Lara

Dear Members
What is the difference between smoking crack and snorting cocaine? Is one 'worse' than the other?? Why would a RA after almost a year change their DOC from snorting cocaine to smoking crack???

KnowHope

I feel like I can sense your pain from here, and I am so sorry for both of you. I can identify so much. When my SO went back out after many years sober, I felt so desperate to get a grip on what was happening and so frustrated at my inability to control the train wreck that was happening to them, to me and to our life. Learning to detach with love is one of the hardest and most important lessons to come from this, and I would wish that tool for you as well. Out of curiosity, is there a reason you now think it's crack (reflecting on the last 2 related threads)? Although different drugs will have different effects on the user, ultimately it doesn't matter what the drug is to the disease of addiction. The reality is that addiction is progressive and deadly. Left untreated, or even insufficiently treated, it always gets worse, never better. It will predictably drive an addict to the bitter ends of jails, institutions, dereliction and death. If he was smoking marijuana/hashish, drinking or using any other drugs at all and not involved in a program of recovery, there is no reason at all to expect the situation to ultimately improve. If he's not absolutely done, willing to practice total abstinence and do whatever it takes for his own recovery, you can put a solid bet that every time you think things can't get any worse - they will. On the other hand, if he does go into recovery, the transformations and opportunities before him could be beyond his imagination. There is so much hope to be had, if he is willing to do the work. But that is all entirely up to him. Does he want to stop for good and all?

Lara

Dear Knowhope... I just don't know anymore... I have not seen H in almost 4 weeks as not travelled.. but word through a good friend is they think he's using crack or heroine...one or the other... but now that I look back at the past few weeks with H - he seemed 'wired' on so many occasions.... and (I might be wrong here) but doesn't heroine have the opposite affect... wouldn't it be crack which makes him wired??
But whatever, whatever it is actually doesn't matter - as he's taking SOMETHING again - and I read your words, that things are going to get worse.... its such a frightening disease - so sad to see and to watch and to witness.... and H was doing so so well. He had put himself into rehab last year April - stayed for 4 months. He was at Harmony Clini in South Africa - I think one of the best rehabs - though cost a fortune... they wanted him to stay longer in an out programme but just not possible as H lives in a country (on an island) where there is no form of AA / Al-Anon / anything like this - and he had to get back to his business....
And now we watch.. I find it heartbreaking - and definitely explains his outburst at me those weeks ago with him screaming to get the hell out of his life.... he is desperately trying to keep the bond - but I know, from joining SR that I have got to get help myself too - and I need to detach from him as best I can....
I have told him that I need to detach from him a little - that I can't in anyway enable - but I am here for him to assist with booking him into rehab- whatever it takes.... I have always heard that so often when somebody relapses after rehab that they often change their DOC - I wonder why?? Perhaps they think 'we' being the 'friends and family' wont' recognise it?? Who knows??? I have just heard that crack and heroine are so much more dangerous than cocaine - but I am so naive with all of this....
Thank you so much for your support - I REALLY appreciate it!!!!

vivid-red

In answer to your question-

Users often switch to crack cocaine because they simply need a stronger hit....
powder cocaine up the nose will not do the trick anymore.

Crack gives a short "rush" when smoked.
powder cocaine snorted is milder in effect and lasts about 30 minutes.

Lara

Thank you for your reply.... would the user seemed 'wired' for a while after?

lisasneeze

Hey Lara! Although people refer to both together as crack/cocaine I have found through dealing with addicts on both calibers that the two are a little different monsters but both just as devastating.

Crack is supposedly much more potent and the high hits the crack addict faster and doesn't last as long as cocaine as well as that crack is much more affordable for an addict than cocaine so all these mixtures together make it worse in many ways. I've dealt with a crack addict and let me tell you although i hate to say this they are sometimes the worse of the worst in terms of addicts because they have to keep smoking the rock over and over to keep the high. My addict did sometimes $500 worth of crack of day and as I was told rocks were only $20 so you know how badly he was addicted. In good times he could stay clean for weeks even months but once he used one time again he would binge for days, relapse worse than before and it was a nightmare. I wouldn't touch anyone again with a ten foot pole that did Crack. That is by far the most seediness world I have ever seen, the world my crack addict subjected me to at times and the people, it is hell on earth with little chance of recovery because they seem to enjoy the lifestyle of moving around frequently, sleeping around, stealing etc...

frankinnc

Hi. Crack--at least for me-- was 10 times worse. I used powder cocaine for a good while and though I was extremely addicted to it I was able to function to some degree....but then within weeks of trying crack I had sold my car-rims and speakers and jewelry and everything else that I owned and was soon kicking in doors to support my habit! But of course I know it's different for different folks. If you discover that it is indeed crack I'd run like hell cause the dude's not gonna get sober until he's ready. As lisa said, the world of the crack-head is the "seediest", lol. It's totally F****n nuts is what it is! One side-note: I've never understood how crack is supposed to be cheaper and easier to afford than powder, I don't understand where this idea comes from. Supporting my crack habit required waaaay more cash and effort than the powder habit did, but then I guess it depends on the area that you live in. And yes heroin has the opposite effect as it's a downer and crack is an upper. Peace.

tomsteve

[QUOTE=Lara;3500853]Thank you for your reply.... would the user seemed 'wired' for a while after?[/QUOT



now ya got me thinkin: was i wired after smokin crack? if paranoid, seeing and hearing things, not being able to sit still, not being able to do anything, not wanting anything more than another hit, well, i think i was wired then.

TexasMan

Lara,

hendrixstat is correct. Addiction is more likely if the drug of choice provides a faster, more intense onset with a shorter duration. Powder cocaine when snorted usually lasts anywhere from 30-45 minutes whereas a hit of crack gives a very short-lived but intense high for 5-10 minutes. And yes, although the original high has subsided, the person will feel and act 'wired' for some time after.

Aysha

I have to say that I think you are handling all this pretty well. Knowing what you should do and thats huge. Alot of people new to these types of things are just all over the place from the shock. Very understandable. Just do all those things you said and you will be ok. Because YOU are the only one you can do anything about.

CarolD

Laura...

Your life seems entwined with this man and his various addictions.
You know by now that you can do nothing about his bad choices.

Prayers for you to be free and have a new positive life change

smacked

Crack always gave me a much faster, more intense high. It was a (literal) no brainer in the evolution of my addiction(s).

discTosser

Nothing good about cocaine, but agree with above Posters ... Crack for me personally was much worse. Suppose it's more the Junkie stereotype than cocaine which is a far more subtle beast.

gurlie214

Crack is whack! Didn't ya'll see that interview with poor Whitney Houston? Cocaine was always the rich man's drug (cause it sure isn't cheap!!) and around here at least, Crack is much cheaper and more potent...so it's easier to get strung out on it.

neferkamichael

Crack is cocaine, in a smokable form. Goes into the bloodstream immediately, but I was just as addicted to snorting it. 11 months 19 days free of cocaine.

Lara

For some reason only seen your post now - congratulations on being free of cocaine - pray you are still doing well!!!!

Lara

Hi Carol - just seen your post now. Thank you for your post - I actively post under the section 'Friends & Family of Substance Abusers"- and have received invaluable advice and input - and yes, going no contact!!!