Crack Cocaine Treatment Program in New Jersey
Addiction to a drug as dangerous and destructive as crack harms relationships and destroys lives. Crack is difficult to get off, but it’s not impossible. A crack cocaine treatment program can make the difference you need to succeed.
Crack Cocaine Treatment In New Jersey
Crack cocaine is a derivative drug created by melting cocaine down into its base and then mixing it with baking soda. A result is a form of cocaine that is even more highly addictive than cocaine.
One indicator of how widespread a drug is includes the number of treatment admissions in a given year. There were over 4,000 admissions into substance abuse treatment centers for crack in 2018.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that over 2 million people in the United States are current cocaine or crack users. They also estimate just under one million people have a cocaine use disorder, meaning that about half of all cocaine users struggle with cocaine addiction.
As an illicit substance, crack is a highly addictive drug that’s nearly impossible to stop using without professional intervention. It can have a devastating impact on people turning them into someone drug dealers refer to as a “fiend” or a “zombie.”
Because of the high levels of dopamine released with crack cocaine use, it’s possible to become addicted quickly, often in only a matter of days.
The History of Crack and Cocaine
Cocaine use goes back in time to ancient South American tribes who chewed the coco plant’s leaf for energy and to alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness. Many years later, western civilizations would discover the pain-relieving and numbing effects of the plant. For a time, cocaine was even used in over the counter medications and elixirs like Coca-Cola. Before widespread addiction to the drug occurred, cocaine was prescribed for all kinds of disorders ranging from toothaches to headaches
Crack was discovered in the 1980s and soon began destroying urban communities throughout the country.
Crack Cocaine use in NJ
According to the NJ Substance Abuse Monitoring System (SAMS), crack and cocaine uses are responsible for about 5% of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment admissions in New Jersey. Although the number of treatment admissions for crack cocaine has been slowly decreasing, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services reported over 5,000 primary treatment admissions for crack cocaine abuse. This high number of people looking for treatment for crack shows the widespread use of the drug.
One city of particular mention is Newark, in which crack emergency department mentions increased from 2,631 to 3,242 in just one year.
Cocaine and its derivative crack are highly available throughout the state of New Jersey. In a survey of law enforcement, 73% reported crack as being readily available, and 29.2% of law enforcement officials in New Jersey identified cocaine in either powder form or crack as the most significant drug threat currently being faced in the US.
The consistency of low drug prices for cocaine products throughout New Jersey also indicates widespread availability. For example, crack sold for $600 to $2,000 per ounce in northern New Jersey, prices roughly consistent with Southern New Jersey where crack sold for between $150 and $1,600 per ounce.
According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, the dominant transporters of powder cocaine into Jersey consists of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Dominican criminal groups.
Cocaine, in general, and crack in specific is the drug most often associated with violent crimes in New Jersey, with law enforcement consensus that crack dealers are more likely to carry firearms, commit drive-by shootings, and murder.
Signs Of A Crack Cocaine Addiction
- Bouts of high energy with crash or sleeping through the following day
- Changes in moods, personality, or daily interests
- Decreased performance at work, school, or other responsibilities
- Abnormal sleeping patterns
- Erratic mood swings
- Rapid breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Clammy skin or excessive sweating
- Reduced hygiene
- Unexplained financial difficulties
- Dilated pupils
- Intense cravings for the drug
- Nosebleeds and dryness around the nostrils
- Burn marks on the hands or mouth
- Euphoria and overconfidence
- Loss of appetite
- Aggressiveness
- Paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations
- Tremors
The Dangers Of Crack Cocaine
Crack rock in any form is hazardous; however, the way the drug is used can make it even more dangerous. Anytime a drug is smoked or injected, the effects begin almost immediately. The rapid onset of the drug effects is one reason why it is so addicting.
The long-term effects of the drug include both physical and psychological distress. A kind of psychosis called substance-induced psychosis can develop which causes paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions.
How Crack Cocaine Effects The Brain
Cocaine, in any form, increases certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Dopamine is the brain’s reward mechanism, making us feel good when performing certain healthy behaviors like eating, exercise, and sex. The flood of dopamine released when the drug is taken is the reason for its highly addictive nature.
Not only does crack cocaine flood the brain with dopamine, but it also prevents dopamine from being reabsorbed, causing a build-up of the neurotransmitter.
According to the National Institue of Health: This flood of dopamine in the brain’s reward circuit strongly reinforces drug-taking behaviors because the reward circuit eventually adapts to the excess of dopamine caused by cocaine, and becomes less sensitive to it.” The end result is people using more and more of the drug in an attempt to feel the same high and prevent withdrawal.
Reasons For Use
At Wellness Center New Jersey, we have seen individuals presenting to treatment under a wide variety of circumstances. One of the most common situations leading an individual from using powder cocaine to rock happens when an individual’s finances run low (usually due to a prolonged crack binge) and can no longer afford cocaine.
Because crack is so much cheaper, many people begin using it as a cheaper alternative to cocaine. However, those who make the mistake of assuming the consequences of using crack will be just like using cocaine are in for a rude awakening. Crack addiction occurs much more rapidly and can potentially be much more devastating than cocaine.
How To Get Off Crack Cocaine
Crack is one of the most addictive drugs on the face of the planet, but it is not impossible to get off. The first 24-hours is the worst. If you’re trying to detox from crack cocaine on your own, having professionals to help you cope with the unpleasant withdrawal side effects can help. Many an addict who smokes crack has attempted to detox at home with results far below those who seek professional treatment. But just as important, we identify and help resolve the repeating behavioral patterns leading to your drug use.
Our crack cocaine treatment program can teach you the coping skills to stay off crack and cocaine for good. At the Wellness Center New Jersey, we provide addiction counseling and group therapy sessions with trained and licensed staff.
Our recovery program includes:
- Modern coping skills and mechanisms
- Therapeutic care following detox
- 12-step program integration
- Assistance to develop trusting relationships
Call to Learn How We Can Help
If you want to stop using crack cocaine, let us help. Speak with one of our friendly representatives by calling 201-945-2905. Making the call is the first step to living a clean and healthy life.
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