Minnesota Cocaine Rehab Treatment Center

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While cocaine used to affect mostly celebrities and wealthier people, today it’s no respecter of economic or social status. In fact, it continues to be a huge problem as nearly 5 million people have claimed to have tried cocaine at some point in their lives. Shockingly, about 14 percent of American adults have used this deadly drug.

Cocaine addiction is also a common concern here in the Minnesota/St. Paul area. In 2015, this drug accounted for about 4.3 percent of the patients admitted to addiction treatment programs. Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of cocaine, along with how it can be effectively treated by using cognitive behavioral therapy at a Minnesota drug rehab treatment center.

What is Cocaine?

Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that comes from a coca plant, mainly grown in the mountains of Bolivia, Columbia and Peru. For as long as 1,000 years, coca leaves have been chewed and consumed by South American laborers because it provided increased energy for working at high altitudes.

In recent times, the crop has been grown by farmers, who set up cocaine processing labs in Columbian jungles. After the leaves are stripped and mashed, the plant undergoes additional processing, which ultimately results in a pasty-like, whitish substance that farmers sell to cocaine processors.

The Damaging Effects of Cocaine

Cocaine abuse can cause several severe effects to the body, with damage to the heart muscle being one of the worst ones. It can result in heart problems that can even be fatal, such as heart muscle inflammation, aorta rupturing, heart attacks and strokes. Besides affecting the heart, cocaine can also significantly damage the brain and kidneys.

Furthermore, using cocaine can cause behavioral disorders, including psychotic symptoms, exceptional erratic behavior, new-onset of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and psychotic symptoms.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Effective Treatment

Basically, cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT is a type of psycho-social therapy that teaches that thought patterns affect feelings and behavior. This type of therapy shows people how to modify their cognitive patterns so that they can improve their emotional state as well as behavior.  CBT is one of the most effective, highly researched and used therapeutic methods for treating substance abuse and gambling disorders.

Techniques Used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Various techniques are used in CBT that can be beneficial in helping clients discover and examine their thoughts, which can lead to changed behaviors. For example:

  • Journaling is one technique in which people recount their feelings, thoughts and actions by keeping a detailed diary.
  • Cognitive rehearsal is a therapeutic procedure in which a client and therapist work together to uncover methods for solving problems.
  • Another technique is known as conditioning, which involves a therapist using positive reinforcement to encourage certain behaviors. It also works to remove negative behaviors by using negative consequences.
  • Validity testing is an effective technique in which clients learn to examine the validity of their thoughts.

Considerations and Warnings

  • Cocaine abuse affects men more than women, according to a report in 2015.
  • There are two primary forms of cocaine: powdered cocaine and crack cocaine. While powdered cocaine, also called “coke”, dissolves in water and is snorted or injected, crack cocaine (“rock”), is made from a chemical process and is smoked.
  • The way in which cocaine is administered influences its effect on the body. Cocaine that’s injected or smoked has a much faster effect of about seven seconds, but it has a shorter duration of only about five to ten minutes.
  • Snorted cocaine has a more delayed effect but causes a longer high.
  • Highs involving a shorter duration are likely to result in more severe symptoms that can lead to an increased rate of use, making crack cocaine much more addictive than snorted cocaine.
  • It’s extremely important to be aware of the common symptoms of cocaine addiction, which may include increased agitation, hyperactivity, poor concentration, effusive enthusiasm, feeling uninhibited, involuntary movement or muscle tics, fatigue and depression.
  • Cocaine users on binges typically crash after they stop using cocaine.

If you or a loved one is suffering from cocaine abuse, call the recovery professionals at Club Recovery (952-926-2526). Our highly rated Minneapolis, Minnesota based outpatient treatment center for alcohol, drugs and gambling addiction serves the greater Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington areas and uses cognitive behavioral therapy for treating addictions. Please contact us and start your journey to recovery today.


Disclaimer: All content on this website is for informational purposes only. It does not substitute for clinical treatment or advice. If you, a friend, or a family member is struggling with mental health and/or addiction issues please call our main office at 952-926-2526. For emergencies, go to your nearest emergency room and/or dial 911.