Yogagurl

I have been doing some research on the psychological effects of crack cocaine and have, in my reading, found that while using, the drug causes hallucinations and paranoia. Does anyone know,after prolonged use of the drug (10+ years), if the paranoia becomes chronic, as in the user remains in a constant residual state of paranoia from the use? Does anyone have any other feedback that they can share in regards to the psychological effects of prolonged crack use?

Please and thank you.

Best,
YG

laurie6781

Just as the 'using' progresses so does the paranoia!

I have witnessed different long term users, locking themselves into their living facility, keeping all the windows covered. Moving furniture up against the door(s). Peeking out from drawn curtains, it is ugly, and it is sad, and can be very dangerous for those around the practicing addict, but it is one of the consequences of continuing to use.

Where it really gets scary is when the addicted one gets a hold of a gun or rifle or very large sharp knife.

We are here for you and we are walking with you in spirit.

Love and hugs,

AnvilheadII

it certainly CAN become permanent or near permanent after a long period of use. brains are pretty delicate and crack HAMMERS them, literally rewires the synapses. not everyone comes all the way back once they get clean.

i know with hank, i watched him go from "normal" high (i know, oxymoron there) to geeked, tweeked and peeked - and once he crossed that threshold into paranoia he was never able to use again without getting totally weirded out.

in a strange sense that helped him quit.

wicked

Who is the crack user in your life Yogagurl?

I have been married to a crack addict. what i noticed is that yes, it gets worse. I could not tolerate his complete and utter disregard for me and my feelings.
He checked out of reality.
His paranoia made life miserable for me and his/our children.
He was no longer a caring human being, he was 200 pounds of paranoid misery.

Even now, after stopping. (my daughter talks to him and feels he is not crackin anymore)
The effects are still there. He has memories that are completely skewed by his paranoid revelations. Like his children are out to get him.

My personal experience in a nutshell.
Anyone who hangs on to a sick view (ie paranoid crack user or in my case major depressive disorder) has to retrain their brain.
I have to take anti-depressants so my brain can adjust to a new way of thinking.
I had to stop drinking because that kept my brain locked on depressed.
I have recovery, rehab, meetings, and this forum to keep my brain open to new ways of thinking.

10 years is a long time to come back from. A long time.

Did I answer the question? LOL

Yogagurl

Hey guys! I knew that I could expect a response from my SR friends!


Here's what's going on and why I am asking: my husband seems to be falling apart at the seems mentally. I thought that he only got psycho when he was high, but his paranoia is starting to trickle into sobriety. The other night, he was smoking pot, and he was looking at me all wierd (ps - I don't smoke pot) when I just talking amongst our friends, specifically to a male friend of my husbands. My husband looks like he is disturbed (note the conversation was about saving money, or cars, or something to that effect, and had nothing to do with anything that you could relate to flirting or cheating) and says that he "wonders" about me based on the conversations that I have with his friends.

Last night, he is sober (from crack) and I'm in a t-shirt and panties on the front porch (we live in the middle of the sticks and don't have visible neighbors) and he gets angry asking why I'm in my underwear (he pees off the front porch to better equip the visual) and asks if anyone has stopped by "or did someone just walk out the back door?" It's like he is thinking that I'm at home fooling around. But, he's not smoking crack. When he is smoking crack, he is bat **** crazy all together, turning the lights on and off, walking in and out of rooms, looking under the covers, closing the blinds, opening the blinds, looking at the reflection of his phone screen to see if anyone is behind him, using his phone camera to take photos to see if anyone is there, making the dog sit next to him - I mean, he's legit losing his mind when he's high. I'm just wondering if it's possible for his brain to warp to the point where it trickles to his everyday state of consiousness, like he get's ****** up in the head permanently....??

AnvilheadII

ugh. the only thing i can imagine worse than me choosing to smoke that stuff again would be being around someone else who was all jacked out of their head. i presume this means he is smoking in the house or on the property? to which i then ask rhetorically, and you're ok with that? do you have a plan to change things...or continue to live in the insanity??? cuz like it or not, you are in danger.........and yes, his mind is twisted like a slinkie.

Impurrfect

I smoked pot a few times the first time I got clean from crack and it made me VERY paranoid. I'd smoked it years before, and it had never done that?

I contributed it to the fact I was on probation, didn't want to go to prison, etc. but who knows? I just know I didn't like it and the easy solution to that was quit smoking the weed! I never really thought about it until your last post.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

laurie6781

He is NOT in recovery, He does NOT HAVE sobriety.

And yes pot can also cause paranoia especially when used in conjunction with or to replace (which is what he is doing, just a new DOC) his current drug of choice.

Don't let him fool you the MMP (marijuana maintenance program) DOES NOT WORK! Many and addict and/or alcoholic has tried it to no avail.

Please take care of you and be very 'alert' for your personal safety! With paranoia very apparent there is no telling when the 'questions' will turn into actions and anger toward you.

Love and hugs,

wicked

That word, "wonders". That gives me the chills.

yes, I think after your last post, that his paranoia is bleeding over into his "sober" moments.

I am concerned about your safety.

cynical one

You may want to take a peek at my blog, I have some good stuff about crack psychosis there.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...cocaine-crack/

Yogagurl

Wicked -
Yes, you did answer my question. It has progressively gotten to the point that my husband does not do ANYTHING that does not revolve around drugs. If he is not using crack, he is looking for percocet, vicodin, soboxone, xanax, etc. He doesn't stay around the house for more than a few minutes before he is out the door looking, calling, spending, getting. It's like I am married to no one. It's like having a bad roommate. We don't have any activities that we do together, at all.

I was worried about how much damage he has done to his brain - permanent damage. It seems that he is in a constant state of anxiety, constantly has to be moving or doing something, but nothing that is remotely productive. We were supposed to have a "day" together this past weekend and the morning of, he jumped out of bed to get the battery for the lawnmower and didn't come home for 2 hours. He proceeded to use for the rest of the day and into the early hours of the next morning, only to lay out of work and continue to use the next day.

wicked

I think anvilhead said it best: geeked, tweeked and peeked.

He is using whatever he can to alter his mind. He does not care what it is as long as he is not in this reality.

I think you should work on an exit plan.

From what I observed with my ex, it was not long before he started thinking I was cheating, to it becoming a fact in his twisted mind.

It was ridiculous. Insane might be a better word for it.