Many Christians who are steadfast about not drinking alcoholic beverages or using illegal drugs because these practices oppose the will of God, have a hard time accepting that they are addicted to pain medication also known as pharmeceutical opiates. After all, these medications are prescribed legally by a doctor. Fortunately, there are Christian drug detox centers and Christian drug rehabs that can help alleviate the stigma attached to drug addiction for the Christian community.
Often, people addicted to pain pills don’t concern themselves as much with the effect they receive from opioids. They are more concerned about avoiding the withdrawal symptoms associated with halting use of the drug. The withdrawal symptoms painkiller addicts feel are very painful and uncomfortable. They include: crawling skin feeling, stomach pain, sweating, fever, diarreah, intense anxiety, nausea, vomiting, runny nose, insomnia, and watery eyes. Additionally, the threat of overdose is ever present and severe organ damage can occur.
For Christians who understand that drug addiction is not what God wants for their life, this experience can be both physically and emotionally painful. Christian drug detox centers and Christian drug rehabs understand that many of these addicts hide from their addiction, because they feel they do not deserve to be labeled a drug addict when the pills they use are prescribed.
Counselors and therapists at Christian drug rehabs understand how these addicts feel. They also understand that people who become addicted to pharmeceutical opiates simply because they were trying to treat legitimate pain do not necessarily fall under the same umbrella as other illegal drug using patients. Their drug addiction has sneaked up on them without their conscious awareness of the dangers of something they perceived as "good."
Although many believe opiate addiction is not curable in the traditional medical sense, it can be arrested if a Christian addict is willing to enter a Christian drug detox and treatment center.