Addiction treatment

Accessing healthcare when you need it most may seem challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. When you are seeking treatment for addiction or need to get a checkup from your primary care physician, you may be hesitant to go to the provider’s office. Your provider may also have set down regulations regarding what you need to do when you visit. There are new possibilities for accessing care remotely and safely. A new study shows the effectiveness of telemedicine during COVID-19.

What is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine, or telehealth, is essentially remote medical care. The term refers to providing healthcare through electronic communication technologies instead of in-person meetings. The first forms of telemedicine involved simple phone calls. Video calls and other telecommunication options have been put in place, especially during the stay-at-home orders during COVID-19, that have improved the services significantly.

Care for Vulnerable Populations

The new study on the effectiveness of telemedicine during COVID-19 shows that these advances in technology can improve the mental and physical health of vulnerable populations, including the elderly and people who are immunocompromised. Individuals who are addicted to drugs or alcohol are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of the coronavirus and telemedicine can prove beneficial in keeping them safe.

In addition, patients who need care for anxiety and depression can be assisted without the requirement for visiting a hospital, and therapy for psychological stabilization can be provided via the internet, without the need for an in-person consultation with the doctor.

Reducing Isolation

Addiction treatment and even routine care can be delivered remotely, reducing the risk of exposure to the virus. When you feel you need to stay home during the pandemic, you may also begin to feel the effects of your isolation. A telemedicine visit, conducted via video conferencing technology, enables you to communicate with your healthcare professional “face to face.”

The recent study on the effectiveness of telemedicine during COVID-19 pointed to the ability of virtual consultations to help with overcoming isolation and loneliness due to being disconnected from the external world. Telemedicine is also helpful for the elderly, the immunosuppressed, and other vulnerable populations who live in remote areas of the country. Through technology, it is easier and more convenient to access appropriate and timely medical services.

Care for COVID Patients

During the COVID-19 pandemic, if you suspect that you may have a viral infection, telemedicine can help your doctor with triage to determine whether a visit to the hospital for COVID-19 testing is warranted. Additionally, if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, have minor or no symptoms, and are quarantined at home, the doctor can continuously assess your condition through telemedicine. The virtual provider visits can then ensure early detection of worsening symptoms to prevent missing the window of opportunity for treatment.

Benefits of Telemedicine

The effectiveness of telemedicine during COVID-19 can result in a number of benefits. Telemedicine:

• Promotes the practice of social distancing to reduce spread – shifting visits and initial patient evaluation to a model that does not require in-person and face-to-face interaction and thereby limit the physical contact between staff and patients.
• Allows monitoring of patients to identify potential and confirmed cases without person-to-person contact.
• Enables quarantined providers to continue to safely treat patients remotely.
• Reduces the risk of spread in high-volume/traffic areas such as waiting rooms by reducing the number of patients requiring face-to-face visits.
• Enables providers to continue patient engagement while reducing potential for exposure for those who are considered most vulnerable to COVID19.
• Reduces the likelihood of patients participating in activities/behaviors that could increase risk of exposure, such as use of public transportation to attend appointments.

Safe and Secure Treatment via Telehealth

New technologies also ensure that your telehealth visit will be safe and secure, following HIPAA guidelines. Your privacy is important to you and to your healthcare provider. When you are in addiction recovery, you may be concerned about ensuring that your visits are confidential. At South Miami Recovery, we offer proven, HIPAA-compliant platforms for your telehealth sessions.

South Miami Recovery Offers Effective Telehealth Services During COVID-19

Continuing your addiction treatment during the pandemic is critically important. You can get the treatment you need, safely and securely, at South Miami Recovery. We continue to provide a wide array of outpatient addiction treatment services to those who need it most during these challenging times. To learn more and to sign up for telehealth substance abuse services, contact us today. Call South Miami Recovery at 305.661.0055.

When most states issued orders to stay at home in March and April, the effect was sudden and, in many cases, devastating. People lost their jobs, were forced into isolation, and were faced with dealing with the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak is affecting people in different ways, including causing deaths of despair as drug overdoses soar during the pandemic.

Drug Overdoses Soar

An ongoing study conducted by the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) found that after the counties participating in the study started shutting down:

• 84 percent of participating counties experienced an increase in overdoses
• There was a 17.59 percent increase in suspected overdoses when comparing the weeks prior to and following the commencement of state-mandated stay-at-home orders
• Nationwide suspected overdoses soared 18% in March compared with last year, 29% in April and 42% in May
• Detected overdose clusters have shifted from traditional centralized, urban locations to adjacent and surrounding suburban and rural areas
• The number of spike alerts and the duration of overdose spikes have increased nationally.

Health officials warn that as drug overdoses soar during the pandemic, the situation is only going to get worse. They point to Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York as states that are reporting significant increases in overdoses during COVID-19.

The numbers are probably even higher than reported. Dr. Paul Christo, the Associate Professor in the Division of Pain Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says “The number of fatalities from opioid-related overdoses could be nearly 30% higher than reported due to missing information or incomplete death records. The worst fear is that because of social isolation, people are not being found or treated immediately.”

Isolation

Beginning in mid-March, states across the US began to issue stay-at-home orders. Florida’s announcement came on April 1, and suddenly, people were not allowed to go out to visit friends or family, to shop, or to even go to work unless they were considered essential personnel. The CDC and other health organizations warned against physical contact with anyone other than immediate family members. The sense of isolation that grew with the days and months of social distancing was one factor in the increase in drug overdoses during the pandemic.

Economic Loss

Sudden job loss is also a factor that has contributed to the deaths of despair. The unemployment rate soared almost immediately after stay-at-home orders were issued as companies could no longer afford to keep their employees. When the paychecks stopped, the economic loss overwhelmed many people.

The uncertainty of when – or if – people could be rehired has also been devastating to many, causing people to turn to drugs or alcohol in an attempt to relieve the stress. Unfortunately, using drugs and alcohol during such difficult times can make the situation much worse, as evidenced when we see drug overdoses soar during the pandemic.

Synthetic Opioids

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified three phases of the country’s opioid epidemic. The first involved prescription opioids, the second an increase in heroin use, and the third, which we are currently in, is an increase in the availability and use of synthetic opioids or fentanyl which has also led to an increase in overdoses.

Traditional supply lines have been disrupted by the coronavirus and people are seeking out new suppliers that cannot necessarily be trusted to produce safe substances. Increases in opioid-related deaths have been linked to those illegally manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl equivalents. More than 30 states have reported increases in opioid-related mortality as well as ongoing concerns for those with a mental illness or substance use disorder in many areas within the state.

Treatment

The isolation forced by COVID-19 shutdowns has affected people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol in many ways. Social distancing guidelines and requirements have resulted in people being home alone when they overdose, which means no one is there to call for help or to administer the antidote Narcan, which could save their life.

Social distancing and business closures have also affected the availability of in-person treatment programs. Though support groups have launched virtual meetings, many people may not have access to reliable internet access or just may not be sufficiently motivated to follow through with treatment on their own.

Stress and Deaths of Despair

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Dr. Nora Volkow says social isolation could paint a dire picture for people struggling with addiction during the pandemic. Volkow notes, “Every one of us is affected by COVID – maybe we don’t get infected, (but) we’re all anxious because of the uncertainties. How we cope with that anxiety is very much dependent on multiple factors, including our circumstances, but one of the ways that people cope with it is by taking drugs.” Unfortunately, as a result, drug overdoses soar during the pandemic.

Contact South Miami Recovery for Help During the Pandemic

Stress and isolation can take its toll, but you are not alone. During the COVID-19 outbreak, we continue to focus on providing you with the personal and affordable treatment you need when you are addicted to drugs or alcohol. We offer HIPAA-compliant telehealth services as well as a wide array of outpatient addiction treatment services to those who need it most during these uncertain times, following CDC guidelines for your health and safety. To get help during COVID-19, contact us today. Call South Miami Recovery at 305.661.0055.

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been a distressing experience for virtually everyone in the country. Between fears of the virus itself, stresses over job losses and financial difficulties, and the isolation enforced by orders to stay at home and maintain social distances, the challenges can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, many people tend to self-medicate through these negative experiences, which may help to explain the marijuana and alcohol use rise during COVID-19.

Recognizing the Problem

The trauma you experience during the outbreak can leave you vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During National PTSD Awareness Month, it is important to be able to recognize the problems that arise through attempts at self-medication with drugs or alcohol. Beyond the issues with substance abuse itself, increased use of drugs such as marijuana and opioids can leave you more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus.

If you use opioids or methamphetamines, or if you smoke or vape, you are more susceptible to some of the worst outcomes associated with the virus. Since COVID-19 attacks the lungs, you significantly weaken your defenses by continuing to use and abuse drugs during the pandemic.

Marijuana and Alcohol Use Rise

In a recent survey conducted of 1,000 American adults, 36% of those responding reported an increased use of marijuana and prescription opioids in the past month. In addition, 88% of the survey participants said they had been drinking alcohol in the past month. 37% reported using marijuana and 15% said they used prescription opioids.

In states that have been hit hardest by COVID-19, including New York and New Jersey, survey respondents reported a 67% increase in their alcohol consumption in the past month. Drug use included benzodiazepines, such as anti-anxiety medication Xanax, as well as Adderall and similar prescription stimulants, and cocaine. Boredom, isolation, and anxiety all contributed to the increase.

A separate survey was conducted in mid-April of 12,895 verified professionals, employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. 41.76% of the survey participants responded that they drink while on the clock and working from home. Their increase in alcohol use may be attributed to increased fears about company layoffs as well as the stresses of balancing the new stresses of childcare, home schooling, and working while staying at home.

Drug and Alcohol Use Increases Risk

Beyond the vulnerability to increased lung damage and related coronavirus issues, the marijuana and alcohol use rise during COVID-19 has led to other health problems among those with substance use disorders. Sammy Saab, MD, a clinician at UCLA, says health professionals are seeing an increase in alcohol-related problems, including a deterioration in liver function.

Dr. Saab says, “People who are isolated are drinking more. We see them coming to the hospital with significant liver damage from alcohol, all related to the isolation that’s required to combat the coronavirus.” In some of those cases, the patients had an existing chronic underlying drinking problem. As Dr. Saab explains, “They’ve been drinking for years, but more reasonably, and now the pandemic has tipped them over the edge.”

The Need for Continued Support

The marijuana and alcohol use rise during COVID-19 can also be attributed to decreased access to recovery resources. Nora D. Volkow, MD, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), speaking at an American Psychiatric Association (APA) meeting this spring, noted that other challenges are also prevalent during the coronavirus crisis. Increased stress, stigma, and access to medications, has combined with limited access to support group meetings and other sources of social connection, resulting in the increased numbers.

Many treatment programs as well as national support groups have gone virtual to accommodate those in need of support during the coronavirus outbreak. Treatment services, including those at South Miami Recovery, are now available via telehealth. HIPAA-compliant telehealth enables you to continue to get help with your substance use disorder, while staying safe and healthy at home. It is important to reach out to get help with addiction treatment, rather than turning to increased use of drugs and alcohol, especially during this stressful time.

Contact South Miami Recovery for Help During COVID-19

Getting help when you are experiencing the traumatic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to your successful recovery from substance use disorder. South Miami Recovery offers HIPAA-compliant telehealth services so you can get the treatment you need now. We continue to provide a wide array of outpatient addiction treatment services to those who need it most during these uncertain times. To learn more and to sign up for telehealth substance abuse services, contact us today. Call South Miami Recovery at 305.661.0055.

By David Greenberg | South Miami Recovery Social Media and Blog Writer

(Editor’s Note: The primary source quoted in this article is a recovering addict who is active in the music and entertainment industry in Miami. In order to protect his anonymity, we are using an assumed name for him).

Getting in Trouble in Miami

Whether it was a celebrity in the music and entertainment industry or a professional athlete, they all found a way to get in trouble in Miami. From Maurice Gibb to Jim Morrison to Atlanta Falcons player Eugene Robinson, who managed to get busted the night before his Super Bowl game in 1989, the list is long and filled with notables.

Sam, who we introduced in Part 1 of this two-part series, knew many of them professionally. He’s been part of the Miami music and entertainment industry since the early ’80s, as a recording engineer, writer, producer, label executive and publisher. In those roles, he has seen some of the greats in his industry fall. He has experienced it himself and has been in recovery more than five years.

But he’s also seen the other side. He has witnessed many of these same people begin their own roads to recovery right here in Miami.

“There has always been great opportunity to get in trouble in Miami,” he said.

In Part 1 he talked about how the merger of culture, climate and location puts Miami on the map when it comes to trouble.

“Yes, a lot of people got in trouble in Miami – and some of them died,” he said. “But on the flip side, a great many people were able to find recovery here in Miami.”

Finding Recovery in Miami

So, you might ask why that’s the case. The answer is simple. While Miami has a reputation for sex, drugs and rock & roll, it has an equally strong reputation and history of being on the cutting edge when it comes to recovery.

That history can possibly find its origin back in 1976. While there had been efforts by many prior to that to stem the tide when it came to drug abuse and addiction, it was 1976 when South Miami Hospital hired Dr. Dolores Morgan to start the South Miami Hospital Alcohol Treatment program – later to become the Addiction Treatment Program.

“There were so many people working in recovery,” said Sam. “But it was Dr. Morgan and the people who worked with her that made the difference here.”

South Miami Hospital and later Mount Sinai Hospital, where she moved to a few years later, quickly gained national recognition as great centers for drug addiction recovery. And because Dr. Morgan’s philosophy embraced the entire community in the recovery effort, longer-term facilities became involved, as well as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other 12-step groups.

However, transition in drug treatment began in the late 1980s as things shifted from the in-patient hospital settings to smaller private facilities. Insurance companies and corporate takeovers prompted much of that change.

Nevertheless, one thing has not changed. While there have been some nefarious dealings in the drug treatment industry in South Florida and other places, if you look around, you can still find great places for recovery. You do that by doing serious research. Find places that receive high credentialing from groups like the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Ask people who know for referrals and recommendations.

We believe you will find South Miami Recovery is a place where you can truly take those first steps on a path to recovery. It is our mission to help addicts and alcoholics find true freedom from active substance dependency. Remember, you don’t have to do this alone.

So, Miami is what it is – a great place to get in trouble – and it doesn’t matter if you are rich and famous. But it is also a great place to begin that journey of recovery.

South Miami Recovery is a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center located in Miami, Florida. To learn more about our unique approach to recovery, call 305-661-0055 today.

David Greenberg is a recovering addict celebrating 35 years of recovery. He got his start in recovery at Mount Sinai Hospital and Concept House and remains active following a 12-step lifestyle.

Note: This is the fourth and final installment in a series of articles about Miami’s long history with drugs and drug treatment.

By David Greenberg, South Miami Recovery Social Media and Blog Writer | South Florida

History: Knowing Our Past Prepares Us for Our Future

We started this journey through Miami’s drug history with pirates and buccaneers. Flashing forward to the 1900s, we discussed everything from Al Capone to the Cocaine Cowboys. We examined how various institutions and individuals – medical, religious, legal and more – began the effort to treat drug abuse and the disease of addiction in the second half of the 20^th century.

In the 1970s and early 80s, the primary treatment model focused on 28-day, inpatient hospital programs that were often followed by extended treatment in a second facility. In many areas, including Miami, treatment was reinforced through a strong connection with the 12-step meetings in the community – especially Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. During the 80s and 90s,12 Step programs rapidly expanded, especially NA, which rose from three meetings in Dade County to over 50. You might say recovery was “in.” Many addicts came into treatment because of a dependence on cocaine (the emergence of freebase and crack), heroin, marijuana and something called Quaaludes or methaqualone.

Insurance, Mergers and Change

The transition began in the late 1980s as treatment moved away from hospital-based settings like South Miami Hospital, Mount Sinai, Glenbeigh, and North Miami General – to name a few – to more private facilities.

Why was there a need to change something that wasn’t broken?

The simple answer was business. As hospitals merged and became big corporations, there was more focus on the bottom line. South Miami Hospital was no exception as it became part of Baptist Health Systems of South Florida. The initial replacement for inpatient treatment was residential and partial hospitalization; by 2010, the most common treatment modalities became the outpatient and intensive outpatient levels of care.

Insurance was a driving force in these changes. More and more, insurance companies were eliminating coverage for the 28-day system and changing to a managed-care approach. The result? Fewer patients were able to receive the acute care they needed.

There was some hope in promises of parity under Obamacare, which said that the treatment of substance abuse was going to be on an equal level with all medical care. But those promises faded quickly, and substance abuse treatment continues to struggle medically and financially.

The question remains whether those changes constituted a good medical decision. We know it was a good financial decision for the insurance companies and the hospitals.

Private Recovery Treatment Programs

As these changes were starting in the 1980s and early 90s, one of the results was a proliferation of private recovery programs with non-credentialed therapists and counselors. It wasn’t until the mid-90s that the industry became professionalized with higher levels of education, licensure and certifications.

Despite the growing trend to monitor private treatment, much of the industry has been under a dark cloud due to corruption in what was essentially an unmonitored medical industry.

Some of the worst of that corruption took place not very far from us in Palm Beach County. That’s where a flood of so-called sober living homes proliferated. While some of these did good things, many were there simply for the owners to turn a profit.

Why was this such a lucrative business? Because there’s a market. While the drugs of the 1980s are still out there, the drug crisis entered a new phase with the addition of opioids.

An Opioid Epidemic

The escalation of America’s opioid crisis truly began in 2013. The jury is still out regarding how much responsibility for this lies with pharmaceutical companies themselves. Clearly, the call for a more supportive pain management, along with ease of access, opened the doors for the initial abuse of opiates. What started with the middle class – in part because managed care policies did not want to touch either detox or long-term treatment – soon exploded into what we know as the full-blown opiate crises. Without access to acute opiate monitoring, no real detoxification or treatment, most were left to fend for themselves. Those lucky few that had money ($10,000 – $50,000) could afford private treatment centers.

The sober living homes came in to fill this void, or at least make a profit off it. For almost a decade they profited unchecked. In the last few years, that has started to change, and that’s when we learned about what was going in in places like Delray Beach.

Body Brokering

In the latter part of the 2010s, officials in Palm Beach County began cracking down. In a 10-month period alone, 30 operators of addiction treatment center and sober homes were charged with body brokering. Body brokering is when middlemen find and refer addicts with good insurance coverage to recovery programs willing to pay the highest finder’s fee. In the worst cases, a treatment center would even pay a client to relapse so they could continue billing the insurance company. One owner of a Delray Beach rehab center was charged with billing insurance companies more than $58 million in bogus treatment.

Public Perception of Addiction Treatment

Many areas are still struggling with reputation issues when it comes to the ethics and practices of substance abuse treatment centers. That makes for a distrustful public, as well as some mental health and medical professionals uneasy about treating substance abuse. Additionally, the negative issues have reached the 12-step groups because of resistance to the treatment industry and negative public opinion.

Given that addiction is not going away, and the opioid epidemic has made things even worse, it’s not a promising outlook. What’s the answer?

Proven Addiction Treatment in Miami, Florida

Part of the answer lies with the treatment centers that are out there really trying to help people.

What you need to do:

Do your research! (Not just Google)

Ask others for referrals and recommendations, especially trusted professionals.

Check for the highest credentialing like Joint Commission and CARF.

Don’t rely entirely on insurance (they generally don’t like to pay more than they have to).

Family and significant others need to participate; look for treatment programs emphasizing family therapy.

Listen to the truth, not just what you want to hear. There’s no quick fix. Time heals.

It’s our belief that South Miami Recovery is one of those.

We are group of people, some recovering from our own addictions and all with a passion and understanding of how to help someone get clean and sober. We were affiliated with the best former South Miami Hospital Addiction Treatment Program and saw the writing on the wall. So, in 2012, we started South Miami Recovery.

Our goal is about much more than living life without drugs and alcohol. We want you to come away from South Miami Recovery feeling comfortable in your own skin, living with hope and having a fresh new outlook on your life. Without that, you’re miserable, and relapse is waiting for you.

It’s our mission to help addicts and alcoholics find true freedom from active substance dependency. That’s the starting point of your own journey of recovery. And remember, you are not alone.

So, as we close this last installment in our series of articles about Miami’s history with drugs and drug treatments, we leave you with this message. If you are someone struggling with addiction right now, we’re here to help. Please take the first step – reach out to us. We’re here for you.

In our next series we will explore the Miami night life scene. Stay tuned for Miami: Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll.

South Miami Recovery is a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center located in Miami, Florida. To learn more about our unique approach to recovery, call 305-661-0055 today.

David Greenberg is a recovering addict celebrating 35 years of recovery. He got his start in recovery at Mount Sinai Hospital and Concept House and remains active following a 12-step lifestyle.