Alcohol abuse is highly prevalent in Florida, where an estimated 6.7% of adults ages 21 and older reported engaging in heavy alcohol use during the past month. Of those who are physically dependent on alcohol, less than 8% receive alcohol detox treatment at an alcohol rehab center. Florida is home to many addiction treatment centers that use detox and a range of therapies to help people recover from drug and alcohol abuse.
If you or a loved one needs help recovering from alcohol dependency, here are six benefits to choosing an alcohol detox program in Florida.
1. Luxurious Treatment Centers
Florida has miles of coastline where a countless number of addiction treatment centers have located their recovery facilities. A beachside setting can be relaxing, therapeutic, and mentally refreshing for people recovering from substance use disorders. Many alcohol detox programs in Florida are available at luxury rehab centers that offer a variety of top-notch amenities in addition to a picturesque seaside location.
Luxury rehab centers usually offer private rooms, housekeeping services, nutritious gourmet meals, laundry services, and transportation. Services like these can eliminate daily stressors for patients who typically worry about doing their own housecleaning, cooking healthy meals, and washing laundry—allowing more time for healing and recovery. Luxury treatment centers also often provide internet access, satellite television, libraries, game rooms, gyms and fitness centers, and many other amenities that enhance the recovery experience.
2. Warm Temperatures
Florida offers warm weather and temperatures that are typically more comfortable and milder than in many other states. During the summer, temperatures in South Florida average in the upper 80s, while winter temperatures tend to hover in the 70s. Those who want to escape the desert heat in places like southern Nevada and Arizona or the snow and freezing temperatures in states like Missouri and Minnesota can escape to Florida and experience a more enjoyable, relaxing recovery in milder weather.
Fresh air and physical activity are both known to play important roles in recovery from alcohol dependence and addiction. Evidence suggests that exercise helps improve symptoms of depression in those who abuse alcohol and increases the rate of alcohol abstinence. Physical exercise is even recognized as an effective add-on treatment for alcohol use disorder. People who choose to recover from alcohol dependence in Florida can spend more time outdoors being physically active instead of tucked away indoors hiding away from extreme temperatures.
3. Plenty of Sunlight Exposure
Florida’s state nickname is “The Sunshine State” on behalf of its year-round warm temperatures and sunny climate. Choosing an alcohol detox in Florida provides you with lots of exposure to sunlight and helps increase your body’s production of vitamin D—also known as the sunshine vitamin.
Chronic exposure to excessive amounts of alcohol is shown to significantly decrease the body’s vitamin D levels. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and plays an important role in growing and maintaining bones, reducing inflammation, modulating cell growth, and keeping the immune system strong. Lack of vitamin D can lead to thin, weak, and misshapen bones, and increases the risk for serious health problems including osteoporosis. Research indicates that people who abuse alcohol and who deplete their body’s levels of vitamin D are at increased risk for respiratory problems, infection, and death.
Vitamin D is available as a supplement and naturally present in eggs, fatty fish, and foods fortified in vitamin D, such as cereal, milk, and orange juice. Your body also produces vitamin D naturally when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Researchers suggest spending five to 30 minutes in the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least two times per week to boost your body’s production of vitamin D.
Recovering from alcohol dependence in Florida can help you receive the sun exposure needed to increase your vitamin D intake. Staying at an inpatient alcohol detox center where nutritious gourmet meals are prepared can also help you increase your intake of vitamin D.
4. Comprehensive Addiction Treatment
Many Florida rehab centers offer comprehensive treatment programs that are individualized for each patient. Alcohol detox is usually the first stage of addiction treatment and helps you recover from physical dependence on alcohol. Detox helps you get safely through alcohol withdrawal and face a reduced risk for complications, such as delirium tremens—a severe form of withdrawal characterized by hallucinations, delirium, and seizures.
Following alcohol detox, patients can join one of several treatment programs depending on the level of care they need. Inpatient and residential programs offer the highest level of care and provide 24-hour medical care and support. These programs can benefit pregnant women, people who are recovering from severe alcohol dependence, and those who have co-occurring mental illnesses or physical health conditions that require intensive care and constant monitoring.
Those who don’t need 24-hour support can join an outpatient program that offers more flexibility and meets for a set amount of hours per day or week. Partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient programs meet during the day or for a few hours at night so patients can continue living at home while recovering from alcohol use disorder. Outpatient programs can benefit those who have safe, supportive environments at home without access to alcohol, and who are also going to work or managing family lives.
5. Access to Alcohol Detox Medications
Florida detox centers may use medications to help relieve your withdrawal symptoms and reduce your risk for withdrawal-related complications. Alcohol withdrawal can set in as early as six hours after the last drink and produces symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, sweating, anxiety, and tremors. Anticonvulsants and benzodiazepines such as diazepam are often used to reduce tremors and prevent the onset of seizures.
Other medications that may be used during alcohol detox include acamprosate, naltrexone, and disulfiram. Acamprosate helps reduce withdrawal symptoms by normalizing brain chemistry disrupted by chronic alcohol abuse. Naltrexone interacts with the brain in ways that prevent you from experiencing alcohol-related euphoria when alcohol is consumed.
Disulfiram interacts with the production of an enzyme responsible for the metabolizing of alcohol and creates unpleasant effects when used with alcohol. Disulfiram is commonly used to help reduce the risk for relapse since it creates unwanted side effects like chest pain and nausea when combined with alcohol. All these medications promote a safe, successful, long-term recovery from alcohol dependence and addiction when used as part of alcohol detox.
6. Treatment Programs for Seniors
Florida attracts many older adults—many of whom want to retire in a warm, sunny climate near the beach. Of the 19 million people who live in Florida, nearly 37% are over the age of 50. More than 16% of men and 10% of women in this age group report binge drinking regularly.
In 2010, there were an estimated 4,740 treatment admissions to drug and alcohol rehab centers among the senior population, which represents a rate of 68 admissions for every 100,000 people. Additionally, 34% of Florida men and women aged 50 and older who receive substance abuse treatment also have co-occurring disorders such as depression and PTSD.
Many alcohol detox centers in Florida offer specialized treatment programs that cater to the senior population. Older adults often need close monitoring and a higher level of care during alcohol detox since they tend to have multiple health problems and respond differently to withdrawal than younger populations. Alcohol rehab centers in Florida also offer support groups and 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings restricted to older patients.
If you or a loved one needs help finding the best detox treatment center in Fort Lauderdale, Summer House Detox Center offers alcohol detox in a relaxed, luxurious setting to help you experience a safe, long-lasting recovery from alcohol addiction. Contact us today at 800-719-1090 to learn more about our available treatment programs. You can also visit us at 13550 Memorial Highway Miami, FL 33161. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
