Can You Overdose on Crack?

Understanding the Potential for Overdose from Crack Cocaine

If you or a loved one uses cocaine as a recreational drug, you might ask: Can you overdose on crack? Crack, like all cocaine, is an addictive stimulant drug. That means casual use or “partying” with friends can easily turn into a crack cocaine addiction.

A crack cocaine overdose is a definite possibility, especially given the likelihood of dealers mixing crack with other substances, such as fentanyl.

As mental health medical professionals, the Changes Healing Center team has seen too often the fallout of smoking crack. A crack overdose can be a life-threatening medical emergency. However, it’s also a frequent wake-up call that forces individuals to seek guidance from healthcare providers.

We are a Joint Commission-accredited cocaine addiction treatment center and can provide the professional help you need.

Please continue to join us, reading more about crack cocaine use, including how crack cocaine impacts the brain and the signs of a crack overdose.

Crack Cocaine Overdose Is a Serious Problem in the United States

You might feel isolated from the world, unwilling to admit that the highly addictive effects of crack have seized control of your life or that of a loved one. But know that you are not alone in admitting to this problem.

The National Institute for Drug Abuse and Centers for Disease Control reported that 19.447 cocaine overdose deaths (including crack cocaine use) occurred in the United States in 2020. They attribute a higher risk of death to drug dealers now adding additional substances, especially fentanyl, to their “recipes” today.

What Is Crack Cocaine?

Crack is a smoked form of cocaine (made from the coca plant) mixed with baking soda or ammonia. The cooking process creates a rock or crystal-like substance that provides a brief but still intense high.

Both the cooking and smoking of crack cocaine can produce a chemical, sickly sweet odor depending on cutting agents and purity.

Crack cocaine is faster acting than powder cocaine because it reaches the brain quickly. The quick high and lower cost of the drug has made crack more of a problem today than cocaine powder.

Crack Cocaine Addiction Rewires Your Brain

Using crack cocaine leads to addiction by altering the brain’s dopamine system. Dopamine, which signals pleasure and reward, comes naturally from positive experiences. It explains why it feels so good to hug a friend or smell the proverbial roses.

However, crack cocaine floods the brain with too much dopamine at once, leading to an intense euphoria. The euphoric feeling that comes from crack cocaine is pretty short-lived; needing more crack as tolerance levels increase after repeated use.

At the same time, you stop feeling pleasure from past enjoyable activities. The things that used to bring joy to your life no longer do so. Your brain begins looking forward to that dopamine, which it now releases as part of the drug’s effects.

This new cycle has interrupted typical brain processes and started a vicious cycle of drug abuse and crack addiction.

The Increased Dangers of Mixing Crack With Other Drugs

Combining crack cocaine with other substances can lead to a significant increase in the likelihood of a life-threatening overdose.

Combining crack cocaine with alcohol produces a compound called cocaethylene, intensifying the impact of each substance. It places an enormous amount of stress on the cardiovascular system. You could have a sudden heart attack or stroke from the cocaethylene.

Making a “speedball” by using crack cocaine with heroin or other opioids sets the body up for a dangerous game of tug-of-war. The crack stimulates while the heroin takes effect and depresses the central nervous system. It can also mask the signs of a crack cocaine overdose or another drug overdose.

Those are just two common examples of possible things that can happen when combining other drug use with crack abuse. Using crack cocaine is always a bad idea – adding other drugs is an even worse one.

Signs and Symptoms of Crack Addiction

Knowing the symptoms of substance abuse could potentially save a person you love’s life. Here are the things to watch for in possible crack users:

Physical Symptoms of Crack Addiction

Several factors could indicate that your loved one is using crack and probably needs medical attention to stop:

• Frequent nosebleeds
• Rapid onset, extreme weight loss
• Dilated pupils
• Sleep loss or insomnia
• Rapid speech patterns
• Muscle twitching or spasms
• Heart problems; irregular heartbeats; chest pain; heart attacks
• High blood pressure
• Breathing problems
• Frequent illnesses or infections

These factors contribute to the worsening of the person’s overall health and could lead to an overdose without treatment.

Emotional and Psychological Signs of Crack Cocaine Use

Besides the physical signs, you may notice behavioral or psychological changes as the drug addiction progresses:

• Secrecy
• Neglecting daily responsibilities
• Financial or money problems
• Self-isolating from friends, family, or loved ones
• Mood swings
• Paranoid behaviors
• Theft or fraud
• Neglecting personal hygiene
• Loss of interest in once beloved activities or hobbies

Most will exhibit a few of these signs; not all will have all of them. It’s also worth mentioning that these symptoms can overlap with other drug addictions besides crack cocaine use.

Crack Overdose Symptoms to Watch for

Do you think a loved one could possibly have a crack cocaine overdose? It’s helpful to know the key overdose signs, especially if you are positive they’re smoking crack too often.

Watch for these crack cocaine overdose symptoms:

• Elevated body temperature
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing; respiratory distress
• Chest pains
• Heart failure
• Blood pressure changes
• Dilated pupils
• Severe headaches
• Nausea; vomiting
• Losing consciousness
• Twitching or tremors
• Extreme anxiety or agitation

Left untreated, an overdose on crack can have several long-term implications:

• Lung damage
• Organ damage
• Stroke
• Death

It’s a serious medical emergency, and you should get the person to your local emergency department right away.

How Much Crack Does It Take to Overdose?

The amount of crack cocaine that can cause an overdose depends on several factors. Experienced users may experience a crack cocaine overdose only after developing more tolerance and using crack with other substances. Others may have a crack overdose the first time they use the drug.

The effects of crack are different for every person. Some things that could increase the odds of a crack overdose include individual tolerance levels, metabolism, age, general fitness, and size/weight. It’s highly unpredictable, primarily because it’s an illicit drug.

Those who engage in “cooking” crack don’t really care about the effects of crack on those who purchase it.

Overdoses Require Calling Emergency Services for Immediate Attention

A crack cocaine overdose requires immediate action. Consider any overdose to be a life-or-death situation. Call 911 for help as soon as you find the person. Listen carefully and follow any instructions they give you.

They will likely guide you through the following steps:

• Check for responsiveness: They will ask if the person is awake and breathing. They may advise you to nudge or gently shake them.
• Give CPR: If the dispatcher suspects a heart attack, they will ask you to start CPR and give you guidance on chest compressions and rescue breathing techniques.
• Placement in the recovery position: They’ll probably tell you to gently put the person onto their left side, head slightly supported, and chin up to prevent choking if they vomit.
• Narcan: If you are unsure of what substance the person took, they may advise you to give Narcan. While it does not work to reverse crack cocaine, it does help reverse any opioids that could be present.
• Monitor the person: You should stay with the crack cocaine overdose victim until help gets there. You’ll monitor their breathing and pulse.

When first responders arrive, give them any relevant information about the overdose. This will help them decide on the best life-saving treatment options when they get them to the emergency room.

Addiction Treatment Options at a Behavioral Healthcare Provider

The Changes Healing Center team is ready to help when you or your loved one is ready to start the recovery journey. Our mental health professionals use a holistic, science-backed approach to healing. We’ve helped countless people recover after overdoses.

Medical Detox for Managing Crack Withdrawal Symptoms

The first hurdle to clear when overcoming an overdose or addiction is managing withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine withdrawal symptoms include chest pain, blood pressure issues, vomiting, and severe headaches.

These come from cocaine’s dangerous impact on the central nervous system. The skilled care team at Changes can administer FDA-approved prescriptions to manage these conditions and keep you comfortable.

Withdrawing, especially following a crack overdose, can be perilous. Do not attempt it at home.

Evidence-Based Addiction Medicine

We use only proven techniques to rebalance your mental health. Some techniques we offer when appropriate are:

• Medication management
• Medically-assisted treatment
• Individual, group, and family counseling
• Behavioral therapies to swap negative for positive behaviors
• Dual diagnosis treatment to address any underlying diagnosis
• A full continuum of care (inpatient or outpatient options)
• Alternative therapies, such as yoga, meditation, or art therapies
• Nutrition and exercise management

Recovering from a crack overdose takes healing both the mind and the body. The Changes team can help you meet all you mental and physical recovery needs.

Changes Healing Center Will Coordinate Your Insurance Coverage

If you have recently experienced a crack overdose, then you know you need professional care. If you have private or group health insurance but don’t know how to figure out what’s covered, we can help.

Call our admissions team. Our Admissions specialists will ask you for your basic contact information and some data printed on your insurance plan card.

Then, they will call your insurance provider to get your treatment pre-authorized. We want your sole focus to be on recovering from your crack overdose without having any concerns about the insurance. Leave that to us.

Get Evidence-based Crack Addiction Treatment at Changes

Did your crack overdose serve as an abrupt wake-up call? While this experience has probably been a harrowing time, it might have saved your life. An overdose can be a final warning, and you are wise to heed that warning and get the help you need.

We offer emergency admissions, which is often recommended following an overdose. You are probably in a fragile physical and mental state, in withdrawal, and craving crack again. Coming to Changes before you have the chance to use crack again is the smartest thing you can do.

Reach out Changes Healing Center today; it’s always confidential to speak with us about your treatment options.