Opiate Addiction Treatment

Opiate abuse and addiction is a growing national problem. A growing percentage of the young adult men seeking treatment at San Cristobal Academy come with a history of opiate addiction; including heroin addiction, OxyContin addiction, and others.

Parents and families concerned about their son's possible use of narcotics should be on the lookout for certain symptoms of opiate abuse and addiction: sedation, slowed reflexes, raspy speech, sluggish movements, slowed breathing, cold skin and possible vomiting. However, as use continues, users will build a tolerance to the drug, therefore causing the effects to diminish somewhat over time. To maintain the same high or euphoric feelings, users will require increasing amounts of the drug. Often times cravings will drive users to steal from family members, deal drugs themselves, pawn personal possessions, or do anything and everything it takes to obtain the drugs necessary to feel good.

Opiate addictions previously were considered almost untreatable. Addict's lives would often spiral out of control with every waking moment dedicated to feeding the intense cravings for the drug. The insidious nature of opiate addiction is its ability to give users a sense of invincibility all while sucking vitality and ability to reason. For young adult males, its allure is powerful and almost overwhelming. It draws users in making them feel stronger, more attractive, creative, and interesting. It helps those with already low self esteem feel better about themselves... at least for a while.

For parents and families, it's critical to intervene as early as possible. The longer one uses, the more enmeshed they become. Not only will the addiction become stronger and more difficult to treat, but all the corresponding life issues will erode all facets of their lives.

Opiate addiction treatment including treatment for heroin addiction, OxyContin addiction, and other drugs derived from the poppy plant often require detoxification offered or provided from a primary treatment program. Withdrawal can be dangerous and extremely uncomfortable without proper medical support. San Cristobal Academy works in cooperation with interventionists' and other treatment professionals and programs when primary treatment is necessary prior to enrolling in our program. In rare circumstances, students have enrolled directly from home, college or other living arrangements where the full scope of their son's addiction issues was not fully understood. In these circumstances, the clinical team at SCA will make arrangements for the student to be temporarily transferred to an appropriate detox program to ensure comfort and safety.
 
Heroin addiction treatment and OxyContin addiction treatment, along with other opiate drugs are complex addictions and require comprehensive and integrated treatment planning. The San Cristobal Academy program provides parents and families an end-to-end source for help, from initial acknowledgement of an addiction problem needing treatment to recovery and ongoing aftercare support. Our philosophy and treatment approach take into full account the complex nature of the disease and the full spectrum of issues needing support. SCA is a "whole person" treatment program facilitating recovery in all aspect of a young man's physical (bio), psychological (psycho), and social realms. Treating the whole person, not just the addictive disease, is fundamental to long term sustainable recovery.

To learn about the San Cristobal Academy program, please contact the Admissions office at 888-449-7706.