A Non-Profit Drug & Alcohol Rehab Referral & Placement Service
Let Us Help You. Call Now. 1-800-895-1695

10 Benefits of Getting Crack Addiction Treatment

The abuse of crack cocaine is still a common and extremely devastating social issue plaguing the nation today. According to the USGAO, “Crack use rapidly reached epidemic proportions because it is readily available, inexpensive, and produces an immediate and intense euphoria in its user.” The drug also causes an extremely severe addiction syndrome, the rapidity and intensity of which are not even rivaled by powdered cocaine in many cases.

Those who become addicted to crack need rehabilitation treatment in order to stop. Once someone begins to attend a treatment program for crack abuse, their life starts to change in many ways. Below are ten benefits of choosing crack addiction treatment. 

1. Improved Physical Health

Crack addiction causes, among a number of side effects, stroke, heart disease, brain seizures, sexual dysfunction, and “reproductive damage and infertility” (CESAR). Because crack is normally smoked, it can cause many respiratory problems and lung-related health issues as well. When an individual decides to stop attend treatment, they not only have a better chance to stop abusing crack but also to be treated for any existent health problems from which they are currently suffering. 

2. Improved Mental Health

Users of crack cocaine often suffer from co-occurring mental disorders. These can include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and others. In addiction rehab, a person not only receives treatment for their addictive symptoms but also for any type of mental disturbance that could be tied into their drug use. Therefore, addiction treatment can help treat both disorders simultaneously. 

In addition, over time, the drug also causes its own “full-blown psychosis––in which the individual loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations” (NIDA). This is better treated in a rehab facility where patients can have access to physicians, medication, and counseling. 

3. Improved Pregnancy Outcomes 

crack addiction treatment

Crack addiction treatment can increase one’s chances of becoming pregnant later on.

According to the NIDA, “Using sophisticated technologies, scientists are now finding that exposure to cocaine during fetal development may lead to subtle, yet significant, later deficits in some children.” These may include cognitive performance problems, attention abilities, and information processing. 

While it can be extremely difficult for an addict to stop abusing the drug, even after becoming pregnant, addiction treatment can provide a safe environment for the individual to recover from withdrawal and former drug use as well as the ability to achieve the abstinence that is best for their health and the health of their unborn child. Outcomes for children of parents who attend treatment are also more successful and stable than those who don’t.

4. Improved Behavior and Judgement 

Addiction causes a person to chronically abuse crack even when they know it is bad for them. In addiction treatment, better behavior and judgement can be relearned through behavioral therapy. One of the most commonly used treatments which focuses on this effect is called cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. “Individuals in CBT learn to identify and correct problematic behaviors by applying a range of different skills that can be used to stop drug abuse” (NIDA).

5. Improved Resilience 

Even after going through withdrawal and no longer feeling dependent, “people who stopped using cocaine can still feel strong cravings for the drug, sometimes even years later” (NLM). This is once of the reasons why cocaine and crack abuse cause such a high rate of relapse. However, when someone attends treatment, they learn not only how to fight cravings and triggers during the early phase of their recovery but for years to come. Someone who attends a rehab program has a better chance of being resilient in their decision to stop abusing the drug over the long term. 

6. Improved Financial State

Often, individuals who abuse drugs chronically lose their jobs as well as their finances to the addictive substance. Many individuals who smoke crack end up homeless because they can no longer afford a house or apartment. Fortunately, there are treatment programs that allow patients to attend for free or at a reduced cost. Once they have completed rehabilitation, they have an increased employment potential which can allow them to rebuild their finances. 

7. Avoidance of Overdose

Those who merely attend detox for a drug addiction often still experience cravings afterward. In many cases, they relapse and, as a result of a diminished tolerance, accidentally overdose. Crack can be deadly in an overdose situation and cause stroke, heart attack, and respiratory failure. However, those who choose to continue into addiction treatment receive the tools they need to help them avoid the possibility of a life-threatening overdose instead of merely no longer experiencing acute withdrawal symptoms. 

8. Improved Relationships and Family Stability

Chronic drug abuse takes a toll on an individual’s relationships; bridges are often burned, and it can be hard to mend those broken connections once they’ve been lost. However, through faithfully attending rehab, patients are often able to show their loved ones that they are serious about stopping their drug abuse which can go a long way toward fixing things. According to the NIDA, family therapy is often available in most treatment centers, and addicts can learn more about what their family members have been going through while a counselor helps mediate and facilitate rewarding conversation.

9. Reduced Criminal Activity

Those who abuse crack will do anything to obtain more. In some cases, the drug will even cause addiction on the first use, and individuals who abuse it will commit crimes and put themselves and others in danger as a result of drug-seeking behavior. Many individuals face jail time or other legal reprimands before they attend treatment. With the changes they undergo in treatment, they often avoid this fate in the future. 

10. Increased Life Satisfaction

Over time, drug abuse actually causes the opposite of its once enjoyable euphoric effects. Many addicts no longer feel good when smoking the drug but do so just to stave of withdrawal (and because the act has become compulsory). After attending treatment and freeing themselves of their need for the drug, these individuals are often happier and more content in their day-to-day lives, allowing them to benefit more from every single day they are able to experience without abusing crack.