From Despair to Hope: The Journey of Crack Addicts Before and After NJ Rehabilitation

Anyone struggling with or witnessing crack addiction knows how scary it can seem. The changes in addicts´ behavior after rehabilitation are sometimes so significant that it seems like crack addicts before and after therapy are completely different people. 

To ensure that crack addicts before and after the addiction phases of life are able to sustain a healthy lifestyle, you need to choose support for the rehabilitation process carefully. We Level Up Lawrenceville, NJ is the institution that considers your needs first and tailors a program for your specific situation. Let us be your resource for understanding crack addiction and how to fight it.

Understanding Crack Addiction

The US Justice Department describes crack as a cocaine derivate that comes in the form of rock and is smoked for an instant high. Their data shows that over 6.200.000 people in the US aged 12 or older have used it at least once in their lives. Experts are warning about how addictive it is and that people can get addicted to crack even after using it only once. An additional danger of crack lies in the fact that it´s often poly-used, meaning combined with heroin as so-called snowballing, or combined with alcohol. 

Crack is smoked, so its effects on the body are more intense and immediate than the effects of cocaine. Other than getting a short and intense high, crack will cause side effects, and some of them can lead to very serious health risks, stroke being one of them. A person using crack will have a heightened sense of alertness, reduced appetite, increased body temperature, sweating, increased heart rate, constricted blood vessels, and high blood pressure. Some psychological side effects might also occur, like paranoia, mood swings, aggressiveness, and hallucinations. Long-term use increases not only the risk of addiction but also the risk of lung damage, developing major depression, and having suicidal thoughts. 

Other than being compared with cocaine, crack is often seen as being the same as meth, as they produce very similar effects and are both stimulants. They impact the body and brain in a similar way and have similar risks for health, but chemically, they are quite different. To learn how to distinguish them, inform yourself about meth vs crack distinction. 

The State Before Rehabilitation

To understand crack addicts before and after rehabilitation, we ought to start with what leads to addiction and pushes addicts to look for help. People start using crack for various reasons. This is not a typical party drug, and there is no clear pattern of users. However, crack use among high school students is a particular problem. 

Research shows that some social groups are especially vulnerable to addiction. Specific life stressors (like early life stress and child maltreatment) are discussed as the underlying pathophysiology that is associated with the increased risk of addiction. Scientists are also stating that family conflicts, easy access to drugs, and peer pressure are some of the factors that influence crack use and make it difficult to give up using it. 

How long does crack stay in your system? The length of its passage through an organism depends on the same factors as those impacting changes in the body and the mind. As mentioned above, there are quite a few health risks, especially if addiction develops. Crack will undoubtedly have an effect on your physical and mental health, and the severity of that impact is related to how long it stays in your system. It is usually detectable in urine for two to four days, but it can stay in the system even longer after chronic or heavy use.

It´s important to note that some changes in behavior are also to be expected, like sudden surges in energy, extreme or even manic happiness, restlessness, and aggression, but also big drops in energy after crack effect withdraws, leading to spontaneous falling asleep even in random places. As with all addictions, you can expect to lose interest in activities you enjoyed before, and the majority of your behavior will be related to acquiring or using crack. 

Choosing the Right Rehabilitation Center

Once a person becomes aware of their substance abuse problem and learns how different the lives of crack addicts before and after rehabilitation are, the next step is an investigation into substance abuse treatment centers in New Jersey. When choosing a rehabilitation center, there are a few things to consider. 

Some of the key points to keep in mind are:

• Your needs and circumstances.
• Your preferences.
• Center´s offer and experience. 
• Center´s reputation and recognitions. 

To treat crack addiction, there are a few services to consider. Detoxification is the first step, as it helps the body get rid of the substance and prepares a person for the next step in a recovery program, typically individual psychotherapy. These services can be done as part of inpatient and outpatient rehab. However, inpatient rehab gives better results as it provides better control over the process and reduces the risk of relapses.

Preparing for Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation may sound overwhelming, but it is essential to experience the difference in life for crack addicts before and after. To provide you with peace of mind, we would like to share what you can expect during rehab and how to prepare for it. 

As mentioned, rehab usually starts with a detox. Many ask if it´s feasible to do it at home, and though the answer is yes, it is highly recommended to do it within an institution, as structured support can be crucial for recovery. Additionally, medications can only be adjusted within facilities and by licensed professionals. Medicines play a part in easing up the symptoms of withdrawal that will undoubtedly happen. As part of the rehab process, you can experience some form of psychotherapy that will require you to actively participate and open up about your addiction and other difficulties you are facing in life. 

These experiences are typically physically and mentally demanding, but with proper preparation, you can only see benefits from them. Be sure to get acquainted with how to prepare for a rehab stay in New Jersey, and have these key points in mind:

• Take care of your legal and work obligations.
• Make arrangements with your family.
• Check the specific rules of the rehab center. 
• Prepare things to bring with you to the rehab. 
• Do a comprehensive physical examination before rehab. 

Finally, mentally prepare yourself by thinking of everything you wish to achieve, setting realistic goals, and discovering what drives you towards change.

The Rehabilitation Process

To bridge the gap between the lives of crack addicts before and after substance abuse, We Level Up Lawrenceville, NJ, carefully crafts individual treatment programs depending on the needs, requirements, states, and preferences of our clients. We are making an effort to accommodate you while implementing various scientific and evidence-based approaches. 

We rely on medical detox to ease up the detoxification process. Our professional and licensed staff prescribes FDA-approved medicines to decrease withdrawal symptoms. While in our inpatient program, you also get 24/7 assistance, making sure your detoxification process is as comfortable and smooth as possible. 

For psychotherapy, we suggest behavioral therapy, as it helps you discover non-functional behaviors and develop new healthy patterns of behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy showed the highest success in treating addiction problems, but other forms of therapy, such as dialectic behavioral therapy or biofeedback therapy, can also be beneficial. 

Finally, as we believe in a holistic approach, we offer alternative treatments that address not only your body and mind but your spirit as well. Guided meditation therapy, or recreational therapy, is there to complete your treatment. To ease up that transition between crack addicts before and after life, We Level Up Lawrenceville, NJ, collaborates with various insurance companies, ensuring you good coverage of our services. For instance, Cigna Rehab Coverage in New Jersey is one of our trusted partners that partially or fully covers substance abuse treatment.

Life After Rehabilitation

It might be difficult to imagine how different lives would be for crack addicts before and after the recovery process, but it´s important to note that rehabilitation does not end with leaving the facility you put your trust in. After the initial program ends, aftercare should be planned and put in motion. For many, it would mean still going to therapy, perhaps moving from an individual to a group modality. 

Once out of the facility, recovering addicts are facing challenges of reintegration and rediscovery of their identity. This sometimes results in a crisis and a sense of isolation. To keep supporting you in those moments, we established an alumni program. Additionally, our family program empowers families to provide adequate support for their members and help them overcome any challenge. 

Crack Addicts Before and After: What to Keep in Mind

The effects of crack are so intense that crack addicts before and after recovery can seem like completely different people. The biggest danger of crack consumption lies in its fast impact on a person´s body, leading to quick addiction. 

Knowing how quickly crack use can turn into addiction, we urge you to seek help as soon as you notice signs of substance abuse in yourself or a loved one. The journey of crack addicts before and after treatment might seem scary, but with proper support, recovery is possible. Make that first step towards liberating yourself from addiction and living your life to the fullest. We Level Up Lawrenceville, NJ, is here to assist you in doing so.