By Jeannie Colter
Last week, we wrote that addiction recovery begins with a decision. And as difficult as it can be to decide to seek help, some face another barrier: finding the resources to cover the costs of treatment. In addition to the stigma that is sometimes connected to substance abuse treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, some people who would benefit from rehab do not get the opportunity to do so because they cannot afford the cost of treatment or are unable to spend time away from work. It is not clear right now just how the Affordable Care Act will affect the availability of substance abuse treatment across the nation, but at Transitions Recovery Miami, Florida Drug Rehab we work with individuals, families, and insurance companies to provide access to this care.
The Quincy Herald-Whig reports that:
“An estimated 3 million to 5 million U.S. residents with drug and alcohol problems will have greatly expanded insurance coverage starting next year as part of the Affordable Care Act.”
Adding that:
“Only about 10 percent of the 23 million Americans with alcohol or drug problems now receive treatment, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health…about a quarter of them don’t have insurance coverage.”
The Quincy Herald-Whig spoke to a mother whose heroin addiction led to time in jail and the loss of her daughter who hopes that rehab will help her get her daughter back. Another family that runs a small business was earlier unable to afford treatment for their heroin-addicted son, but once some aspects of the Affordable Care Act were set in motion, he was able to get help. This made a difference since some of the son’s classmates had died from heroin addiction.
At Transitions Recovery Miami, Florida Drug Rehab, we accept insurance and are dedicated to providing high-quality services that are accessible to those in need. Treating substance abuse can vary in cost depending on the individual, the length of stay, and other factors. We work with clients and offer several options for payment. We encourage you to contact us for more information on program costs.
By Jeannie Colter
Addiction recovery begins with a decision. You have to decide that you want to be well and whole and stop living the kind of fractured life that one lives when alcohol or substance abuse takes over. When you decide that it is time to go to rehab, you have another decision—what kind of program would best suit your needs? You may have work or family considerations that will help you make your choice. Or you may need to decide based on your temperament. No matter the program you choose, Transitions Recovery is committed to providing comprehensive, nationally leading drug treatment and alcohol addiction treatment services
Inpatient: With inpatient treatment, you check into a facility and live there as you go through a rehab program. Ehow.com says, “Once admitted, almost every hour of the patient’s day is filled to help them fight their addiction and keep their mind on staying sober.” This may sound intense but for some people this is exactly what they need to begin their journey of sobriety.
At Transitions, we are true to our name: we are not working with you so you can live successfully sober in our rehab facility–our goal is to help you transition back to your life. After we focus on treatment, we work with you so can prepare meals and complete other tasks that people tend to take for granted.
Outpatient: Choosing Outpatient substance abuse treatment does not mean that the person is less serious or that they are not going to receive high quality care. As Ehow.com notes, “Much like inpatient, outpatient patients will receive daily treatment at the center, which will usually take up a large portion of the day to keep them constantly focused on recovery.”
In an Outpatient program, you have a chance to apply what you are learning to your daily life and routines. You will eventually transition from being in an outpatient program to being someone who is continuing addiction recovery without taking part in rehab regularly. You can and are encouraged to continue getting help, via 12-step meetings or some other form or regular support.
A Washington Post article answered some of the questions you may have had about alcohol consumption but were afraid to ask:
Why can the average man drink more than the average woman? The program director for the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is quoted as saying,
“Men have more body water, and that results in a slightly lower blood alcohol concentration level, since the alcohol is distributed throughout the ‘water space.’ ” The American Heart Association and the Department of Health and Human Services are among the groups that recommend one drink a day for women and two for men.
Going on a drinking binge occasionally is better than drinking too much all the time, right? The article quotes a neuroscientist who says that waiting until the weekends to drink a lot is “the riskiest pattern of consumption for both bad behavior and physical damage…” and defines binge drinking as a man having five or more drinks in two hours and a woman having four or more.
I heard that drinking alcohol is good for your health, is that true? Red wine is known for helping prevent heart disease but one study found that drinking nonalcoholic red wine produced the most benefits. Alcoholic drinks have varying degrees of health benefits but many tend to pile on the calories so you should try light beers and wine spritzers.
Additionally, anyone who drinks copious amounts of alcohol and uses its health benefits as their excuse should know that, “…heavy drinking reverses the heart benefits associated with moderate levels of alcohol consumption.” There is a chance that if someone is misinterpreting health information to justify their drinking, that person may need an alcohol abuse recovery program.
It’s okay to use alcohol to wash down medication, right? Many people assume that while it is bad to consume alcohol with recreational drugs or prescription medication, it is perfectly okay to drink alcohol while taking over-the-counter medicine and this is not the case. Alcohol can cause troublesome interactions with cold medicine and pain relievers the same way it does with other drugs.
In a Huffington Post blog titled, “Can We Please Stop Stigmatizing Addiction, Recovery and Lindsay Lohan?” Deni Carise, a scientist and clinician in the field of substance abuse recovery makes a case for why more than one stint in a drug and alcohol rehab center is not necessarily an indication of failure. She is honest about Lohan’s behavior, her image in the media, and why people are skeptical about Lohan’s chances for long-term success and adds,
“But, by definition, rehabilitation is the restoration of health and, contrary to popular belief, more stints in rehab actually predict treatment success, not treatment failure. This could be Lindsay’s time, her chance at recovery and lifelong change.”
Carise discusses why people are reluctant to be open and honest about being in recovery. Years ago, there would be doubt about someone’s character but now with a never-ending list of TV shows that seem to celebrate people who can’t quite get it together, it is probably even more difficult to be open about addiction recovery. Carise writes,
“Too often, people are reluctant to say they once had a problem with drugs and alcohol. Even though people in recovery are all around us, the public rarely gets to see those who are doing well. Chances are we all know someone in recovery in this day and age — your father, your brother, your cousin, your friend, maybe even you? — with wonderful and fulfilling lives.”
Part of what we do at Transitions Recovery Center is give patients the opportunity to interact (through structured activities) with those who have already graduated from our programs. Our Alumni Association offers meetings and events that include patients, staff, alumni, and members of the community. Even if the world at large does not celebrate the strength needed to admit and work through addiction, we do.
And this is a two-way street: current patients get to be inspired by graduates who are doing well and alumni have a chance to tell their stories and be reminded of all they have accomplished.
By: Thom Gorman
A first class drug abuse and drug addiction treatment facility will approach these problems in several different ways, in order to fully help the broadest range of clients. Custom tailored programs should be able to draw methods from the medical, psychological, therapeutic, and self-help fields that can be formed into a comprehensive, yet individualized drug abuse or drug addiction therapy. The goal, of course is to help the patient achieve and sustain long-term abstinence, free from any substance abuse. For many patients the journey to recovery from drug abuse or drug addiction requires the care of highly skilled staff at a Residential Drug Treatment Center. This provides an addicted individual the greatest opportunity for drug rehabilitation.
While living in the rehab center, patients are held responsible for the same daily tasks as they would have in any normal living situation. These monitored tasks might include cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning and maintaining of their living quarters. While staying at the center they should get effective drug abuse or drug addiction treatment that emphasizes these real-life tasks in preparation for a successful re-entry into daily life and a home environment, after leaving the center. Intensive ongoing clinical care along with the structure and support of extended residential care improves the success of a drug abuse or drug addiction recovery program. Residential treatment will provide a gradual transition back to the real world through the patient’s individualized treatment in the rehab center environment.
Patients must receive extensive continuing care throughout the drug treatment process to prevent relapse. The patient is helped to grasp the importance of integrating 12-Step meetings and aftercare to continue their off-campus recovery. Special emphasis should be placed on family relationships, medical well being, nutrition, physical fitness spirituality and vocational training, just to name a few. When a patient still requires intensive treatment but is no longer in need of 24-hour supervision, a Partial-Day Drug Treatment Center can continue the recovery process, while the patient transitions from residential to outpatient and finally aftercare. The recovering individual spends daytime therapy and activity hours in a comfortable, safe supportive treatment center during the day and the night at his or her own home. A well thought out drug abuse and drug addiction treatment facility will incorporate a partial day program into the recovery process. In the partial day phase of recovery the patient has started to re-enter society by returning to the home and possibly even school or the workplace, while still attending therapy sessions during the day.
Individuals receiving drug abuse or drug addiction treatment require an uninterrupted chain of care that helps them gradually ease their way back into the challenges of daily life. Once they have progressed through residential addiction treatment and partial day treatment, patients should continue to receive a high level of support from Out Patient Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction Treatment. Out patient rehabilitation programs are also available for those who have not received residential care at a traditional drug abuse or drug addiction treatment center. Professional support and assistance is offered in order to help the patient to achieve and maintain a drug free lifestyle. Outpatient services are for those who do not require a structured and monitored environment to remain drug free and are not clinically determined to be in acute withdrawal. Long-Term Drug Treatment and Addiction Recovery offers lifetime aftercare at a drug addiction treatment center to avoid the devastation of an individual suffering a relapse. Long term prevention should be begun immediately upon completion of a drug treatment program. Drug addiction is a disease that requires lifetime support and relapse prevention. Long-term drug treatment increases the likelihood that a patient will achieve abstinence and experience renewed personal growth. After residential, partial day, and outpatient treatment, professional support must continue in a patient’s drug addiction recovery.
No successful drug abuse or drug addiction treatment and recovery can succeed without addressing the needs of family members and significant others. Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction Treatment of the Patient’s Family can make or break the chances of a patient’s recovery. Those closest to the abuser or addict are considerably affected by their behavior and require that considerable attention be directed to their own suffering. Because the lives of all family members are so intertwined, drug abuse and drug addiction treatment is most effective when treated as a family disease. Symptoms of drug related family dysfunction can take the form of spouse or child abuse, divorce, accidents and negligence, financial loss, stress, and many other effects not immediately apparent.
Family members may invest substantial efforts into keeping up appearances and covering up for the addicted individual. The pain of admitting that they cannot control what is happening to the family can be unbearable. Trying to control the substance abuser by removing the drugs or alcohol, eliciting promises of abstinence, and hiding the substance abuse are some of the ways families are drawn into the abuser’s sickness. Recovery for the family is an ongoing process involving active participation in professionally monitored and conducted group therapy sessions. During a family’s involvement, they should learn about the diseases and disorders related to drug abuse and drug addiction. Recovery programs give the opportunity to heal together along with the addicted family member and address issues that will have a long-term impact on all their lives.
I have attempted to outline the safest, most successful programs that a drug abuse and drug addiction treatment center MUST have, in order to maintain a high level of long-term patient recovery. Additionally a comfortable, safe environment must be offered by the residential treatment phase of any program. Transitions Recovery offers the full list of therapies and modalities from a beautiful and comfortable gated facility in Miami, Florida, which attracts patients from all over the country.
By: Thom Gorman
In my days as a motorcyclist I was constantly in the company of gang members or independents whose income and lives revolved around the drug trade. They transported drugs, they sold drugs and they used drugs and some practiced drug abuse. Often they used different drugs at the same time and everybody used alcohol.
I worked in several different motorcycle shops, and in those days the people I worked with were most often “speed freaks” (amphetamines abusers), who would party or work for days at a time. They lived as if they were afraid that they might miss something. Nearly everyone smoked grass, the guys with a little more money and a place of their own, did hash and carried “bong tea” in wineskins draped across their bike’s front forks. The counterculture members of the bike world indulged in almost everything illicit and drug abuse was rampant. No one I knew did PCP on purpose. Some low grade grass dusted with PCP (Angel Dust) was being sold, but PCP was a known destroyer of brains and no one wanted that. You had to be very, very careful.
Like any other groups we had drug users, drug abusers and those with a drug addiction. Most of us avoided drug addiction, used our drug of choice often and even regularly abused it. I got drunk, which is clearly abuse, as was getting stoned. If you regularly watch COPS or any similar shows you will frequently see alcohol and drug abusers drunk or stoned out of their minds. It isn’t a pretty sight. An abuser will often have difficulties at home or work, regularly facing problems associated with their drug abuse and act out by pulling stupid or dangerous stunts. Drug abusers often face jail time because of these activities, but generally won’t stop their abuse. Drug addiction is different because the addict faces serious mental or physical withdrawal symptoms if they stop. They feed their drug addiction larger and larger doses with diminishing pleasurable returns and are unable to stop on their own. This is true drug addiction. All choice has been taken away.
Tolerance is the highly variable personal reaction to drugs and may change over time. Generally speaking the user becomes more tolerant of their drug of choice and more is required to regain the pleasurable effect. When they keep trying for that effect by more frequent drug abuse, they open the door to drug addiction where their mind or body craves the drug and won’t allow them to stop. If you see the signs of drug abuse or drug addiction in loved ones or friends your best next move is to suggest professional help. Don’t try this at home.
What is drug abuse?
By: Thom Gorman
When I was asked to write this article, I gave it a lot of thought and did some heavy-duty reflection. Since I have been an alcohol abuser, in the past I felt that I could honestly deal with the subject and attempt to answer the question, “What is Drug Abuse?”
I was deeply involved in the world of motorcycles, for much of my life. I am between bikes right now, though. This started in the early ‘60s and the people I knew were the real deal (bikers). Today the average, long-haired, tattooed “outlaw wannabe” you see on the road today, works a 9 to 5 in a law or accounting firm, during the week. Many of the guys I rode with transported or “ran” drugs and sold drugs, for a living; all were users or into drug abuse. At parties or just hangin’ I would take a hit off a passing joint; which made me a user. Had I fired up a spliff, often just to pass the time or needed it to “mellow out”, like some friends, I would have been an abuser.” What is drug abuse?” was a question no one asked in those days. Back in those bad old days cocaine wasn’t for us poor bikers – speed (amphetamines), grass (marijuana), hash (a concentrated product of marijuana), dust (PCP), magic mushrooms (psilocybin) and horse (heroin) were the drugs du jour. Only your mama took prescription pain killers, but we all drank alcohol.
As I said before, I abused alcohol and it so happens that alcohol is an easy to understand example of use, abuse and addiction. Any person who drinks (even one drink per month) is a user. Any person who goes out drinking and often gets hammered (drunk) is an abuser. Any person who requires alcohol to function under normal circumstances and reacts to not having it is an alcoholic (addicted to alcohol). I was fortunate that my experience of getting high on grass actually scared me. I wasn’t required to do drugs by some “biker code” or anything; I didn’t even drink and ride.
My friends from those days are mostly dead and gone, because they mixed motorcycles and drugs or alcohol. Substance abuse is never good, but motorcycles are unforgiving things, often making it a lethal mistake. In fact too many times drugs are deadly, all by themselves. It was kind of an eye opener when I admitted to myself that I was a substance abuser. That really is the first step, once you own the fact that you are an abuser, only then are you on the way to recovery and avoiding the substance you abuse. Drug abuse is not simply drug use, but fortunately neither is it addiction. It is your wake up call and time to seek professional help.
I hope that “What is drug abuse?” has been answered to the extent that seeing this behavior in yourself or a loved one creates the desire to take back full control of life and not let chemistry rule your thinking or your actions.
Selecting a Florida Drug Rehab Center
By: Thom Gorman | Published: 11/30/2012
Coming to grips with the fact that you or someone you love has a drug abuse or drug addiction problem is the first step in a cure. There is little else that can have the dire effects on a family – legally, financially and relationship-wise than having an addicted family member. Statistics show that over 20 million people in the United States should have professional treatment for drug addiction or alcohol abuse. In reality, only 10 percent of those in need receive care at a certified drug rehab or even an outpatient addiction treatment facility. Drug abuse destroys families and individuals but with the right support and treatment at a Florida drug rehab center, recovery is possible.
An inpatient Florida drug rehab center like that at Transitions Recovery offers several advantages for addiction treatment, and they will personalize a treatment program specifically to the needs of the individual patient.
You will certainly want to work with a Florida drug rehab center like Transitions Recovery that offers:
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY - When utilized as a part of an overall recovery program, cognitive behavioral therapy is highly effective in treating drug addiction. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to teach the person short-term coping skills to attain sobriety and long-term skills for its maintenance.
COMFORT – There are few places in the U.S. that can be called sub-tropical and Miami, Florida is one. Our patients come from all over the U.S. during all seasons of the year. The bright sunshine, warm temperatures, colorful flowers and lush foliage of our beautiful gated Florida drug rehab facility have a natural uplifting effect on our patients. Ambient conditions can have a huge impact on recovery.
DETOXIFICATION – Chronic substance abusers will undergo supervised withdrawal during detox. All traces of toxic drugs will be removed from the patient’s system while their withdrawal is being monitored and controlled.
DUAL-DIAGNOSIS THERAPY – Quite often a patient will come to us with a co-occurring disorder such as depression, insomnia or anxiety often because they became addicted to drugs while trying to self-medicate their symptoms. Dual-diagnosis therapy treats the underlying disorder as well as the addiction, making long-term sobriety possible.
FAMILY THERAPY – Greater success is achieved by recognizing addiction as a family disease and teaching the family new coping skills and how to mitigate the feelings of pain, inadequacy and hopelessness.
INPATIENT TREATMENT – Inpatient treatment is a formal, Florida drug rehab center residential program that includes detox, education, medical treatment, individual and group therapy, and when indicated a 12-step program.
OUTPATIENT TREATMENT – Outpatient treatment is often used as follow-up treatment after an inpatient program.
SOBRIETY HOUSE LIVING – A group of recovering addicts live together in order to support each other and provide an environment free of alcohol and drugs. Sober living is recommended for people who have just completed residential treatment and are at risk of a relapse if they return home right away.
Good Florida drug rehab centers like Transitions Recovery offer additional treatment programs that help the whole family. Recovery from drug addiction is a long-term process that often requires multiple approaches and a variety of treatment options in order to treat the individual’s multiple needs. No single treatment is appropriate for every person, which is why an effective Florida drug rehab center will evaluate each patient’s individual needs and tailor a drug treatment program specifically for them.
Rehab and Treatment for Drug Abuse and Addiction
By: Thom Gorman | Published: 11/26/2012
Drug abuse and addiction has been a growing problem in the U.S. for several decades. It seems as if the only change is the drug of choice, currently causing the biggest health problems in different areas of the country, today.
NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) reports tell us that the most abused prescription drugs are those for pain relief, depressants for anxiety and sleep problems followed by stimulants for ADHD, narcolepsy, and obesity.
- Alcohol
- Marijuana and hashish (cannabinoids)
- Vicodin (an opioid)
- Cough medicines
- Adderall (a stimulant for ADHD)
- Tranquilizers
- Salvia (a dissociative drug)
- Hallucinogens
- OxyContin (an opioid)
- Sedatives
- Ecstasy (a synthetic club drug)
- inhalants (solvents, aerosol propellants, nitrites, etc)
- Cocaine (a stimulant)
- Ritalin (a stimulant for ADHD)
Any of these substances can create addiction or dependency in even a legitimate user. There are very few options to recovery, especially on an at home or outpatient level.
Care at an alcohol, drug abuse and addiction treatment center provides an addicted adult with the best chance for successful recovery. Clinical care along with the structured lifestyle and support of a professional staff provides a clean and sober pathway back to work, family, and the community at large. A safe environment from which to operate these programs is an absolute must.
When one member of the family contracts the disease of alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction the entire family feels the effect. The whole family may have faced additional damage, in the form of stress-related spousal or child abuse, separation, divorce, D.U.I. accidents, neglect, financial loss, theft, general violence and other things less easily predicted.
Many family members may attempt to keep up appearances or may even be in denial. None of these things will help either the addicted member or the rest of his or her family. Some find it impossible to come to grips with the situation. They just can’t seem to help in any meaningful way and any home-grown attempt to control the substance abuser by removing the drugs or alcohol is doomed to failure. The most sincere promises of abstinence by the abuser will never be kept.
By this time, the whole family has been infected with one or more symptoms of living with the effects of alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction; professional help is the only viable option.
Because of the guilt, shame, anger, confusion and feelings of inadequacy or helplessness by parents and siblings, alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction must be treated as a family disease. The family should have a professional support team trained to coach and guide them to be actively involved in the detoxification, treatment and rehabilitation stages, which work hand-in-hand to achieve a lasting cure.
Participation in this type of family program, while the addicted member attends a drug abuse and addiction rehab program can be a life-changing experience. Years of hurt, confusion and shame can be healed while the effects of the disease and any accompanying mental illnesses, in dual diagnosis patients, are fully explained and the addicted member’s own issues are fully addressed. The love and support of a family is the most important ingredient in the overall cure.
There is such a place and there is such a program available to you and your addicted family member. Transitions Recovery has a beautiful and safe gated facility in Miami, Florida, a world class staff and the individualized detox and treatment needed to achieve a full recovery. Bottom line – if I had a family member with an alcohol or drug abuse and addiction problem; my first call would be to Transitions.
All across the country, drugs remain a problem for our youth. It seems that every time we turn around, young people have found a new way to chase their next big high.Club drugs continue to be a problem in many different settings. However, raves continue to be among the most popular.
Raves
Raves are all-night dance parties that rarely only involve dancing. The drugs Ecstasy, GHB and Rohypnol have been popular rave drugs for a long time. Often, young people don’t even realize they have been given these drugs and the results have been known to be disastrous. Because the drugs have no taste, it is simple to slip them into drinks. And there is no way to know how you will react to the drugs, especially in combination with alcohol. They have been known to cause amnesia, hallucinations and even death in some instances.
The Importance of Getting Help
If you or someone you care about has found themselves with an addiction to club drugs, there is help available. You don’t have to suffer alone, and you don’t have to hang onto the addiction for the rest of your life. The Transitions Recovery Program is available to help you overcome any addiction you might have to club drugs or other substances. There are caring staff members on sight who know exactly what you’re going through and the best way to offer you the help you need. Give us a call today and start on the road to recovery.
