Why Choose Sober Living in South Florida?
We know this country is in the midst of a huge opioid crisis, and all of this has seemed to center around the state of Florida. Back in the mid-2000’s pain clinics were on every corner and prescription drug laws weren’t as strict. OxyContin became a very popular prescribed medication. People were driving from various states to Florida to get prescriptions from these “pill mills”. A lot of people developed terrible opioid addictions. Overdose fatalities started to rise, and individuals everywhere found themselves right in the middle of an epidemic. On the other end of the spectrum, South Florida has a thriving and lively recovery community because of the many treatment programs, support groups, twelve-step meetings, and South Florida sober living homes throughout the area.
The Opioid Crisis in Florida is an Epidemic
In 2011, the state of Florida woke up and quickly passed laws and made some changes. The “pill mills” started shutting down, strict laws were put into place on pain clinics, and their prescription drug monitoring program became operationalized. Along with these changes, OxyContin was reformulated to deter abuse. All of this has certainly helped with the opioid epidemic, however, we are still losing people every day from an opioid overdose.
Opioid Overdose Deaths in Florida
The statistics for overdose deaths in the US and in particular Florida are pretty incredible, leading to the need for sober homes in South Florida to be readily available such as New You Sober Living and our recovery residences in Fort Lauderdale along with Oakland Park.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the trend on drug overdose deaths in the United States looks like this:
There were 67,367 drug overdose deaths reported in 2018, 4.1% fewer deaths than in 2017. Opioids were involved in 46,802 (a rate of 14.6) overdose deaths in 2018—nearly 70% of all overdose deaths. Deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (including fentanyl and fentanyl analogs) continued to rise with more than 28,400 (a rate of 9.9) overdose deaths in 2018. The number of deaths involving prescription opioids declined to 14,975 (a rate of 4.6) in 2018 and those involving heroin dropped to 14,996 (a rate of 4.7). Nearly 68% of the 4,698 reported drug overdose deaths in Florida involved opioids in 2018—a total of 3,189 fatalities (and a rate of 15.8). Deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (mainly fentanyl and fentanyl analogs) remained stable but high with 2,091 in 2018 (a rate of 10.7). Deaths involving heroin and prescription opioids also remained steady with a respective 689 (a rate of 3.5) and 1,282 (a rate of 6.0) reported in 2018. (NIH)
Even though tougher laws have been put into place in regards to the number of opioids that are prescribed, there are still a lot of pain clinics and prescriptions being written all over this country. Statistics show that providers in Florida wrote almost 54 opioid prescriptions for every 100 people in comparison to 52 for the rest of the United States.
We need a change in this country. More effective and longer treatment and more states with large recovery communities like there are in South Florida and our core values for sober living reflect the mission statement of our South Florida recovery residences. That is why our New You Sober Living program is a great place to choose sober living in South Florida because we are an active part of the vibrant recovery community and our residents are given the opportunity to build a strong sober support network.
Deciding on Sober Living in South Florida
South Florida is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the US. Most find this environment very relaxing, less stressful, and the perfect place to do their recovery. This is why a lot of people move to South Florida for sober living and addiction treatment.
South Florida is known for its enriched and constantly active, growing, and evolving recovery community with a safe and nurturing environment. South Florida is highly supportive of recovering addicts. There are hundreds of sober living homes, sober restaurants, clubs, coffee houses, and recovery radio shows on almost every corner. Also, since Florida is a popular tourist destination, there are plenty of part-time jobs, which is one of the requirements in sober living, the weather is hard to beat, and living accommodations are affordable.
When an individual finally decides they want recovery, most know that removing themselves from their old environment gives them the best chance at long-term recovery. There are a lot of advantages to choosing sober living in South Florida. The climate all year round is favorable, it is a relaxing natural environment, and one has easy access to the beach, sun, sand, and surf. There are hundreds of weekly AA meetings available all over South Florida. Also, the rapidly growing recovery community makes it easier for new individuals to connect with others to help them stay sober and avoid relapse.
Finding the Best Sober Living in South Florida
If you or someone you love is looking for a premier, co-ed sober living in South Florida, we would love to have you here at New You Sober Living. New You Sober Living treats everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve. We will help get you on the path to leading a successful long-term recovery, and our facility is beachfront so you can relax and find your inner self. Our team of specialists is available around the clock to assist you, so give us a call today for more information.
