When I lived in a small town outside of Ohio I was always on drugs (addiction to heroin and Roxicodone) and could never see myself escaping the simplicity of a rural lifestyle. I knew my life needed to change, but I didn’t know where to start. While I was hanging out with some friends, I learned about a highly recommended drug treatment facility in Florida.
Drug treatment in Florida sounded a lot better then drug treatment in Ohio to me! There is something about year round sunshine and warm weather that has tremendous appeal to us northerners, especially in the fall and winter. My previous trips to Florida have been filled with warmth, sunny skies, and blue oceans. I thought to myself that having beautiful surroundings would have to be helpful during drug treatment.
Don’t get me wrong, when you start drug treatment anywhere it is difficult in the beginning because of the detoxification process, and detoxing from both heroin and Roxy’s made it even more intense. But thank god for Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches and all the comfort they gave me, both medically and emotionally, as I went through the mandatory detox stage. After I completed my detox I was able to start their actual drug treatment program. I almost immediately started to feel better and began to enjoy participating in the groups and helping other drug addicts and alcoholics who started the program after me. The best part about receiving treatment in Florida was the peaceful meditation I enjoyed on the beach. I can honestly say the Florida beaches kept me in at their rehab when I really wanted to leave.
Every morning I would venture to the beach to meditate and do yoga with the sunrise. I found that I was able to be content by just being. Each day, I started slow and simple, taking one day at a time. I began to enjoy my surroundings and finally felt some hope that I was on my way to a normal healthy life. For once I didn’t crave friends or excitement and instead I just longed for the Florida sunrise and letting the warmth guide my day.
I never thought in a million years that I would leave a rural town in Ohio to be a part of a sunny metropolitan area full of opportunity. I know Florida may not seem very metropolitan to people from New York or Chicago, but coming from a small farming town, it really was a very big change. Going for drug treatment in Florida turned out to be an opportunity of a lifetime. I was able to escape the surroundings that my upbringing offered me such as low-income jobs, working at a small town grocer, 45 minutes to the nearest college, and cold dreary winters that would lead me to cause harm to my body and mind.
Now, after I successfully completed my drug treatment, I found a great job waitressing in a fine dining establishment making sometimes $250 a night. I live in a nice condo where I can walk to the beach. I developed many good habits during my treatment that I brought back with me and apply everyday in my life. I just got a new car and have many healthy, good, sober relationships for the first time since I was a young.
After I completed their treatment program I decided to live here permanently in Florida and not go back to Ohio. South Florida is now my home, so from Miami to West Palm Beach I have over 200 miles of job opportunities, friend opportunities, and sunshine all year round to look forward to. Thank you Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches for showing me how to live again and delivering to me a great state to live in too!
Barbara N.
West Palm Beach, FL
