Crack Cocaine Detox and Withdrawal | Timeline and Treatment

As suggested by the name, the side effects of crack are extremely dangerous, so for your sake and the sake of your loved ones, we highly advise that you carry out a crack cocaine detox as soon as you realise that the misuse is happening. This will allow you to focus on recovery with a clear mind and give yourself a better chance of taking control of cravings.

What is crack cocaine detox?

Detoxing from crack cocaine is the process of getting the drug out of your system and nursing yourself away from the claws of drug dependency. Essentially, a detox is ridding your body of the drug, but it gets more complicated when you think about what brought about the addiction as well as the mental dependency that comes with smoking crack. Detoxing crack involves mentally acclimating to the changes as well as addressing the core reason for the crack use.

Why is crack cocaine detox important?

The importance of a crack cocaine detox comes to be more and more important with the introduction of health-related ramifications of crack cocaine use. The very real and severe side effects of crack cocaine range from psychological ailments to brain, heart, and general organ damage that could last a lifetime.

Fluctuating blood pressure, heart attacks, lung and kidney failures and paranoia are just a few of the ailments that crack cocaine induces. Although crack withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant, the health benefits far outweigh the short amount of discomfort. Detoxing from crack also helps you overcome physical cravings, so you can focus on the underlying causes and address the root causes of your behaviour.

Crack cocaine detox symptoms

As crack is a more concentrated form of cocaine that is smoked instead of inhaled, most of the crack and cocaine withdrawal symptoms overlap greatly. These include:

Restlessness
Depression
Fatigue
General discomfort
Increased appetite
Nightmares or bad dreams
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling of slow activity
Anxiety
Paranoia

However, there are three symptoms to keep a special eye out for when they do arise, as they will be the most intense withdrawals of crack for you or your loved one to undergo:

Crash/depression: this symptom will breed further psychological difficulties such as the fatigue mentioned above, anxiety and even the feeling of slowed activity.
Intense cravings: these can lead to a relapse in the crack cocaine detox process.
Suicidal ideation: owing to the nature of crack and the way it affects the mind, coming off the drug, and especially experiencing a crack cocaine detox causes the mind to think itself worthless and essentially turn to suicidal thoughts as a solution. These can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Crack withdrawal timeline

As highly inconvenient and dangerous as these crack cocaine withdrawal symptoms are, they will also last for an average of four weeks after the last smoke. The most difficult will be the first seventy-two hours.

During just the first ninety minutes, you may begin to experience intense cravings.
For the first twenty-four hours, you may feel extreme paranoia and hallucinations.
In the first seventy-two hours, the body aches will be extreme, but paranoia and hallucinations will subside after the first day.
Four to seven days into crack cocaine detox, fatigue, irritability, lethargy, and insomnia will set in.
Seven to fourteen days after the last smoke, intense cravings will once again arise, along with anxiety and mild depression.
During the third and fourth weeks, symptoms will gradually subside, but psychological symptoms such as mood swings, lack of motivation, and depression will remain.

Crack cocaine detox at Primrose Lodge

The care provided in Primrose Lodge for our crack cocaine detox residents is one that ensures safety during the process by providing 24/7 professional support. In addition, the psychological symptoms are mitigated by providing professional therapists and mental health professionals who have been through this before and know the ins and outs of the crack cocaine detox process.

We would also like to emphasise the importance of our clients’ wellbeing in our facility. Considering the detox symptoms of crack, highly qualified professionals, a variety of therapy programmes and safety systems in place to keep our residents from harm is always a high priority at Primrose Lodge.

Preparing for crack cocaine detox

To begin, you must be aware that the road ahead is difficult. As a crack user, the crack cocaine detox symptoms will be hard to endure, and as a loved one, they will be hard to watch. However, persisting through the crack cocaine detox process and coming out the other side will enable you to enjoy a healthy lifestyle that is independent of a financially draining drug that causes severe internal damage.

What you can do next

How you wish to handle the crack cocaine detox process is entirely up to you. You may wish to undergo this process at home, at a private detox clinic like Primrose Lodge, or at a public NHS detox clinic. Whichever one you choose, we will always be available to support you. Simultaneously, we have every faith in you that you will be able to get through this. Contact us if you want to start your crack addiction treatment journey at Primrose Lodge.

Frequently asked questions

Is crack detox a cure?

While crack detox alone is not a cure for addiction, it can be an important step in getting sober and starting a new life. Detox can help to rid the body of toxins and give you a chance to start fresh, but maintaining sobriety requires continued work in the form of rehab, therapy and aftercare. Recovery is a long road with many ups and downs – if you are ready to live a life without crack, detox is the first hurdle you must overcome.

How can I better manage crack withdrawal symptoms?

While crack withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable, there are things you can do to manage them. First, it’s important to get plenty of rest and eat a healthy diet. Exercise can also help to reduce stress and improve your overall sense of well-being. If you’re feeling particularly anxious or stressed, deep breathing exercises or relaxation techniques may also be helpful. Most importantly, remember that withdrawal symptoms are temporary and that they will eventually go away. With perseverance and the right support, you can successfully overcome crack withdrawal.