Crack
Withdrawal 
The chemical
cocaine hydrochloride is commonly known as crack. Some users chemically process
cocaine in order to remove the hydrochloride. This process is called "freebasing"
and makes the drug more potent. According to the 2001 National Household Survey
on Drug Abuse, approximately 6.2 million (2.8 percent) Americans age 12 or older
had tried crack at least once in their lifetime, 1.0 million (0.5 percent) used
crack in the past year, and 406,000 (0.2 percent) reported use in the past month.
Users who become addicted will "crave" more of the drug as soon as
the intoxicating effects wear off, if they do not get their regular dose.
Crack is an
extremely powerful drug. Crack addiction is inevitable; once an individual has
tried crack they may be unable to predict or control the extent to which they
will continue to use. Crack is probably the most addictive substance yet devised.
Crack users need more and more crack to attain the same high and avoid the intense
"crash" or depression that follows their high. They become physically
and psychologically dependent on crack , which often is a result of only a few
doses taken within a few days. This dependence on crack leads to crack addiction.
To balance off the intense lows, crack users often use other drugs, such as
alcohol, hash or marijuana in addition to crack.
Crack
withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:
- agitation
- depression
- intense craving for
the drug
- extreme fatigue
- anxiety
- angry outbursts
- lack of motivation
- nausea/vomiting
- shaking
- irritability
- muscle pain
- disturbed sleep
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Steal, sell, buy, shoot up: One homeless addict makes Harvard Square his hangout
