Let’s begin by clarifying that opiates do not refer exclusively to the use of illegal drugs like opium and heroin, opiates actually include some legal drugs such as morphine, oxycodone fentanyl, and codeine, often prescribed to treat pain.

In the United States, it is estimated that almost 2 million Americans use prescription opiates and more than half a million are addicted to heroin; this number continues to increase, as many people who are prescribed opiates enjoy the sensation caused by the use of the legal drugs and the long-term use can cause addiction, patients suffer withdrawals when they stop taking them, at which point many start using heroin because it is cheaper and many times easier to obtain. Sadly, people die every day from opiate overdose.

Opiates give users a sensation of well-being, however, the effect does not last long and many users develop tolerance, they need a higher dosage to feel good, and when they don’t take the drugs they feel sick and uncomfortable, they take more and more eventually triggering an addiction.

Opiate addiction requires professional help, it is difficult and dangerous for someone facing addiction to recover at home and with no professional supervision, strong withdrawals can even lead to seizures and other risks which can endanger the patient’s life, and almost always it will end in failure and frustration.

Seek the help of a professional rehab facility in Costa Rica:

Costa Rica Treatment Center rehab facility located in San Jose Costa Rica, are a certified as a treatment provider by the government of Costa Rica, the Institute on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (IAFA in Spanish), and the Health Ministry , offers supervised detox for patients addicted to opiates; in an interview, a representative of this recovery center explained what an adequate treatment for opiate addiction involves:

“Recovery from opiate addiction involves a detox treatment, this means slowly getting the substance out of the patient’s system, sometimes this involves the use of stabilizing medication given under medical supervision, for example, using decreasing doses of methadone is usually necessary to ensure a pain free detox”

“Detoxing from chronic opiate use or use of other opioid maintenance medications such as Suboxone, is psychologically challenging, therefore, it is necessary to seek help. Professional rehab facilities such as Costa Rica Treatment Center have trained clinical psychologists on staff to assure a healthy transition. It is virtually always recommended for drug and alcohol addicts to enter into residential treatment, detoxifying alone can lead to seizure risks, comas, cardiac arrest and even death”.

A comprehensive treatment with professionals that understand what the patient is going through and that have all necessary tools, knowledge and personnel to handle any/all their needs gives addicts a better chance of recovery and a long-term well-being.

If you or someone close to you is dealing with opiate addiction or any other drug addiction, contact Costa Rica Treatment Center today. As a licensed facility, CRTC is able to provide necessary letters to courts and other government agencies with regard to patient treatment.