Looking for Help from Miami, Florida?
Miami is known as the “Magic City” where people indulge vice for sport in the game of life. As with any game, however, there are winners and losers. And when vice is played for sport, there are a lot more defeats than victories. One of the more common tragedies that befall people in Miami is alcohol abuse.
Drinking in itself isn’t necessarily problematic, rather, it is drinking to extremes that ruins lives and families. Not everyone who drinks will abuse alcohol. Some people can drink and control their use and live a life with alcohol that doesn’t send them over the edge. The people who have a problem with alcohol abuse generally are using alcohol for the wrong reasons. For example, some people retreat to alcohol to escape their problems.
Others use alcohol to self-medicate with various mental illnesses. People who self-medicate with alcohol might feel as though they are mediating the situation, but it’s only a short term solution—and in many cases it’s not even a short term solution. Given the unpredictable nature of mental illness, it is unwise to mix it with alcohol, which can distort and disorient a person’s brain even more. In some cases, substance abuse has driven people even further into the abyss of mental illness.
The Catastrophe of Alcohol Abuse
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 88,000 people die a year from alcohol abuse. Alcohol is a poison that wrecks every aspect of human life if abused. People who abuse alcohol often have a genetic predisposition. They may be more susceptible than the average person to use alcohol exorbitantly. When people go from drinking occasionally to chronically they are in severe danger of developing an alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence occurs when the brain has adjusted to the consistent presence of alcohol over time, and functions differently because of it. As the brain changes, the user’s tolerance to alcohol increases. As tolerance goes up, the more liquor someone needs to down in order to sustain the drunken low. If someone choses to drink more in response, they will risk slipping into dependence.
Beyond the dangers of becoming dependent on alcohol, there are a lot of health effects associated with alcohol abuse as well. Someone who drinks runs the risk of impairing their heart, brain, kidneys, liver and immune system that happen over time. Even one binge drinking episode can cause long-term damage to the body.
Abusing alcohol also strains ties with loved ones. People who abuse alcohol often forfeit commitments with others in order to maintain their buzz. As a result, they ruin relationships and isolate themselves, which could lead them to drink even more. Another problem with alcohol abuse is that it sabotages the human spirit. Anything that distracts or dulls the psyche is an immediate danger to one’s spiritual well-being. In that sense, alcohol abuse threatens the mind, body, spirit and community. It is an equal opportunity offender that’s hell bent on decimation.
Intervention
Fortunately, there’s hope if your loved one who is abusing alcohol even if they don’t acknowledge that they have a problem. People who abuse alcohol can convince themselves that they aren’t doing anything wrong or that they are only hurting themselves. Some people feel as though they have a right to hurt themselves, but loved ones can help them realize their actions affect others. When the person who is abusing alcohol realizes they are hurting others it may lead them to seek treatment. The best way to help someone come to this realization is through an intervention.
At ABT we can provide you with the resources to obtain an interventionist. Interventionists are trained in psychology and crisis management. They are able to serve as neutral, objective parties during the intervention process. Though you don’t have to get an intervention specialist, it is highly recommended because of the level of expertise they have.
If your loved one decides to get treatment, it’s highly recommended for them to travel to a rehab facility out of state. Traveling for rehab is important because it removes them from the toxic environment that their abuse grew out of. ABT has state of the art facilities with 24-hour care and a supportive empathetic staff. Most of the people ABT employs are not only experts, but have also gone through treatment themselves, which helps to create a safe and understanding environment. Though hiring an interventionist isn’t required, it is strongly suggested.
Paying for Treatment
Some people avoid seeking out treatment because they feel as though it isn’t affordable. However, ABT makes sure to offer flexible payment options and takes most insurances. Also, a lot of insurance companies will pay for most, if not all of the treatment costs.
Detox at A Better Today
Detox at a better today is structured to make the patient as comfortable as possible. When someone goes through detox from alcohol dependence, they will experience a host of withdrawal symptoms that can range from mild to extreme. Some of the milder symptoms of withdrawals include shaking, sweating, vomiting and insomnia. In extreme cases the patient will have hallucinations or seizures. The seizures associated with detox can be fatal, which makes it important to undergo a medically supervised withdrawal process.
When you arrive at the ABT facility, our medically trained staff will take you through an examination. During the examination you will be asked questions regarding your history with abuse. It is important to answer these questions truthfully as they will dictate your treatment going forward. After the initial examination you will go through detox, which could take up to 14 days.
During detox our team will give you various medications to help subside the withdrawal symptoms. In tandem with the medications, it’s suggested that the patient exercise as well. Exercise helps the body as it is going through withdrawals. After the patient has finished detox, they will be ready for the rehab portion of treatment.
Treatment with A Better Today
At A Better Today we take pride in our commitment to helping people recover as individuals. We try and make sure that our treatment plans are tailored specifically to meet each person’s individual needs. Our company grounds its rehab in cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT therapy is about identifying the various negative thought patters that undergird negative behavior. When you are able to re-construct those negative thought patterns you can begin to live a proactive and positive life.
The two main forms of therapy are individual and group. In individual therapy, the patient will get paired with a psychologist who has a master’s degree and a specialty in addiction counseling and co-occurring disorders. A lot of people who go through treatment have mental health issues that need to be addressed. In individual therapy there will be an emphasis on managing such issues and coming up with coping mechanism for living in the real world.
Group therapy is all about re-engaging people in community. When someone abuses alcohol they can isolate themselves from the people who they love. As result, their social skills are diminished and need to be built back up. In the group therapy sessions they will learn how to trust people again in an environment full of love and acceptance. Another important feature of group therapy is the motivation aspect. When people hear other’s stories of recovery and progression it can help them continue the fight for sobriety.
Every person who enters treatment has a unique story and timetable for recovery. In that sense, some people will complete treatment in 30 days and some longer. It really depends on the person. At ABT we try not to pigeon hold anybody to a preconceived timetable. We aim to adjust to each person’s story. A lot of people who leave treatment and go straight back to the environment that spawned their abuse run the rise of relapsing. Because of that, it’s suggested for the patient to enroll in sober living after they finish rehab. ABT employs the sober living facilities, where people are given an opportunity to smoothly transition back into the real world. In tandem with the sober living option, people are encouraged to seek out 12-step groups and counseling to keep them on the path of sobriety. When someone finishes rehab at A Better Today they are forever a part of the ABT family.
