Addiction in Tampa, Florida

The Opiate Crisis - Tampa Florida

Harrison Cowan, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Manager of Operations says that the opiate crisis is “worsening” as people with substance use issues are mixing heroin and fentanyl “to the point that they’re dying almost instantly”.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office says that people with drug and alcohol problems go so far as to steal to get money for opiates, with one drug ring stealing $2.4 million in tools from four local Home Depots alone, “they are using the stolen items to get the drugs they need”.

Cocaine in Tampa Bay

Cocaine is so plentiful in Florida that it is even washing up on Florida beaches.

The Drug Enforcement Administration says that the rise in cocaine use can be attributed to increases in availability and that the presence of fentanyl contaminated cocaine is also rising.

“Fentanyl/cocaine mixtures often target a user-base that is typically unaware that it is consuming fentanyl and thus more likely to have an adverse reaction than one who intentionally sought out the opioid”.

Drug users are so unaware of the risk they are taking using cocaine that when they do seek out drug treatment in Tampa, they might even be shocked that their drug test comes back positive for an opiate.

Families Affected in Hillsborough County

Child Protective Investigators in Hillsborough County Florida say that “it’s an easy decision to remove children when there is clear evidence of domestic violence, heroin, or cocaine use in the home.” Hillsborough removes more children from their homes, than any other county in Florida.

This often leaves family members taking the children in unexpectedly and at the same time desperately searching for a drug and alcohol treatment program in Tampa that their loved one can enter as soon as possible.

Drug and Alcohol Treatment - A Community Approach in Tampa Florida

Stem, a drug counselor who presented at an opiate education event at the University of South Florida in Tampa, said it perfectly, “It takes a family, it takes a village, to succeed and stay clean and sober.”

For many people they don’t know what to do or where to go for help with a drug or alcohol problem. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone. Talking to a drug counselor in Tampa, Florida can help.

What if my Loved One Refuses to Get Help?

Even if your loved one isn’t ready to get help for themselves, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have options. Talking to a drug and alcohol counselor that specializes in addiction issues can help you figure out a plan on what to do.

Talking to a counselor yourself can help give you the support you need. And many people find going to an Al-Anon Meeting in Tampa or a Nar-Anon Meeting in Tampa helpful as well. You need all the support you can get to fight this terrible disease. If you have any questions, please reach out for a free 20-minute consultation.

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Addiction in Florida

The Opiate Epidemic in Florida

The Patterns and Trends of Substance Use in Florida 2019 report indicates that deaths due to opioid overdose have been recognized as the main cause of the life expectancy decline in the United States since 2016. Statistics in Florida suggest that there is an increase in opioid related deaths in our state, which can be attributed mainly to Heroin and Fentanyl.

Due to the rising numbers of overdoses in 2017 Florida enacted stiffer penalties for drug dealers, allowing them to be charged with murder if their customers overdose and die using fentanyl, a cheap, deadly painkiller that is often mixed in with other substances such as heroin and cocaine.

The opiate epidemic is a real problem in Florida. Many families just like yours are struggling. Watching drugs take over your loved one’s life is heart breaking.

Cocaine Use Increasing in Florida

The Florida Medical Examiners Commission Report indicates that the number of deaths with detected cocaine use, has been increasing. Because of it’s geographical location, Florida is an entry point for much of nation’s supply of cocaine. The Coast Guard says that for the past three years they have broken records for drug seizures, stopping more than 1.3 million pounds of cocaine from reaching Florida’s shores. It’s important that the community knows about these issues and where to receive drug treatment in Florida if needed.

Methamphetamine Use In Florida On The Rise

The National Emerging Threats Initiative, part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program is warning the nation of the increase in methamphetamine (meth) use. Data indicates that seizures of methamphetamines are up, which shows us that more and more people are using this dangerous and highly addictive substance. Like other illegal substances methamphetamines can be obtained from drug dealers, but meth can also be produced using regular household chemicals, and “cooked” relatively easily.

Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected, or swallowed orally. Oftentimes people with drug and alcohol problems will use several different substances, raising the risk that something bad could happen to them. Meth in particular is extremely addicting and very difficult to break away from.

Drug and alcohol counselors in Florida can help your loved one, but for many families it is difficult to convince their loved one to get the drug and alcohol treatment that they need.

Alcohol Problems in Florida

Although drunk driving deaths fell in the state of Florida last year, 814 people still died as a result of an impaired driver. Studies also show that young adults are drinking less than in previous generations but that for older adults binge drinking has actually increased. This is a sobering statistic for Florida, who has a large retirement population, and also highlights the importance of drug and alcohol treatment programs in Florida.

When a loved one has a problem with alcohol it can be very difficult to treat, as alcohol is a legal substance, and very easy to obtain. Oftentimes a person with an alcohol problem might not even realize that they need help, they might not see the effects it is having on their loved ones.

What You Can Do If You Think Your Loved One Has A Drug Or Alcohol Problem

You know your loved one better than anyone else. You know if something isn’t right, but you might not suspect drug use until their addiction is really serious. People with drug and alcohol use issues will minimize their problems and try to cover up the truth about how bad their addiction is. Educating yourself on substance use issues is important, so that you can really understand what you are up against. Having information can help both you and your loved one. Knowing who to call if your loved one is willing to get counseling for their drug and alcohol problems can help your loved one take some of the first steps towards sobriety.

Unfortunately many families find that their loved one is not willing to go to drug and alcohol treatment. But even if your loved one isn’t cooperative in getting help for themselves, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have options.

Reaching out to a drug and alcohol counselor that specializes in addiction issues can help you deal with the stress and worry that you are going through as well as help you decide on a plan of what to do next. Talking to a counselor yourself can help give you the support you need. Many families in Florida also find support at Al-Anon Meetings or Nar-Anon Meetings. Which ever option you choose it is important to know that you are not alone.

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Holding On To Anger - When a loved one is abusing drugs or alcohol

Many of the people that I talk to express how angry they are about their loved one’s drug and alcohol use. They are tired of the lying, and broken promises. They hold onto so much anger, so much hurt. They keep hoping for just one good day, one meal that is not ruined by drugs or alcohol. They desperately want things to change, and when they don’t, because addiction is so hard to conquer, the anger just keeps growing and growing inside of them.

You are justified in having that anger. Drugs and alcohol have probably ruined so many things in your life. Birthdays, celebrations, time with family, all ruined because your loved one was either actively using, trying to use, or sick because they did not use. You have every right to be angry about that.

When your loved one starts experiencing severe consequences due to their drug and alcohol use, you hope again that “this is it, they have hit rock bottom”. They might have lost their job, just been arrested, lost their children, or maybe they just overdosed and ended up at the ER. Your loved one comes to you, asking for help, telling you that they are done with that old life, things are going to change. You give them money, help them find treatment, maybe even help them find a job, or take care of their children while they get back on their feet.

For awhile, things are better, you think this is it, I am glad its over. But then things start changing again. You notice that they aren’t their usual self, or they are late, they start getting phone calls from people you don’t know. Your loved one might be more tired than usual, more stressed, more secretive. At first you chalk it up to them working too hard, being sick, “going through a lot right now”. But then they start asking you for money, they start selling things, draining accounts. The money isn’t adding up. You tell yourself, they had to spend the money on gas, or prices are going up. That is how addiction is, it sneaks up on you. You don’t want to believe it, but you know your loved one has relapsed. And your anger starts building up again. Anger because you know that the drugs and the alcohol are taking over again, taking your loved one from you again. And it is just a matter of time before something bad happens again.

I understand your anger. You have every right to be angry. Every right to be hurt and hate this situation. You want to lock your loved one up in the house so they can never go buy drugs or alcohol again. You want to be with them 24/7, watch where they go, watch who they hang out with, go through their belongings, see if you can catch them using, stop them before doing more drugs or alcohol. If you find their stash, you throw it away and get even more angry that they even brought it into the home.

You are so angry at your loved one, so angry for everything they are putting you through, and so tired of the endless cycle of addiction. Holding all this anger inside of you starts taking a toll, you start losing sleep, being short tempered with other family members, your muscles get so tight because the anger is stopping you from relaxing at all. You have done everything you can to help your loved one, and they are using again, of course you are angry.

But I want you to ask yourself, who is that anger helping? Is that anger helping them get the help that they need? Is that anger helping you? Sometimes family members think that if they only yell loud enough, or get mad big enough, that their loved one will stop using. And I am going to tell you right now, your loved one’s addiction has nothing to do with you. You didn’t cause it and your anger isn’t going to stop it. Your anger isn’t going to help them and it certainly will not help you either.

Letting go of the anger is probably one of the hardest but most important things you can do to help not just yourself but your loved one as well. Al-Anon meetings or Nar-Anon meetings can help give you support as you find a new path. Individual counseling can help as well. Its important to find what works for you. If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment please reach out.