Help for Alcoholism in Pompano Beach: Treatment & Recovery

Alcohol use disorder, also called alcohol addiction or alcoholism, is a serious problem in the United States, including in beautiful Florida. Residents of Pompano Beach have access to a range of behavioral and addiction treatment services through Broward County’s nonprofits, health and human services programs, and AA, but getting a diagnosis and the right treatment plan can take time. Treatment at Boca Recovery Center means you get coordinated, evidence-based care.

Alcohol Use Disorder: A Major Problem in the US

Alcohol is legal for adults, 21 and older, in the United States to consume, but it is also one of the deadliest intoxicating substances out there.

Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 95,000 deaths on average every year in the US, including 1 out of every 10 deaths among working-age American adults.

Although 9 out of 10 people who abuse alcohol do not meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD), 14.5 million people ages 12 and older in the US reported signs of AUD, as of 2019. Binge drinking and heavy drinking (drinking more than two beverages per day, every day of the week) are both forms of problem drinking, but they are not considered types of alcoholism. AUD is characterized by compulsive behaviors around alcohol, which might manifest as both binge drinking and heavy drinking.

Here are some of the symptoms of AUD, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5):

• Drinking more or for longer than intended
• Trying to quit drinking or cut back, but being unable to do so
• Spending a lot of time drinking or managing hangovers after drinking
• Being hyper-focused on drinking and not thinking of anything else
• Finding that drinking and its aftereffects interfere with the rest of your life

Addiction to alcohol can cause serious harm, from increasing the risk of physical injury in a car accident to causing liver damage and failure. It is important to get help with evidence-based treatment to address alcohol use disorder.

Types of Treatment for Alcoholism

Treating AUD requires a combination of medically supervised detox and behavioral therapies. The type of detox and rehabilitation you undergo depends on a combination of factors. For example, if you do not have a physical dependence on alcohol, your physician may decide that you do not need medication and can simply stop drinking with regular check-ins with your doctor. You may need to focus on work or family responsibilities, so inpatient therapy may not be right for you, but outpatient options can help.

Your physician or therapist will ask you questions about your living situation, previous alcohol or drug use and treatment, any health issues you may experience including mental health issues, and any experiences you have had with the legal system in the past.

There are four basic levels of treatment:

1. Outpatient treatment: This type of treatment allows you to live at home and may allow you enough time to work a full-time job or manage care for family members. You will have a set number of appointments for counseling, health checkups, medication support, and related visits.
2. Intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization: These are higher intensity levels of treatment that require nearly full-time attendance, but not for very long. This is a good option for people with acute issues or those who may have overdosed.
3. Residential or inpatient treatment: This is behavioral therapy-focused detox and rehabilitation that removes you from a potentially triggering environment, so you can learn new skills in a sober living arrangement.
4. Intensive inpatient treatment: This offers 24-hour medical supervision for those with serious health support needs, including risky withdrawal syndromes and associated complex medical conditions.

Here are some of the common approaches to treating AUD:

• Detox: This is the process of ending the body’s physical dependence on alcohol by ending consumption. Traditional detox does not involve medication-assisted treatment, but your withdrawal symptoms will be monitored by medical professionals.
• Medication-assisted treatment: People who struggle with alcoholism may abuse large amounts putting them at risk of a complex withdrawal syndrome called delirium tremens. This condition can lead to severe health risks, including seizures. Your physician may prescribe medications to help you manage alcohol withdrawal and reduce the risk of this condition. You may also receive a maintenance medication after detox, like naltrexone, which stops the euphoria associated with drinking, so you reduce the compulsion to drink to feel good.
• Behavioral counseling in rehab: Rehabilitation programs are designed around therapy, especially group therapy. However, modern rehab programs also offer a range of therapies, including individual counseling, family counseling, nutritional therapy, exercise therapy, and more.
• Mutual support groups: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the original and most famous support group to overcome alcoholism, but there are other options for similar support groups that could work better for you. You can attend these alongside detox and rehab or after rehab, as a form of ongoing aftercare support, depending on your individual needs.

Boca’s Pompano Beach Branch Offers Evidence-Based Care

Boca Recovery Center’s Pompano Beach location is a traditional inpatient or residential program. It starts with supervised detox and proceeds into residential behavioral therapy.

Since these services are combined into one facility in this Florida location, you do not have to worry about the next step in your journey. Your treatment plan will flow through the program with you, so there are no gaps in your services.

Other Treatment for Alcohol Addiction in Pompano Beach

Pompano Beach is one city in Broward County, which is the second most populous county in Florida. Since it is so large, this southern county offers a range of healthcare services through government programs and nonprofit institutions, including addiction and behavioral treatment programs. There are also 12-step meetings available for free on many days of the week.

Here are some addiction treatment programs that can help residents of Pompano Beach:

• Broward Addiction Recovery Center: This county-based treatment provider offers detox and rehabilitation services to anyone in the Broward County area, including residents of Pompano Beach. Alcohol addiction treatment is one of several treatment programs.
• Broward Health: The behavioral treatment services program available at Broward Health Medical Center and Broward Health Imperial Point offer support to people experiencing co-occurring mental/behavioral and substance abuse problems, with 24-hour health assessments and medical specialists for people with acute symptoms.
• Broward Behavioral Health Coalition (BBHC): This nonprofit organization helps residents of Pompano Beach and other Broward County cities to overcome serious substance abuse, including alcoholism. Medication-assisted treatment and other behavioral support services are provided.
• United Way of Broward County: The Commission on Behavioral Health & Drug Prevention at United Way helps communities recognize the signs of behavioral issues, including substance abuse, before the problems grow severe. This includes educational programs at schools and afterschool programs.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Broward County Intergroup: Meetings are held in Pompano Beach and easy-to-reach nearby locations.