Crack Addicts: Life of a Crack Addict

The life of a crack addict is often one filled with danger, fear, and violence. Many crack addicts have lost their homes due to crack addiction and are commonly found living on the street or in transient housing. Crack addicts typically have problems getting or staying employed and so have no legal way of financing their crack addiction. As an alternative, crack addicts are often working as prostitutes or committing crimes in order to pay for their crack addiction. Crack addicts commonly lose their family, friends and all social contacts due to their crack addiction. Crack addiction is the only thing a crack addict cares about and the rest of their life simply falls away; every moment is used getting high or figuring out how, when and where to get high.

Crack Addicts: Crack Addiction Begins

A crack addict may start as a cocaine or other drug user. A crack addict typically has an unhappy home life or other stresses or problems. The addict begins using drugs or alcohol to escape from the stresses of their life. The addict may feel like they are just "partying" but, in fact, they are trying to cope with unhappiness.

At some point, the user tries crack and a crack addiction takes hold. Crack addiction can happen almost immediately. The crack addict then starts to use crack to deal with stress and crack quickly becomes the focus of life. (read: Crack Cocaine Symptoms: Signs of Crack Cocaine Use)

Crack Addicts: Crack Addiction Takes Hold

At the beginning of crack addiction, the crack addict may feel they have their addiction under control. Crack addicts can binge on crack for hours or days and then abstain for days, giving the impression they are in control of their drug use. Each time the crack addict gets high, however, the crack addict is becoming more physically and psychologically addicted. Each crack use further changes the chemicals in the crack addict's brain, linking pleasure only to crack usage. (read: Effects of Crack Cocaine)

Soon the crack addict finds the only thing that makes them feel good is using crack and using crack is the only way they know to handle stress. The crack addict likely feels guilty and depressed after a crack binge. The crack addict may try to stop crack use and fail.

Crack Addicts: Crack is all that Matters

At this point in the addiction, the crack addict is using crack not to feel good, but simply to avoid feeling bad. The crack addict no longer has any control over his crack use. Crack use is now an obsession. Every waking thought is now devoted to affording, getting and using crack. Crack addicts often end up:

• Jobless
• In the hospital
• In prostitution
• Committing violent crime
• Stealing
• Getting arrested
• Becoming homeless

Once the crack addict has reached this point, a crack cocaine rehab center is likely needed to stop the crack addiction.

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