How to Stop Using Crack?

Crack-cocaine is a chemically altered and more potent form of cocaine. The drug first hit the United Kingdom in the 1970s, and crack cocaine use is now on the rise.

Crack cocaine is highly addictive due to the dopamine it releases in the brain, which causes cravings and tolerance to the drug. Crack not only damages the brain’s neurotransmitters, but also the cardiovascular system.

Crack addiction can lead to a variety of mental disorders such as paranoia, anxiety, and depression, and the drug distorts several of the brain’s chemicals including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

Due to the effect crack cocaine has on the body, it can be extremely hard to overcome without help. Looking to get off crack for good? Find out how to stop using crack below:

Residential Rehabilitation for Crack Addiction

In order to quit crack, we recommend a drug rehabilitation programme which starts with a crack detox. A residential rehab environment removes negative environments and access to crack which can be extremely beneficial for people who want to stop using the drug.

At private rehab centres, excellent nutrition is offered throughout the day and painful withdrawal symptoms are managed by a team of medical experts. Learning how to stop using crack can be a hard process, but at an inpatient rehab you are surrounded by constant support and provided with leading crack addiction treatments to help you recover.

Leading addiction treatments are provided in rehab to help you recover from both physical and psychological addiction to crack. These include group therapy sessions, individual therapy, daily walks, mindfulness techniques, CBT and holistic treatments.

By completing addiction therapies, you will learn how to stop using crack and learn coping strategies to help you stay off crack long-term. Relapse prevention programmes also help you with this, so you won’t go back to using crack.

Our residential rehab also offers 12 months of free aftercare following the completion of your rehabilitation programme to help you stay sober and continue your recovery journey.

Our team of professionals can help you learn how to stop using crack – call today to learn more on 0800 880 7596.

The Importance of Family Support

Getting the support of your family is a key advantage to beating crack addiction. Your family can support you in ways that professional therapists and counsellors do not, as family support is typically provided on a deeper level.

Family is often the first line of defence if a relapse occurs following a period of recovery. Getting support from your family is usually an easy but powerful win on your road to long-term crack cocaine recovery.

If you don’t know how to stop using crack or want support from a loved one, speaking to your family can be a good first step towards achieving recovery. We offer a family referral service for cases such as this.

Understand the Psychological Aspect of Crack Addiction

Since crack cocaine affects chemicals in your brain, the addiction is said to be physical in nature. However, when you detox from crack, you do not require the level of assistance necessary for say alcohol or heroin detox. This is because crack addiction is psychological and there are not many physical withdrawal symptoms.

Although overcoming crack addiction is not easy, withdrawal symptoms are mostly psychological and not physical which makes the process safer than others such as heroin or alcohol detox.

Psychological crack withdrawal symptoms include strong cravings, anxiety, depression and insomnia. This can be managed with prescription medications from a GP or medical professional in rehab. By overcoming psychological addiction to crack, you will be able to stop using crack and achieve long-term recovery.

Consider Attending a Narcotics Anonymous Meeting

Whilst residential rehabilitation is the most comprehensive form of crack addiction treatment available, you could consider attending a local Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting in your area as an alternative. You are assigned a ‘sponsor’ when you join the group who will be an experienced member of the group to help guide and support you as you stop using crack. Narcotics Anonymous meetings follow the ’12 step programme’, which is a recovery technique to help you overcome substance abuse.

Although many 12-step groups have religious undertones, there are also secular groups available in your area if you are an atheist/agnostic or would prefer this method of treatment. NA meetings arm you with strategies designed to help keep you off crack, and you are exposed to positive influences who’ve been in a similar situation as yourself in the past.

Narcotics Anonymous can be a great way to help you recover from crack addiction. Find an NA meeting close to you here.

How to Help Someone Using Crack

Are you wondering how you can help someone to stop using crack? The best thing you can do is offer them support and reach out for professional help. Overcoming crack addiction can be extremely difficult and bad for your health, which is why it is important to try to recover as soon as possible.

The first step of the recovery process is accepting that you have an addiction, so having an honest conversation with a loved one can be a good place to start. You could also stage an addiction intervention to discuss their addiction in a controlled environment.

Family support is key to recovering from crack abuse – both during and after treatment for addiction.

You can also use our online assessment with a loved one to gauge the severity of their addiction before getting in touch for professional help:

Stop Using Crack Today

Have you read our tips to find out how to stop using crack and feel ready to recover? At Ocean Recovery we offer a comprehensive drug detoxification and rehabilitation programme. Please contact our admissions team if you wish to learn more about recovering from crack addiction or reach out for advice today on 0800 880 7596.

Recovery from crack cocaine addiction is possible – start your recovery journey today.

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John Gillen - Author - Last updated: October 9, 2023

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.