About Drug Rehabilitation Centers in San Diego

When six drug addicts met at a New York hospital in 1967, they had no idea that their need to get off drugs would result in a chain of rehab centers stretching from coast to coast four decades later. Named Phoenix House, the San Diego branch offers recovery options to adults and teens spanning nearly 100 separate intervention programs. San Diegans can choose from long-term, outpatient, after-school and day programs. Phoenix is particularly well-known for its landmark correctional treatment program that sets a standard for dealing with the criminally addicted. Committed to short-circuiting substance abuse in teens, Phoenix House launched a residential school called Phoenix Academy 20 years ago so its youngest patients can continue their schoolwork while recovering. Not only does the academy offer stability and promote confidence in teens, but once they are released, they needn't face stigmas of falling behind classmates or losing a school grade level while they got well.

Many recovery centers have larger-than-optimal ratios of staff to patients. Not so San Diego's Casa Palmera, a facility that boasts five staff members per patient. Peace, fulfillment and well-being drive this facility's rehab philosophy. Licensed by the California Department of Health Services, Casa Palmera prides itself on the credentials of its staff. Everyone from physicians to nutritionists and fitness professionals are experts in the field of chemical dependence. Medical and psychological services supplement a menu of enrichment programs that help patients process work in alternative ways, like drumming, yoga and art therapy. Located on the Pacific Ocean, Casa Palmera prides itself on honoring the privacy and confidentiality boundaries of every addict on site. This tranquil, 37,000-square foot Spanish-style facility offers patients a koi pond and meditation garden to soothe and comfort them during their journey to recovery.

Don't let the daunting price tags associated with drug rehab in the San Diego area stop you from seeking help for yourself or a loved one. At South Coast Recovery, you can expect first-class treatment at affordable rates. Staff members at South Coast are made up of mainstream professionals trained in addiction medicine working in harmony with former addicts who celebrate their recovery by helping others. Combining standard medical and psychological care with exotic Eastern holistic therapies and 12-step theory and practice, this facility strives to heal mind, body and spirit. Every recovering addict receives extensive time in counseling and may also work with marriage and family professionals to deal with damage done to their families as a result of their drug addiction.

Beginning with short-term, high-intensity treatments to withdraw addicts from preadmission drug use, CRC takes patients from 24 hours of intense treatment to "less intrusive" therapy that combines long-term inpatient care with outpatient options. Using a gradual step-down approach to wean addicts from their drug of choice, CRC offers patients gender-specific treatment choices; if addicts are more comfortable getting therapy in a men- or women-only setting, they can opt for it. Included in CRC's treatment mix are 12-step meetings and therapies focused on cognitive behavior, coping skills, building self-esteem and learning how to develop healthy interpersonal relationships. Patients are given opportunities to explore trauma resolution, therapeutic art, spirituality, yoga, meditation and other enrichment. Located in a picture postcard setting, CRC encourages trips outside the facility as treatment comes to a close. Nearby galleries, museums, beaches, parks, shopping, restaurants and coffeehouses gently return addicts to the world so they are ready to live independently and drug-free.

To get help for a wide variety of drug addiction problems, the Union of Pan Asian Committees has established its own drug treatment referral service to meet the recovery needs of San Diego's large Asian community. The Union's website can recommend drug-specific counseling and inpatient and outpatient facilities with staffs well-versed in the cultural and lifestyle systems of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other cultures belonging to the area's Asian population.