FLORIDA DRUG REHABS AND FLORIDA ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTERS

FLORIDA DRUG REHABS AND FLORIDA ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTERS

What an Addict or Alcoholic Checking into a Florida Drug Rehab or Florida Treatment Center can expect.

Florida residents suffering from Addiction or Alcoholism may have misconceptions about their Addiction Treatment or Drug Rehab in Florida

What can you expect if you decide to go to a Florida drug and alcohol rehab center? If you have never been to a residential treatment facility, you may have some misconceptions about what does and does not take place during rehabilitation in Florida

First, no locks are on the doors. You are free to leave at any time. Even if you have been adjudicated by the criminal justice system into the program, you can still walk out. You may face the consequences later, but you can choose to leave.

The reason there are no locks is because no Florida Drug Rehab or Florida treatment program is going to work unless you are willing. If you enter most rehabs in Palm Beach knowing that you are going to drink or use drugs again, you are wasting your money and everyone's time.

If you decide to stay, here is what you can expect.

The First Stop - Detox

Some residential Florida rehab facilities have their own in-house detoxification programs, but more centers in Florida and Palm Beach today are requiring clients to complete detox prior to entering their facilities. In other words, you may need to get clean and sober before you can even enter rehab.

The trend today is to have you go through the withdrawal process at a facility that specializes in dealing with drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Typically, this done on a short-term, five to seven days, inpatient basis.

• What is Detoxification, or Detox?
• The Range of Withdrawal Symptoms
• Treatment for Withdrawal Symptoms

The Florida Facilities

There are thousands of residential rehab facilities in the U.S. today, and a majority of the quality Drug Rehabs are found in Florida, and each one is different from the next as far as its physical facilities are concerned. They range from almost primitive camp-type settings to hospital environments to the most luxurious facilities imaginable in Florida and everything in between.

Like most other things in life, you get what you pay for or what you or your insurance can afford. The type of physical facilities the Florida program offers has little to do with how successful their program might be in keeping you sober.

• Locate a Treatment Facility
• Does Drug and Alcohol Treatment Work?
• How Long Does Addiction Treatment Last?

Education

Education is a core component of all Florida treatment and Florida rehab programs. It may vary from facility to facility in Florida and Palm Beach, but generally the process is aimed at getting you to look at your addiction honestly and realistically, and change your attitude about your drug and alcohol use.

In the early stages of recovery in Florida, most alcoholics or addicts may still be holding on to some denial about the seriousness of their problem or may be ambivalent about quitting drugs and alcohol for good. Florida Treatment programs try to break through that denial and ambivalence to try to get you to commit to a clean and sober lifestyle.

Typically, you will learn about the nature of alcoholism and the dynamics of addiction, the effects drugs and alcohol have on your body and the consequences if you continue to use.

• It Doesn't Act Like a Disease!
• The Four Stages of Alcohol and Drug Rehab
• Dealing With Addiction Denial

Counseling and Group Therapy

During your Florida rehab, you will probably receive individual counseling with a trained addictions counselor and you will possibly participate daily in group therapy meetings with others at the facility.

These sessions are designed to begin to teach you the skills that you will need to live life without drugs and alcohol. You will learn how to recognize situations in which you are most likely to drink or use drugs and how to avoid these circumstances if possible. You will learn new coping skills.

The group sessions are designed to teach you the value of seeking support from others who are going through the same experiences and challenges that you are. In some Florida facilities, these group sessions may be actual 12 step meetings. In other facilities, they may be facilitated by staff members.

• Components of Effective Treatment Programs
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Addiction
• What Can I Expect at a 12-Step Meeting?

Family Meetings

Many successful Florida drug and alcohol rehab programs will include members of your family in your treatment program. Out of town families are asked to fly into Palm Beach to come to the Florida Rehab. Research has shown that including family and friends in the educational process significantly improves rehab outcomes. Some programs include family members and friends throughout the entire Florida rehab process, from the initial assessment through continued follow-up aftercare.

In the family meetings at the Florida Rehab, your families members will learn about the dynamics of addiction and learn to identify strengths and resources to help encourage you in your recovery, discuss how they have been affected by your substance abuse and learn how they also can begin to heal their own wounds.

Many Florida rehab facilities require family members to attend Al-Anon meetings in Palm Beach if they want to visit you while you are in Florida treatment, to learn how they may have been enabling you and contributing to the problem with their actions and reactions to your substance abuse.

• The Many Facets of Enabling
• Learning How to Detach
• What is Al-Anon?

Aftercare Program

The typical Florida residential drug and alcohol rehab program will last about 28 days, sometimes longer, during which you are in a structured environment where no drugs are alcohol are available. Then what? What happens when you have to leave the relative safety of the Florida facility and go back into the real world?

Successful Florida rehab programs have a strong aftercare program plan designed to meet your individual needs. By now your counselor probably knows you well and will suggest the next steps to take based on where you are on your recovery journey in Palm Beach, Florida or beyond.

Your aftercare plan may include intensive outpatient treatment in Florida or Palm Beach, residence at a halfway house in Florida or Palm Beach, attendance at 12 step meetings, weekly check-ins with your counselor and other suggestions to help you avoid the situations and triggers that might cause you to relapse.

Florida Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Treatment Situation

Florida has always been a major hub for international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Its location, surrounding geography, large coastline, short distance to the West Indies and South America and multitude of ethnic groups has made it a haven for drug trafficking. Florida remains the major thoroughfare for cocaine and heroin shipment into the northeastern United States and Canada.

Despite the heighten security since 9/11, Miami International Airport still remains a prime area for smuggling in heroin and MDMA. Once inside Florida, almost every county has been infiltrated with local drug smugglers and traffickers. Smuggling in the State occurs via various types automobile, trucks, vans, boats, cargo freighters and by private and commercial aircraft. Additionally, transportation via the interstates is a major method of trans-state distribution. The Florida drug trade is under control of the Mexican and Columbian drug organizations. All drugs are widely abused in the State, but Methamphetamine is remains the most cherished.

Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine remains a common drug of abuse in Florida. The majority of cocaine is smuggled into the state via the air, sea and interstates. Every type of imaginable method of transport has been used to being the drug into Florida. Once smuggled into Florida, the drug is re packaged and shipped to the North East. Much of the interstate transfer is via automobiles, cars, van, trucks and campers with secrete hidden compartments.

Much of the cocaine into Florida arrives via the West Indies. Large seizures are common along the Caribbean corridor and vigilance by law enforcement is at an all time high.

Crack Cocaine is the form preferred by the drug abusers and remains a major threat to all Florida cities. Associated with crack cocaine, is the gang related violence, homicides, robberies, inner city crime, poverty and prostitution. The distribution of crack cocaine throughout Florida is governed by a number of organizations. Much of the spread of crack cocaine within Florida is done via automobiles. Street gangs control the distribution of the drug within their territory.

Club Drugs

Florida is a heaven for club drug usage. It leads the nation in seizures of MDMA. Florida remains the international hub for shipment of MDMA. The drugs are brought in from Europe, South America and even the West Indies. Because of its glamour, night life and club scene, MDMA continues to dominate the drug scene. It is widely used by college students and party goers. Almost all colleges in the state are deluged with club drugs. GHB, LSD and PCP are also readily available in Florida, especially in and around colleges and universities.

With a large tourist population, a large number of club drugs are also shipped, mailed, or smuggled into other states. Additionally, the annual "spring break" activities in the panhandle are a prime time for club drugs and reports indicate that users are becoming younger by the year.

Heroin Addiction

Heroin is not the most popular drug but still is readily available throughout the State of Florida. The price, purity and consistency have remained the same for the past 2 decades. The majority of heroin comes in from South America and Mexico. The majority of heroin is then destined for other parts of the country. The heroin is either shipped in or brought in via air using private couriers.

Most heroin distribution and transportation organizations have ties to Colombia and New York and are active throughout Florida. Because of the increased vigilance at airport and interstates, drug traffickers have started to utilize parcel post to ship drugs across the country.

Once the heroin enters Florida, it is transported via automobiles, buses, and trains to the northeast United States.

Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine remains a major drug of abuse in all parts of Florida. The drug is smuggled into Florida by Mexican/California drug trafficking organizations based in California and Texas.

Also available is methamphetamine manufactured in clandestine laboratories. These numerous clandestine are a growing danger because of the explosive chemicals they use and the environmental pollution that they cause. Recently the Florida legislature has banned the use of ephedrine in cough mixtures to prevent the drug manufacturers from getting access to the precursor chemicals.

However, super methamphetamine laboratories have popped all over the country and are difficult to detect. Recent reports indicate that methamphetamine is a favored drug within the homosexual community. The primary distribution method of distributing methamphetamine is via the postal services.

Marijuana Addiction

Marijuana remains a major problem in Florida. The major source of marijuana is from the West Indies. The drug is usually smuggled in via go-fast boats and other private ships. In addition, home gown marijuana has also increased recently. Because of Florida’s temperate climate, this crop is available year around and grown all over the state.

Marijuana is also smuggled into the state from the neighboring states, Canada, South America Tex/Mex marijuana is smuggled along Interstate-10 into the Panhandle and smugglers see this less monitored route to transport the drug. A significant amount of the marijuana trade is controlled by the West Indies gangs and they also play a role in shipment of the drug to the Northern USA.

Pharmaceutical Drugs

Current investigations indicate that diversion of hydrocodone products such as Vicodin, xanax, methadone, benzodiazepines and oxycodone products such as OxyContin continues to be a problem in Florida. The major method of obtaining these drugs is via the internet, illegal sale by physicians/pharmacists, doctor shopping, forged prescriptions, and employee theft. With a lucrative market, fake prescriptions have also infiltrated the market.

Money Laundering

Miami is a major center for financial institutions and ranks number one in the volume of commercial banks and foreign corporations that are chartered by the Federal Reserve to engage in international banking. Because of the major drug trafficking that occurs in the state, money laundering has been a major problem and legislation has passed laws to monitor and govern all financial transections. The Florida government is well aware of financial transections that occur and seizures are not uncommon. Most of the seizures of drug money have been from individuals who leave Florida for South America. The most common concealment methods were in luggage, clothing and body carrying.

Drug Laws

With the recent explosion in clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, Florida legislation established the Florida Statewide Methamphetamine Strategy. The law has helped create regional teams to provide guidance to law enforcement agencies to improve coordination of clean-up activities and response to clandestine lab sites. The strategy also establishes a statewide protocol for first responders and emphasis will be placed on education and training in clandestine laboratory certification and site safety.

DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams have been developed in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. Since the inception of the MET Program, 473 deployments have been completed nationwide, resulting in many arrests. In addition, DEA Regional Enforcement Teams have been designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. This Program was conceived in 1999 in response to the threat posed by drug trafficking organizations that have established networks of cells to conduct drug trafficking operations in smaller, non-traditional trafficking locations in the United States.

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