According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), cocaine is a highly addictive stimulating narcotic. Cocaine is used primarily in powder form or as a crystallized powder known as crack. Crack is typically processed with various home mixtures, such as baking powder, ammonia and water, to form the crack crystals. No matter if cocaine is used in powder or crack form, there are immediate and long-term effects that accompany abuse and addiction of this drug. Crack cocaine has a shorter high duration than powder cocaine and this often makes the addiction to crack quicker due to seeking a longer high, yet crack cocaine sold on the streets is cheaper, making the drug a more affordable option than powder.
Short-Term Effects
The most immediate effect of crack use is the intense euphoria felt upon first use. The University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research describes an overwhelming sense of pleasure derived initially with an increase of energy and sociability. During the time frame of the high, the user has decreased appetite and an increase in mental clarity and perception of strength. Being more social comes during the initial high and this appears as the user being more talkative, comical and often grandiose. The user is likely to maintain the initial effects by seeking more crack once the euphoria wears off. However, there are impairing effects associated with this. The user eventually becomes irritable and paranoid as a result of overuse of the drug in a short time frame. Not all crack users binge with the drug; however, it is a reality that seeking to maintain the euphoric high will lead to repetitive use until the user runs out of funds for retrieving the drug.
Long-Term Effects
According to the NIDA, crack cocaine used over a long period of time may likely cause impairments in brain functioning as well as disturbance to vital organs. When crack is used over time, the likelihood of addiction forms and a tolerance to the initial dose used is increased. The drug overstimulates the body, putting the heart in a state of flux, which leads to an impairment in the regular flow of blood to the heart and brain. As a result, the heart walls become weakened, a precursor to long-term heart disease. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America describes that a constriction of blood also occurs to the brain, which may lead to seizure disorder or stroke.
Psychological Effects
The American Council for Drug Education indicates that psychological effects such as anxiety, paranoia and depression are likely to result from crack cocaine use. Psychosis with hallucinations is also a possible psychological effect stemming from crack use. Due to the addictive potential of crack cocaine, the body becomes adjusted to the effects of the drug. When a crack user tries to quit or stops use for a short period of time, cravings develop. The cravings often manifest as feelings of depression due to not having the stimulation of the drug or as intense anxiety. The psychological damage from crack use often requires professional intervention to help the user learn to live life in recovery as well as deal with the short-term depression and anxiety that accompany being sober from the drug.
