelings — and the drug. As people keep on using cocaine, their brains get used to the huge overstimulation and they need stronger, more frequent doses. The physical symptoms of withdrawal can start shortly after the person’s last use of the drug and continue for up to a week. Working through the emotional challenges that accompany addiction can take a lot longer. As a result, people need to take more of the drug more frequently in order to achieve the same high and prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Crack Overdose Symptoms

We are a highly rated, well-equipped treatment center offering effective treatment for all kinds of substance use disorders. That being said, be sure to call 911 as soon as you notice the overdose. The sooner the person who has overdosed receives attention from medical professionals, the better. Crack cocaine overdose affects many bodily functions and organs including the cardiovascular system.

When someone is seizing, it’s possible for them to injure themselves if they convulse near dangerous objects. Additionally, even more dangerous substances are sometimes mixed with crack cocaine. These can include drugs like amphetamines, methamphetamine, and even fentanyl. Due to the effects of crack cocaine on the body and the nature of the drug, it’s possible to overdose on it, which can result in a variety of health issues.

Crack Cocaine Overdose Prevention

It’s vital to note that taking multiple drugs at once greatly increases your chances of overdosing. It’s very common for other substances to be mixed, or cut, with cocaine. Sometimes, these other substances are harmless, but often, cocaine is cut with harmful, and very powerful, additional drugs like fentanyl, carfentanil, or other synthetic opioids. In addition to the above bullets, signs of a crack overdose can veer into the extreme.

Once the breathing and heart function are restored, physicians can focus their attention elsewhere in the treatment process. This brings us to proper treatment of said crack cocaine overdoses. Crack overdose victims differ from many others in that they may exhibit some violent, erratic tendencies without realizing it. If this turns out to be the case, never put yourself or another in harm’s way. The best any passerby can do for a supposed overdose victim is to contact the proper authorities.

Effects of a cocaine overdose

Crack overdose can cause your body temperature to rise significantly. When your body temperature is too high, you can start to suffer damage to your organs and brain. If you notice someone is overdosing on crack cocaine, there are three vital steps you should take to ensure they have the best chance of surviving. Additionally, snorting causes the effects of crack to be felt much quicker. The only guaranteed way to prevent an overdose is to avoid using cocaine. When the ambulance arrives, tell the paramedics about your symptoms and about your cocaine use.

• This, along with its addictive nature, has made it a catastrophic force in neighborhoods of lower socioeconomic status across the United States.
• This is because repeated use of the drug causes the reward circuit of the brain to adapt and become less sensitive to its effects.
• Inpatient or residential treatment requires people to stay in the facility for the duration of treatment, which varies depending on the progression of recovery.
• Researchers are evaluating drug treatments that help people stop using cocaine.
• The unpredictability of overdoses happening is one reason smoking crack is so dangerous.
• Beyond this, an overdose on crack can lead to lasting damage to kidneys, muscle tissue and central nervous system, and may even cause paralysis or chronic psychosis.

When certain substances are mixed in the body, they can amplify the effects of one another, making them potent. The occurrence of crack overdose may seem straightforward, but there are a few different ways you can be more susceptible to it. Cocaine overdose has become increasingly common in recent years and was involved in 1 in 5 overdose deaths in 2019 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Changing your relationship with a highly addictive substance like cocaine can feel overwhelming, but you don’t need to do it alone. When you’re ready, there are resources you can turn to that will you help you on your journey. It’s not a sign of weakness, bad judgement or other personal characteristics.

Treating A Crack Overdose

When it comes to first-time or novice crack cocaine use, overdose can sometimes occur when they try to “keep up” with others who have been using the drug long-term. One way you can overdose on crack cocaine is by combining it with other drugs. As a rule, a signal of cocaine overdose is any symptom that marks a significant and negative departure from the wanted effects of cocaine. If you or someone around you is experiencing a cocaine overdose, it’s important to call 911 or local emergency services. If you suspect that you or a friend is experiencing a crack overdose, call 911 for emergency help right away.