When it comes to seeking addiction treatment in Florida, location is everything. Whether you’re looking to break free from drugs or alcohol abuse, the state you choose to detox in can significantly impact your chances of making a full recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Florida is one state often connected to substance abuse treatment, mainly thanks to its involvement in the nationwide opioid crisis. However, while it may be tempting to seek addiction treatment on the state’s warm, sunny beaches, you should think twice before heading to Florida for addiction treatment.
Read on to find out more about why Florida is one of the worst places to go to rehab and where you can seek better addiction treatment instead.
Florida’s Deadly History of Substance Abuse
Florida’s rocky history of substance abuse is widely documented. From the early 2000s to 2010, Florida was the nation’s number-one place to secure prescription drugs with relatively no barriers. And with the rise of the state’s pill mills, Florida became a gateway for the opiate epidemic that spread to neighborhoods across the country.
While new legislation essentially put an end to the rampant operation of pill mills, reductions in opiate-related deaths were short-lived. As pill distribution subsided slightly, the use of heroin and fentanyl skyrocketed, with the former being one of the leading causes of death in the state of Florida.
Alcohol is no exception in Florida’s dark history of substance abuse. Though alcohol abuse is prevalent across the country, alcohol-related deaths in Florida have continued to rise over the past few years and show little sign of slowing down.
In 2019, it was found that 18% of adults in the state engaged in heavy drinking or alcohol binges, which increased since the previous study in 2002. Unfortunately, when it comes to substance abuse in Florida, little can be done to escape it.
Body Brokering: Florida’s Barrier to Addiction Treatment
Aside from being a hotspot for all types of substance abuse, Florida’s inability to provide adequate addiction treatment is built into its operating system. This is primarily due to the rise of the state’s body brokering industry.
Body brokering is a practice that many Florida drug rehab facilities use to take advantage of prospective patients. Unscrupulous facilities often pay third-party brokers to procure patients whose insurance will cover specific services such as drug testing.
Once a patient has been procured, the broker receives a commission, and the facility collects hefty fees for completing drug tests. While drug tests are expected at any rehab, those that utilize body brokers often fail to provide any other services or follow-up treatments that could give the patient with any form of recovery.
In most cases, patients who attend these facilities leave just as dependent on drugs or alcohol as they were upon arrival. Body brokers take advantage of this by reaching out once more and directing the patient to another facility that’s just as ineffective, a cycle that has now become known as the “Florida shuffle.”
Why Body Brokering is so Hard to Overcome in Florida
Those who are seeking addiction treatment are often in a very vulnerable place. And because finding the right rehab is often an urgent, overwhelming process, prospective patients are easy prey for seasoned body brokers.
In many cases, brokers will lure patients into specific facilities using incentives. These incentives can include any multitude of things, including:
- Drugs
- Money or pre-paid debit cards
- Free or reduced rent
- Clothes
However, the main reason body brokering is so prevalent in Florida is the collusion with local drug and alcohol rehabs. Whether it’s a halfway house or a full-blown treatment facility, many drug rehabs in the state of Florida are content with collecting payment for drug testing without providing patients with the care they’re paying for.
Especially for treatment facilities that are struggling to maintain profitability, working with body brokers can be an easy way to secure lucrative payouts, even though much of this practice is technically illegal.
Many former patients have gone public with their experiences in these corrupt rehabs, with some describing filthy conditions and rampant drug use within the Florida drug rehab facilities.
While some of these fraudulent addiction treatment centers have been caught and shut down, countless others run unchecked in Florida. While drug and alcohol rehab facilities continue to see patients as a dollar sign rather than someone who needs help, seeking addiction treatment in Florida is not only a costly risk but a deadly one.
Florida’s Harmful Drug and Alcohol Culture
Apart from the systemic issues in how many rehabs are run in the state, Florida’s drug and alcohol culture is another aspect that makes seeking treatment nearly impossible.
Notoriously a place where people of all ages travel to let loose and have fun, Florida is one state that is not synonymous with recovery or resistance to substance abuse. One study conducted by the CDC found that nearly 200,000 years of potential life are lost each year in Florida due to excessive drinking.
When looking for a treatment center, it’s imperative that the facility’s location provides you with a calm space that is conducive to healing and overcoming your disorder. Unfortunately, the rambunctious, self-destructive crowds in Florida can put you at risk of a relapse, making the state of Florida a dangerous place to detox.
World-Class Addiction Treatment at Mayflower Recovery
Choosing the right addiction treatment center can set you up for a lifetime of freedom from substance abuse. And at Mayflower Recovery, a team of experts is ready to help you overcome your substance use disorder. 
Located in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Mayflower Recovery is untouched by the practices that make Florida an inadequate place for recovery from addiction. With a caring staff and numerous amenities, you’ll find a safe space to detox from drugs or alcohol.
Contact Mayflower Recovery today and take the first step toward overcoming your substance abuse disorder.
