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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Helping You Help Your Loved One with Addiction

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Notice of Privacy Practices and Why it is Important to You

It’s one of those many papers you get when you go see your doctor or other medical professional, The Notice of Privacy Practices. If you are like me you probably don’t read it all the way through, it’s just another piece of paper I feel like I have to sign, another law in our health care system. Well let me tell you… boy was I wrong in thinking that!!

In starting Quiet Water Counseling I am now having to read it ALL. All the laws and regulations on top of laws and regulations, and they all have to do with how you are treated.

You probably know the basic stuff, that you have a right (by law) to receive a copy of your medical record, you have a choice about who your medical provider talks to about your condition, and that your information might be shared to better treat you.

But did you also know that medical professionals can share all your health information with your health insurance plan to get payment? For some reason this has always bothered me. I guess I’m kinda old school like that, not wanting to share someone’s personal information with some stranger I don’t know. I get it though, does it really matter that my health insurance company gets access to my weight or blood pressure readings, probably not.

But there are somethings that I don’t want to share. There might be somethings that you might not want to share either. And I think that we all should have a right to keep certain things private. If you want to read my Notice of Privacy Practices you can find it on my website at www.QuietWaterCounseling.com. And please let me know if you have any questions.

Top three tips if you are hosting Thanksgiving and having somebody with a substance use disorder coming over

These are my top three tips if you are hosting Thanksgiving and having somebody with a substance use disorder coming over. Maybe they just got out of treatment or maybe they’re just about to go into rehab.

Number one, consider not serving alcohol. A lot of Thanksgivings you might want to have a beer or some wine but for the person with a substance use disorder it could be very tempting for them to relapse. You can try serving other things like a lemonade, sweet tea, maybe even a Shirley Temple.

Number two, consider locking up any medications you might have in the home. Finding a lockbox is really easy. They sell them at Wal-Mart or you can order one off Amazon. Unfortunately many people with substance use disorders get prescription pills just from stealing them from people they know. So if you have an old bottle of pain medications from a previous surgery or even an over the counter medication like cough syrup in your medicine cabinet you might want to consider locking it up in a lock box. A lock box is also a good idea if you have kids in the house, even if they are just visiting, you can never be too safe.

Number three, I want you to make sure you have fun. Just because a person has substance use disorder, and just because a person is struggling, it doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t enjoy Thanksgiving just like everyone else. So get the pumpkin pie and a whole bunch of turkey and I want you to have fun!!