Dangers of Krokodil Abuse
Krokodil is the deadly new Heroin-like drug that is manufactured in kitchens across continent that is on the streets now. It’s made from gasoline, paint thinner, Codeine, Hydrochloric Acid, Iodine and Red Phosphorous from matchstick heads.
This drug is synthetic and is not developed by pharmaceuticals or found as a natural occurring plant. Krokodil is a yellow liquid with an astringent stink that is injected into flesh for a transient opiate like high. The name Krokodil was brought about from the way the drug makes the users skin look around the injection sight, where the skin around the injection site will eventually become discolored and scaly, like a crocodile.
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Others believe the name came from the Codeine derived chemical in the drug called α-chlorocodide. People are introduced to Krokodil in areas where Heroin is more difficult to obtain; Krokodil is attractive to individuals seeking a euphoric high that is almost identical and cheaper than Heroin, easy to make and obtain and delivers the desired effect of pain-relief and relaxation.
Krokodil gets its name from the fact that the caustic drug causes an addict’s skin to become green, scaly and bumpy like a crocodile’s.
Street Names for Krokodil
Krokodil is an injectable opiate derived from Codeine. If you are concerned a loved one is abusing Krokodil, there are many signs that you need to look out for. One of these signs are the code names or street names he or she may be using to be sneaky regarding his or her Krokodil abuse. Krokodil can be obtained on the streets and online so be aware of sneaky phone calls and the users browser history on his or her mobile device or laptop. There are, however, other names Krokodil users may call the drug which include:
- crocodile
- croc, krok
- Russian magic
- poor man’s heroin
Although there are many street names, abusers tend to just call the drug by its original name: Krokodil.
Krokodil Effects
The effects of Krokodil are similar to Heroin but the resulting high lasts between 90 minutes to two hours. After injecting the drug, the user begins to feel lethargic and dizzy if he or she are standing still. A euphoric feeling sweeps over the body and the user is no longer coherent enough for daily activities, normal responsibilities or social interaction. It takes just half an hour to create a dosage. There are, however, an abundant more of effects if the user keeps abusing such as: blood vessel damage, limb amputations, blood poisoning, rotting gums and tooth loss, bone infections, open ulcers, skin grafts, organ failure, overdose and even death. The only way to prevent these effects is to get treatment for your Krokodil problem so you can stop abusing.
Warning signs of Krokodil abuse in a loved one
People who use Krokodil tend to get stuck in a perpetual cycle of using the drug just to keep up with the constant need to be high, function normally and avoid withdrawal. The only reason this drug is taken is for the euphoric feeling and the way it can take the user out of reality, as everything else about the drug is extremely detrimental to the user’s health. If you feel a loved one is abusing Krokodil here are some signs to look out for:
If someone you love is abusing Krokodil he or she may seem thinner than usual. Krokodil takes precedence over everything in the user’s life, including food. If he or she has money it goes straight to Krokodil, because nothing else matters to him or her.
Krokodil is known as a poor man’s Heroin, and Heroin has the effect of being able to knock someone out for hours at a time; it is the same with Krokodil. If you suspect a loved one is using, he or she may be unable to stay awake for long periods of time.
One of the biggest signs a loved one is abusing Krokodil is his or her lack of care for important things in life. The user will put everything of importance such as family, work, or school down the drain just to be able to feel the high Krokodil produces.
Factual Dangers: Krokodil
If you noticed a loved one is acting out, isolating, being dishonest, stealing, has frequent flu like symptoms and lost all respect for themselves and others, then he or she may be abusing Krokodil. When a loved one is abusing a drug, it is usually to escape from reality. If you want to help show him or her that life is worth living without substance abuse, but aren’t entirely sure it is Krokodil are using, keep an eye out for these signs:
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Krokodil Rehab Treatment
People who use Krokodil need immediate intervention and must be taken to a residential treatment facility right away. Considering the drug, the user will have to go through medically monitored detox which will require strong tranquilizers, as the pain is enough to cause heart failure. Krokodil is one of the most addictive substance known to man, and the most difficult to cure.
Those who do go through rehab and come out on the other side are often left with permanent problems, including a vacant gaze, speech impediment and erratic movements. An inpatient rehabilitation center is highly recommended as the withdrawals from Krokodil need to be monitored to ensure no permanent damage to the body or brain. In Krokodil rehab, you will be taught a multitude of things that will help prevent relapse when in the outside world.
You will be taught how to handle running into an old using buddy, what to do when your emotions get the best of you, and how to reach out to others for support and help. Learning such things will help you stay clean and sober in the long run. The therapist will also work with you in figuring out why you started using in the first place and diminish past problems to create a brighter future. It is recommended all Krokodil users attend rehab treatment, it can teach you many things and help you live a life you never thought possible. – Learn More
Doctors dealing with addicts say that this is the strongest level of addiction and the hardest to cure.
Krokodil Detox Treatment
Severe pain from withdrawals can be debilitating and cause a great deal of suffering, which makes it quite easy for users to become both physically and psychologically dependent on Krokodil. Since this drug is entirely user made and distributed, authorities can only try to regulate the contents needed to cook this drug.
Unfortunately, only two of the ingredients used can be regulated: Codeine and Hydrochloric Acid. The rest cannot as they are everyday household items and are easily accessible. The sad truth is, individuals who use Krokodil excessively will die unless he or she decides to do something about it. The individual will need to start out with a medically supervised detox period, when beginning recovery. In this medically supervised detox, a doctor will monitor your withdrawal symptoms, which include: flu like symptoms, muscle cramps, tremors, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, fever and profuse sweating.
When the withdrawal symptoms are present, a doctor will prescribe medication to alleviate the symptoms and make the detox period as comfortable as possible. Once the doctor has prescribed you medication you will need an abundant amount of rest. Nurses will constantly check your vitals, making sure that your detox is going safely. Once the detox stage is completed, to ensure sobriety, Krokodil rehab residential treatment must be next. – Learn More
Addiction to Krokodil
Krokodil is a dangerous, illegal substance that has become a very popular, cheaper alternative to Heroin. Krokodil first appeared in Russia in 2002 and has been a growing problem in the country ever since. The dangerous, Heroin-like drug is injected into the vein of the abuser. Injecting Krokodil over time will cause your skin to rot to the point an amputation might be needed.
The life expectancy of a Heroin addict is five to seven years while the life expectancy of a Krokodil abuser is as little as two years. This is because of what Krokodil does to the skin. The tissue and skin infections will kill you, if an overdose doesn’t first. The Krokodil takes you out of reality and allows you to feel happiness as soon as it enters your veins. But after the short, euphoric high, you come down, but feel ten times worse. T
he only way you know how to escape is to get high again, causing the cycle of abuse and addiction. Despite the health issues Krokodil use comes with, it has the capability to mess with your mind. It will make you feel as if there is no better way of life than to continue using. This, however, is not true. If you are willing and ready, there are treatment options available to you. Krokodil treatment will show you that there is a way of life other than Krokodil and drug abuse. You will be able to recover in your mind, body and soul. – Learn More
Krokodil Dependency
Krokodil is very powerful and can abruptly be the cause of a fatality, because of its corrosive nature. The potential of addiction to Krokodil is a high risk. Despite of the terrifying consequences, individuals who are addicted are unlikely to survive this kind of continuous drug use. As society today is increasingly faced with many drug epidemics, local support is helpful to addressing issues, as well as supportive to saving the lives of those with the disease of addiction.
Krokodil use appears to be on an incline because of the high cost of pain relieving drugs, like prescription opioids and Heroin. Another consequence of use is the spread of infectious disease, through sharing needles. Once addicted to Krokodil, you will feel like you need it to live. The withdrawal symptoms are so severe that it seems impossible to live any other way, and you may get to the point where you are no longer using Krokodil because you want to, but because your body and mind makes you believe you need to.
Once the dependency to Krokodil is this strong, the only chance of survival is treatment. Something stopping you from receiving treatment may be the thought of withdrawal. In medically supervised detox you will be given medication to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms. There is no excuse as to why you shouldn’t save your life and get the treatment you deserve. – Learn More
Seeking help for a loved one.
- Where Do I Hold A Krokodil Intervention?
It is best to choose a comfortable place secluded from other people. A common place for a Krokodil intervention is the home of the addicted individual or hotel room. - Who Do I Include in a Krokodil Intervention?
It is best to include an intervention specialist and those closest the Krokodil addicted individual. It is best to leave out anyone who may not be able to control their anger.
Intervention for Krokodil Abuse
This drug is incredibly easy to abuse and is highly addictive. Abusing Krokodil can cause changes in behavior and a social disconnection from everyone and everything not related to the drug. If a loved one is using Krokodil, the style in which he or she is using is very quick and frequent, which can create much difficulty with you stepping in and having an intervention.
Krokodil is physically disabling and the user must get help right away as the life expectancy of an individual addicted to Krokodil is less than 3 years. Hearing the life expectancy of your loved one may cause your heart to drop; you may feel hopeless and unaware of what you can do to help. The best advice for anyone would be getting together with other concerned loved ones and friends and setting up an intervention. An intervention is used to confront and get the Krokodil abuser into treatment as soon as the intervention is completed.
You would get all the loved ones together, excluding ones who may cause more harm than good, to express the pain each one feels, because they are watching the Krokodil abuser kill themselves slowly. It may be hard to express your love to him or her because you are so angry at the fact they are abusing Krokodil but showing them that you care and would be so proud of him or her, accepted treatment could very well save his or her life. Interventions are emotional and it is a good idea to have an individual, such as an interventionist, to mediate the intervention if any problems arise. – Learn More
Recovery from Krokodil Abuse
Krokodil is a drug on the streets that is cheaper than Heroin with similar effects. The drug is cooked on stove tops and mainly used intravenously, and is used by millions of people. The most commonly known side effect of this drug is flesh rotting from an individuals’ bones. If you are struggling with Krokodil addiction, get treatment immediately.
The life expectancy of a krokodil addict is just a year or two.
The best way to receive addiction treatment in cases such as Krokodil, is to remove yourself from your current environment. Traveling will remove you from your Krokodil supply and create a distance that will have great potential at saving your life. Once you decide on the treatment center that accommodates all your individual needs, you are on your way to a better life. In treatment, you will learn more about yourself and why you abused drugs in the first place. It is common for a therapist to find the issues that have been pushed so far back into the brain that they still affect you without ever realizing it. You and your therapist will get to work through those problems so they don’t come up again and cause a potential relapse.
Once you have completed your stay in treatment, you don’t just get cured. There is no known cure for the disease of addiction, but it can be maintained. One way you can maintain your disease and live a better life is joining a 12-step program. A 12-step program isn’t like what you see in the movies; it has been around for many years and has saved many lives form the deep depths of addiction, and it can save yours too.
- Is Krokodil Recovery Possible?
Krokodil recovery is possible. You just need to have the willingness to change your life and have the strength to reach out. - How Do I Recover from Krokodil Addiction?
There are many ways one could recover from Krokodil addiction. One of the most effective ways would be to attend inpatient rehabilitation.
Dangers of Krokodil Overdose
Due to Krokodil containing many unknown poisonous chemicals, overdose is a serious risk. It is known around the world that Heroin can cause overdoses quickly, but what many don’t know is that Krokodil holds the same risk.
An overdose is likely to happen when you get the drug from a new dealer, not knowing the potency, injecting more than your body can handle or if you relapse and try to use the same amount of Krokodil you did before you got sober. The only way to possibly prevent an overdose is to stop using Krokodil completely and sober up. However, there are people who don’t want to be sober. Those who aren’t interested in recovery should at least know the signs and symptoms of an overdose. Overdose effects of Krokodil is likely to vary, however a few of the presented symptoms are likely to include: depressed breathing, weak pulse, loss of consciousness, extreme drowsiness and coma. If any one of these signs surfaces, call emergency services immediately.
An overdose, if not taken care of, can result in death. Even if the signs you or a friend are showing aren’t severe, still call and get checked out. You could be saving your life or the life of a friend. Imagine if you didn’t call emergency services and your friend ended up having a fatal overdose and passed away. The feelings you would have inside would haunt you for many years. Don’t worry about what the paramedics will say to you. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes down to something as serious as an overdose. – Learn More
How did Krokodil get its Name?
Krokodil is extremely dangerous and often, results in the amputation of limbs and even death. Individuals who abuse Krokodil are known to show skin similar to a crocodile. The skin is usually discolored appearing green and black, which is due to infections near the injection site. The drug damages soft tissue and blood vessels with constant use.
This type of skin injury develops into severe tissue damage that can lead to Gangrene and Thrombophlebitis. Krokodil is made with a multitude of chemicals that your body and skin cannot handle safely. It is made with Codeine, over-the-counter medication for headaches, and cooking it with paint thinner, gasoline, hydrochloric acid, iodine and the red phosphorous from matchbox strike pads. If you leave your infected skin to sit and don’t seek medical attention the problem is just going to grow. Skin infections have the potential to kill whoever is infected incredibly quickly. If it doesn’t kill you, doctors will most likely amputate the limb, because they cannot stop the infection to prevent it from spreading. This can cause life-threatening issues and even death if the infection is not taken care of quickly.
The only way to prevent death or amputation is to seek immediate medical help and treatment. If you have a skin infection and want help for your drug abuse problem, go to the hospital first to get your infection taken care of and ask the staff there to let you use the phone to give us a call. We can help get your life back on track.
Krokodil Addiction Dangers
This toxic chemical is called the zombie drug, because it causes the flesh to decay where the individual injects the needle. Krokodil is extremely dangerous as life expectancy of users is only between 1 to 3 years after he or she has become addicted.
It gets its name from the effects it has on the skin; users develop green, bumpy and scaly skin where it is injected. If a vein is missed and the drug gets into the flesh, an abscess will develop causing the flesh to decay to the bone. Heroin has been a problem in Russia, however, the drug is very expensive and many people have moved over to Krokodil to fulfill their need for the opiate like high. Because Krokodil is cheaper than Heroin, users can get more of it at a time, causing them to build a tolerance. Once a tolerance is built, it is like people are using it just to prevent withdrawal symptoms. It is common for IV drug users to have collapsed veins.
This is especially dangerous with Krokodil because when a user misses the vein their chances are very low for survival due to the flesh-eating properties abusing Krokodil comes with. Other than the flesh-eating properties, Krokodil will also cause blood vessel damage, blood poisoning, pneumonia, meningitis, liver and kidney damage, organ failure, overdose, and death. The choice is yours if you want to live life on the edge and abuse Krokodil like it isn’t, each day, killing you before your eyes. You can either get the treatment you deserve or keep living the miserable life of addiction.
- What Does Aftercare Do for Krokodil Addiction?
Aftercare is designed to allow you to continue building on the work you’ve already done for your Krokodil addiction once you move back home, or transition into a sober living community. - 4. What Will My Krokodil Aftercare Include?
Your Krokodil aftercare may include family therapy and counseling both for, and with, your spouse, children, and other members of your household.
True Stories of Addiction: Miles Overcomes
Your loved one feels isolated and alone in their fight against their addiction. Give them the backup that they need. Holding an intervention for a loved one not only brings their problem to the surface, but shows them that people still care about them. They might be in denial with other people, but most people who have a substance abuse problem are not in denial with themselves. Deep down inside, they know they need help. If you show them that they have support if they decide to get that help, they will be more willing to go to rehab. Let them know that you are not giving up on them.
Seeking help for a loved one.
- Can Family Members Visit Me During Inpatient Krokodil Rehab?
Yes. At most Krokodil rehab centers, after a week or two, there will be visiting hours for family and friends. - How Do I Choose an Inpatient Rehab for My Krokodil Addiction?
Give us a call; we can help you find the Krokodil rehab that will be prefect for you.
Inpatient Krokodil Rehab
An individual’s progress through his or her treatment and program is closely monitored and tailor made to help individuals recover. Professionals provide one on one therapy, group counseling, family support meetings, sponsors, after recovery programs, and inclusion in a sober living community filled with activities. With all the therapies offered such as group and one on one therapy, it will be easy for you to learn more about yourself.
It is common for you to feel as if you have lost who your truly are while you were out using Krokodil to mask your emotions and escape reality. Inpatient treatment will help you rebuild yourself and gain the confidence you once had. Also, inpatient treatment removes you from your environment that created the addiction and provides the attention and support one needs to get better. When you are removed from familiar environments, it gives you a chance at recovery. It would be difficult to recover if you were still hanging around the same people, places, and things.
Once you are done with treatment, you will be strong enough to face those people, places and things without the use of Krokodil. Keep in mind, insurance does cover this type of treatment as it is recommended for a full recovery. Inpatient rehab also works to treat the underlining cause of the addiction; psychological, history or environmental. This form of treatment paired with other support groups such as the 12-step program has the best track record as it usually leads to lasting recovery. – Learn More
Outpatient Rehab
An outpatient program is where you would travel to a clinic several times a week to take part in treatment sessions and then leave to maintain a normal living arrangement. This allows you to work, attend school or go about your life as usual. The problem with Outpatient therapy is that you are still exposed to the environment that contributed to your addiction to begin with. With strong will and the honest desire to kick the addiction, however, out-patient treatment can be successful.
While this form of treatment isn’t for everyone it is often successful and has done wonders for thousands of people. If there is a possibility you could attend inpatient you should do so. Outpatient doesn’t have the same effect as inpatient does. There is no medically monitored detox included, you won’t get the one on one treatment you need, and you will still be around the same people, places and things without knowing how to get through triggers first.
Outpatient is usually best and most effective for you when you have already completed inpatient treatment and looking for more guidance when out in the real world. If there is no possible way you could ever make it into inpatient, do not stress yourself out too much. There is still a great chance for your recovery. You just must be dedicated and willing to do whatever it takes to stay clean and sober. Make sure you take suggestion and do what the therapist at the outpatient treatment tells you to do, so your chances of recover and avoiding relapse are high. – Learn More
- Why is Outpatient Helpful to My Krokodil Addiction?
Any rehab or therapy is helpful for your Krokodil addiction if you listen and do what it takes to recover. - What is Krokodil Outpatient Rehab?
Krokodil outpatient rehab is most effective when you have already completed an inpatient program. You will travel to a facility a few times a week for different types of therapy.
