Crack Cocaine High | What Does A Crack High Feel Like?

Cocaine, whether in the form of powder cocaine hydrochloride or freebase crack cocaine, is a powerful stimulant drug derived from the coca plant. When used, crack overloads your brain and body with dopamine, triggering intense cravings and addiction even after a single-use.

What A Crack Cocaine High Feels Like

By smoking crack, you flood your lungs and bloodstream with a large dose of the drug. This initiates a short-term rush of euphoria within seconds and an intense high that lasts around fifteen minutes total. 

A crack rush may feel like a surge of adrenaline or pure pleasure that can give you a sense of invincibility or tremendous energy. It may also make you feel like you don’t want to move or think until it’s over.

During a crack high, some describe a sense of potential or endless possibility. Others become overly focused on tiny details or repetitive movements like rubbing their eyes, or see or feel things around them that are better than typical reality. 

Some have also described a ringing sound vibrating in their mind, or jitters that run up and down through their muscles.

Effects Of Crack Cocaine

After the first dose of crack cocaine wears off, those who have tried the drug often report feeling let down, depressed, uncomfortable, and unable to sleep properly. Many have an unpleasant chemical taste in their mouth. 

And, most feel a surprising urge to get high again, even minutes after their first time.

Crack Binge

If you start cycling through new doses each time the effects of the drug wear off, the experience will likely change. The amount of pleasure you’ll feel will begin to fall, even when larger doses are taken, and your body and mind will wear down from the strain.

Once a binge ends, you will likely be mentally devastated and physically exhausted, dehydrated, and famished. You may sleep for days, feel unsatisfied with life, be unable to feel pleasure, or experience suicidal impulses.

After binge, the effects of crack use can also be more severe, which may include stroke, heart attack, and nervous system damage.

Crack Affects People Differently

Drug use affects individuals differently and unpredictably, including crack cocaine: 

• men may experience the drug’s effects, and symptoms like high blood pressure, more strongly than women
• early substance abuse, especially alcohol use, may prime individuals to react stronger to crack cocaine, in the future
• crack cocaine use may activate genes that contribute to addictive behaviors, making it harder and harder to stop using the drug
• instead of pleasure, some experience chest or stomach pain, racing heart rate, paranoia, and panic
• crack and other illegal drugs are known to aggravate existing mental health problems

Treating Cocaine Use Disorder

As a powerfully addictive form of cocaine, crack can change your passions, your priorities, and your ability to enjoy time with your family. 

But you can overcome crack use and withdrawal symptoms to achieve long-term sobriety, especially when you have the help and support of a professional addiction treatment program. 

Crack cocaine addiction treatment programs may take place in either an inpatient/residential setting or an outpatient setting. Treatments services may include:

• medical detox
• motivational interviewing
• group therapy
• aftercare

If you or a loved one would like to learn more about our drug addiction treatment programs, please contact Ark Behavioral Health today.