Rehab
Rehab for Oxycodone in Florida
Jun 1st
It was shocking when Florida’s Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp wrote in an opinion column circulated to newspapers in that state that nearly all of the top 50 prescribers of oxycodone in the United States are in Florida. The active ingredient in OxyContin and other painkillers like Percocet, oxycodone is an addictive substance, and Florida’s well-publicized status as a pill mill haven has brought many seeking the powerful substance to the state. From 2001 to 2008, more than 2,000 oxycodone overdoses were reported in the state. With a problem so pronounced, it’s no surprise that alongside options to obtain the drug, there are many ways to seek rehab for oxycodone in Florida.
A variety of state agencies in Florida work together to encourage those who are addicted to oxycodone and other substances to seek treatment. Some agencies help shepherd average citizens into outpatient and inpatient rehab facilities, while drug court programs attempt to keep non-violent drug offenders out of state prisons by offering stringent treatment programs. Despite myths to the contrary, people are able to overcome drug addiction and overcome the harmful effects drug abuse can have not only on their brains and bodies, but also on their families and lives.
Not all rehab facilities are created equal. This is true not only for oxycodone abuse, but for all substance abuse. No two people are alike, and no two addictions are alike. The unique combination of influences that cause an addiction to develop must be deconstructed and attacked one by one to break the addiction cycle for some addicts, while other addicts with less severe dependencies can benefit from less intensive treatment regimens. Either way, treating the problem is regarded in Florida and many other U.S. states as far cheaper than taking punitive action.
Oxycodone is designed to treat pain, and is a Schedule II controlled substance. Doctors can prescribe oxycodone in a variety of forms for medical purposes, but addicts can abuse the drug not just by taking more pills than prescribed, but also by snorting, injecting or chewing it. Some users may experience seizures, as the drug alters the brain’s normal electrical activity. A user’s breathing can also be impacted by use or abuse of oxycodone, either becoming too rapid or too slow. Still other users experience cold, clammy or itchy skin, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dry mouth and headache, along with heart problems and an increase in pressure in the fluid that surrounds the brain, which can lead to memory and decision-making problems.
Although the side effects and health risks paint a scary picture, there’s a reason users can become addicted to the drug. Because oxycodone blocks or slows the brain’s reaction to pain and other stimuli, it can cause feelings of numbness and a floating sensation, along with a release of brain chemicals called endorphins that can lead to a sense of euphoria. It can also change a user’s perception of time.
Pleasant as the effects that lead to addiction may be, once a chemical dependency is established, a user can experience extreme distress and discomfort should his or her supply of opiates be disrupted. Irritability, heavy sweating, intense abdominal cramps and diarrhea strike when the drug begins to leave the system, and the user may also experience strange sensations on his or her skin, an increase in aches and pains, anxiety, mood swings, rapid heartbeat, hallucinations, goose bumps, trouble sleeping, vomiting and other unbearable symptoms.
Those symptoms aren’t just uncomfortable. Especially in cases of extreme addiction, withdrawal from oxycodone and other narcotic painkillers can actually damage a user’s liver, brain, heart or lungs. Without medical supervision, those trying to detoxify their bodies from extreme cases of addiction can experience possibly fatal effects, such as sudden and excessive drops in blood pressure, breathing problems, shock, coma or even cardiac or respiratory arrest.
For those whose addiction is advanced, medical supervision during withdrawal symptoms can not only take temptation out of the equation, but can save a life. Medications can be administered to reduce or eliminate completely the unpleasant and risky symptoms of withdrawal, while trained treatment personnel in the best rehab facilities can provide a total cocoon of support around a person struggling through the most intense withdrawal symptoms.
Rehab for oxycodone in Florida isn’t hard to find. In fact, it’s only a phone call away. Whether you’re looking for an in-patient rehab facility that will allow you to focus solely on getting better or an outpatient option that will mix medicine with counseling, plenty of options are out there, as are state and federal programs designed to offset the cost of seeking treatment. Meetings with 12-step groups, both faith-based and secular, can provide addicts with a support system of peers from all walks of life who face the same struggle. You don’t have to go through this alone.
Rehab for Oxycontin New Jersey
May 31st
Some start out on the road to Oxycontin addiction innocently enough, walking out of a doctor’s office, prescription in hand, with high hopes that the pills will give relief from chronic pain. Others get their introduction to painkillers at parties with friends, or from a family member’s medicine cabinet, pocketing a few pills out of curiosity. Some users swallow pills normally, while others chew, crush, snort or even inject pills to achieve the euphoric effect they desire. As addiction sets in and tolerance grows, a user’s habit can spiral out of control, taking precedence over family, employment, health and well-being. No matter how the drug first enters a user’s system, the result, more often than not, is the same — right now, untold thousands in New Jersey are silently suffering the effects of Oxycontin addiction, afraid to seek treatment and unsure of how to get help when they’re ready.
If you are looking for a rehab for Oxycontin in New Jersey, you need not look far. Plenty of inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities exist within the state, offering a range of treatment services that will allow you to tailor your recovery experience to your particular needs. Need help with detoxification? There are facilities that will both monitor your medical process to assure the physical effects of withdrawal don’t do you permanent harm, and even provide you with medication to ease the nausea, cramping, sweating, chills and mood swings that are hallmarks of the opioid withdrawal process. In medically monitored detox facilities, patients are under the watchful eyes of medical and nursing professionals 24 hours a day as they struggle through the most dangerous part of their recovery. Counseling and therapy are provided, but at a minimal level as patients who require this kind of intensive treatment aren’t generally up to talking during their first days without their Oxycontin fix. An inpatient rehab period for opiate abusers of 30-90 days is recommended.
Once you have navigated the initial detoxification process, you can work with family members and medical professionals to determine what approach would be the best for your particular needs and challenges.
New Jersey residents battling more serious drug addictions might seek haven in a halfway house treatment facility, which provides room, board and services but allows participants to leave the facility. Structured activities, up to seven hours per day, can include counseling services, education on how to apply recovery skills, employment training and even recreation.
Short-term (30 days) or long-term (90 days or more) residential treatment is more structured and rigorous than the environment in a halfway house. Patients get two hours minimum each week of individual therapy, at least 10 hours of group therapy spread out over at least four sessions and family sessions as needed. In residential treatment facilities, unlike halfway houses, patients are not afforded as much freedom to leave the facility.
Those with the most serious addictions to Oxycontin must consider long-term residential treatment, which takes the user completely out of the environment they’ve come to associate with drug addiction, works to break the cycle. In that type of treatment, patients live in a rigorously structured treatment facility, with no less than eight hours per week of counseling spread out over at least five different sessions. Intensive and lengthy group therapy sessions alongside individual counseling and other training activities designed to ease the eventual integration back into normal life provide full days focused solely on getting better. Residents in this type of facility also enjoy structured recreation activities alongside their peers.
No matter what kind of treatment you seek, the first step — asking for help — is the most important. That said, there is no magic bullet to “cure” Oxycontin addiction. Drug treatment and recovery is a process, a process during which many people experience relapses. Do not let that deter you. No matter how severe your addiction is, there is a rehab for Oxycontin in New Jersey that can help, as long as you are willing to admit you have a problem and commit to solving it. Many addicts lean on family members and friends for support, while still others receive help paying for their treatment through state and federal subsidies, coverage by their health insurance programs and even incentive programs offered by some employers.
New Jersey Rehab for Oxycontin
May 27th
Gary was never a partier. He didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink and he didn’t stay out late. He preferred a quiet life, coming home after a day of work at the scrap metal yard to watch a little television with his fiancé, playing with his dogs and tidying up the house. On the weekends, he enjoyed watching sporting events with his buddies, going fishing, finishing up a few “honey-do” projects around the house and going to church on Sunday.
He was just a typical resident of New Jersey, living out a normal life. That is, until he hurt his back. Unable to perform his duties at work, Gary found himself on medical leave, sitting in a hospital gown on a table in his doctor’s office. He shuffled to his car after the doctor’s visit, hurting but hopeful about the prescription for OxyContin scribbled in nearly illegible doctor’s script in his pocket. After a stop at the pharmacy, he headed home to take his medicine and rest.
Fast forward to six months later. Gary was again sitting in a hospital gown, this time in an emergency room. He didn’t need to glance at the ubiquitous pain scale on the wall in the emergency room when the doctor asked him to rate his pain — he’d been through this more times than he could count, at hospitals many miles away from home, both in New Jersey and neighboring states. “A 10,” he said, averting his eyes from the doctor’s gaze, hoping this visit would yield the pain pills that had become the only way to stave off the shakes, the chills, the violent mood swings and gut cramps that were already starting.
Gary needed a New Jersey rehab facility for OxyContin, but it would be several months before a doctor-shopping charge pushed him to seek the treatment he needed. He knew he had a problem long before his life crumbled around him, but was too scared of what his family, friends and coworkers might think if he landed in a rehab facility. He didn’t realize that everyone around him already knew there was a problem, but was uncomfortable broaching the topic, for fear he’d lash out or retreat even further into the bedroom where he spent most of his waking hours.
There are thousands of men and women just like Gary across New Jersey, who slipped into the grips of OxyContin addiction without realizing what was happening. One pill per day turns into two, two turn into four and suddenly, legitimately obtained prescriptions are running out weeks before they can be refilled. Some feign pain in hospital after hospital, while others try their hands at going doctor to doctor, hoping one will be willing to write another prescription for cheap pills covered by health insurance. Still others turn to internet pharmacies, while another sector of the addicted population turns to the street for their pills, paying up to a dollar per milligram for the drugs they can’t seem to escape the grip of.
If you or a family member needs help, there are plenty of treatment options available, many of which are subsidized by state and federal voucher programs. Plenty of employers offer addiction assistance incentive programs, and many health insurance policies cover treatment. Help is just a phone call away, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A great resource to use is an organization called Recovery Hub at www.recoveryhub.org.
Not all treatment programs are the same — the recovery process depends on the severity of the addiction, and also on other factors of an addict’s life. Some who are addicted to OxyContin may be struggling with abuse of alcohol or other prescription medications at the same time — a combination that can be more dangerous and deadly than abusing painkillers alone. Other addicts may only have one chemical dependency, but may suffer at the same time from additional mental health problems that complicate the treatment process. Some may benefit most from an intensive rehab for OxyContin that keeps them on the campus of an inpatient or residential treatment facility for weeks at a stretch, while others may require a looser treatment schedule that allows them to continue working and caring for their families.
Hundreds of private and state-funded treatment facilities, ranging from hands-off treatments that require only a few hours of counseling per week, to residential treatment centers where patients aren’t allowed to leave, are available in New Jersey. Facilities will keep an eye on those with serious addictions as they go through the dangerous process of detoxification, sometimes offering other medications to help step down severe addictions without risking harm to a person’s system. Twelve-step programs both in residential rehab facilities or based in the community help addicts identify the factors in their lives that led them to hit rock bottom and work through righting as many of the wrongs in their past as possible. Some programs will even help teach addicts life skills aimed at preventing them from turning to drugs when times get tough.
No matter what your needs are, and no matter how your painkiller dependency started, there is a New Jersey rehab for OxyContin addiction that can help you break the cycle of addiction.
Florida Rehab for Oxycodone
May 26th
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I thought the surgery to fix the bulging discs in my back would be the end of my troubles, allowing me to get back to normal life. I looked forward to helping out around the house again, to playing with my children. I couldn’t wait to run errands like a normal person, free from the pain that had kept me miserable for years. With my surgery finished and a fresh prescription for pain pills to help me recover, I thought I was getting my life back. I never dreamed I was headed down a worse road that would leave me funneling every cent I could get my hands on into pain pills, going from emergency room to street corner searching for something to keep me from getting the sweats, chills and cramps that came when too long had passed since my last pill. The next thing I knew, I found myself in Florida desperately seeking help for my addiction and rehab for oxycodone.”
Sound familiar? Florida has become a Mecca for those who, for whatever reason, have become addicted to prescription pain medications like oxycodone. Drug users get a false sense of security from the knowledge that prescription drugs, unlike their cousins sold on the black market, are regulated by the government. Users know what they’re buying when they stick with pills, and take comfort in the security of a regular and predictable dosage. In addition, if one can work the system right, prescription medications can be covered by insurance and, in Florida, incredibly easily attained in a hospital or doctor’s office, rather than in the dark of night on a seedy street corner.
More than half a billion doses of oxycodone (brand name Oxycontin, also commonly known as “oxy”) were distributed in Florida in 2009 — that’s two times as many as in any other state. Since 2005, the number of pills containing the powerful opioid painkiller distributed in Florida has more than tripled. In the past several years, the state has stepped up efforts to crack down on illegal pain clinics and pill mills, arresting clinic owners and physicians, seizing millions of dollars in cash and other assets.
While those on the law enforcement side of the spectrum focus on stopping the supply of drugs in the state, fleets of other professionals focus on treatment options, setting up rehab centers for oxycodone that rely on a variety of methods to combat the crippling grip of addiction. Most rehab facilities work with not only the addicted individual, but also with his or her family to make sure support systems exist to work hand-in-hand with clinical methods designed to help break the cycle of addiction.
In-patient rehabs screen patients carefully, making sure they are medically and mentally able to begin the journey of recovery. From the outset, it is important for medical experts to know a patient’s level of addiction to oxycodone before they can determine how best to tackle the problem. Comprehensive addiction and recovery programs monitor patients closely from the first risky step — detoxification — through integration back into real life.
Patients in Florida rehab facilities for oxycodone often receive intensive counseling and treatment for other issues that exist alongside drug addiction, such as mental disorders or physical side effects of drug abuse. A holistic approach provides the best hope for total recovery in patients, each of whom come to the table with unique issues, challenges and life circumstances. For some, medicines designed to mimic the effects of opioids or inhibit the body’s reactions to such drugs can help wean patients off of oxy. For all clients, counseling and group sessions are more effective, and some luxury rehabs offer many other services designed to help the client feel comfortable during their stay and begin to form new habits.
Many who find themselves addicted to prescription pain medications avoid seeking help because of the stigma associated with addiction. If you’re having those feelings, it’s important to remember that drug addiction can strike anyone of any age, any gender, any nationality and any income bracket. Furthermore, the disease of addiction doesn’t just affect those who are physically addicted — the coffers of local, state and federal government agencies are drained by both the direct effects of drug addiction, including medical costs, and the indirect effects, such as legal action and childcare costs. Drug addiction costs the American economy $180 billion annually. And although punitive approaches were preferred in the past, throughout the years, law enforcement and medical professionals have realized that treatment is often the cheaper option — estimates say that for every dollar spent on treating addiction, $7 are saved in criminal justice costs.
The first step to breaking the cycle is seeking help, and while seeking help may seem like a Herculean task, it’s really quite simple thanks to modern technology. With the mere click of a mouse or a few taps on a telephone keypad, trained professionals who have made it their life’s mission to help people just like you can be reached, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A wonderful resource to use is an organization called Recovery Hub (www.recoveryhub.org) which, working with a nationwide network, can help people with addiction to oxycodone or any other substance find the best treatment center for them.
How Florida Drug Rehabs That Take Insurance Open Doors of Hope for Drug Dependents
May 23rd
Substance abuse, especially drug addiction, is a very serious problem not only for the drug addicts themselves, but also for the entire state of Florida. The cases of drug addicts in the state have reached alarming rates. Drug dependence spans a wide variety of types, including addiction to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription medication, and marijuana. Another factor that adds to the gravity of the problem is the fact that quitting substance dependence cannot be done overnight. Its effects in an individual are not only limited to the physiologic functioning but also extend to the psychological component of a well-being. Thus, the course of treatment is usually multi-faceted and long-term.
Many drug rehabilitation facilities and services are available for drug addicts who want to undergo treatment and rehabilitation. The enrollment in such programs is necessary in the critical process of withdrawal starting recovery from substance dependence. In addition to the professional help, family support and the client’s commitment to the treatment are very crucial in the treatment. As long as the patient or client is cooperative with the drug rehabilitation, the possibility of complete recovery can be high.
It is imperative that a person suffering from drug addiction find a drug rehab program that fits his beliefs and needs. One of the common queries of people in such drug rehabs is how much the treatment will cost. It can be quite expensive, usually costing a few thousand dollars or more per month. If an individual has insurance, many of Florida’s rehabilitation centers do accept insurance. It also provides clients or patients with many options of high quality and respected drug rehabs that they can co-pay for the drug rehabilitation, regardless of the type of care (i.e., in-patient, out-patient, partial hospitalization, or residential) the rehab team seems necessary.
Prior to admission to a particular drug rehab program, it is best to inquire first of their services and the fees and rates corresponding such services. This is also the best time to ask if they accept different forms of insurance. A wonderful resource at which to find help is an organization called Recovery Hub at www.recoveryhub.org. They work with many different facilities and can find the most suitable one for you based on your needs and your insurance coverage.
Some treatment facilities accept only self-payment. Others accept self-payment in addition to state-financed insurance as the payment mode. There are also possible options whereby certain insurance can be used in conjunction with insurance secondary insurance. For example, the state financed insurance can be used with private health insurance. The availability of such options shall be inquired in order to further reduce the costs to be shouldered by the client.
Unfortunately, there are a few problems and inconsistencies in terms of the legislation and implementation of insurance parity in the state of Florida. There are insurance companies that do not offer treatment coverage for drug dependence and mental health needs at a similar level to physical health needs. In addition, not all the treatment facilities in Florida offer insurance coverage as the mode of payment. This can be unfortunate especially for clients or patients whose residence is far from a drug rehab facility that allows insurance as a form of payment. In order to remedy these limitations, the patients and their significant others should exert more effort in finding the most accessible and, more importantly, respected drug rehab facilities that accept insurance as payment mode. Aside from the different types of insurance benefits, there are also rehab facilities that offer other forms of payment assistance that can help in financing the rehabilitation. One example of this is the sliding fee scale wherein the fees and charges are dependent on the patient’s income and other socioeconomic factors.
Prior to the processing and approval of the benefits covered by the insurance, the Florida drug rehabs or a resource like Recovery Hub (www.recoveryhub.org) will first verify the validity of the insurance account. In the verification process, information pertaining to the insurance company name; subscriber ID number; insurance company’s number; prospective patient’s name, address, and phone number; insured’s social security number and date of birth; and patient’s social security number and date of birth should be prepared. Depending on the facility’s standard operating procedures, the verification procedure can be done over the phone or in the office of the facility itself.
With the presence of Florida drug rehabs that take insurance, clients seeking for rehabilitation from drug dependence will not have to struggle with worrying that they would not be able to access a professional treatment because of financial difficulties. No matter what socioeconomic class a person belongs to, there is certainly a way for one to move past drug addiction.