LAKEVIEW HEALTH FAQS

Drug and alcohol addiction causes changes in personality and behavior. Many times these changes lead to financial or relationship problems, both at home and at work. But any new behavior that seems questionable or out of the ordinary may be evidence of a problem. Trust your instincts. If you suspect a friend or loved one needs help, call Lakeview Health for more information.

There’s no medication that can “cure” addiction, but there are medications that can help address underlying issues such as depression or anxiety that may lead to substance abuse and relapse. Our addiction treatment programs in Florida can help identify some of these underlying issues.

Detoxification, or detox, is the first level of care in addiction treatment, when toxic substances (drugs and/or alcohol) are cleared from the body. Detox can be uncomfortable and even life-threatening if not done with medical supervision. The length of the process at our detox center is determined by the type, quantity, duration and frequency of the substance abused.

Detox simply removes the drugs and/or alcohol in the body; it doesn’t remove the addiction. Patients continue to feel addictive urges after detox and many will experience a period of physical withdrawal until their bodies reach equilibrium. Post-detox residential treatment greatly reduces the risk of relapse by keeping patients away from drugs and alcohol during an especially vulnerable time as they learn new ways to maintain sobriety.

The two major benefits of leaving one’s home environment for rehab are 1) creating physical distance from the temptation of drugs and alcohol and 2) breaking familiar patterns, that can trigger a substance disorder relapse. Addiction treatment experts have found that patients treated at home are more likely to leave treatment early, which can decrease the chance of achieving sobriety.

Support from friends, family and significant others is an essential part of addiction treatment and long-term recovery. We encourage you to get involved, and get the education, counseling and support you need. If your loved one is a patient at Lakeview Health, we recommend that you:

• Complete our family packet (mailed to you upon request)
• Become educated about the disease of addiction
• Attend all phone sessions with the patient’s primary therapist, and follow his or her recommendations
• Participate in our four-day Family Treatment Program (for immediate family only)
• Attend local Al-Anon 12-step support groups for friends and family of addicts or alcoholics
• Follow the suggestions of the patient’s primary therapist

Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can play an important role in helping patients maintain sobriety after rehab treatment, through peer support at regular meetings. Finding support through shared strength, hope and experience from others in recovery has been shown to increase long-term sobriety. Organizations like Al-Anon provide similar support for family and friends of those who’ve struggled with addiction.

Unfortunately, for some people it can take several attempts at rehab. There’s no reliable way to determine whether someone will relapse, and the cycle can restart weeks or years after treatment. But rehab treatment, in conjunction with continued counseling and support, is still the most effective method for overcoming addiction. While relapses are disappointing, they’re also opportunities for patients to gain new insights into what will or won’t work for them going forward.

At Lakeview Health, we offer high quality, personalized treatment to each of our patients, using current best practices in addiction medicine and therapy. We are a fully accredited, licensed and certified institution.

We protect all personal health information in compliance with the standards of the National Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We only release health information with the signed consent of patients. The only exceptions to this rule are if a patient reports suicidal or homicidal intentions, physical or sexual abuse or neglect of oneself, a minor or an elderly person. In these instances, our staff is required by law to contact the authorities.

Lakeview Health provides addiction treatment based on a medical model with a wide range of professionals working closely together to provide the best possible care. Our staff includes:

• Addictionologists
• Psychiatrists
• Nurses
• Therapists (including psychologists and social workers)
• Certified other professionals, including music therapists, dietitians and exercise physiologists
• Mental health technicians

Because addiction is a disease that can be put into remission during treatment only to reemerge later, long-term success rates are difficult to measure in spite of what some rehab centers may claim. Lakeview Health offers an extensive Alumni Program to support former patients, and we are proud to report that a large number of them successfully maintain sobriety. The key is for patients to follow an aftercare plan that includes individual counseling, family therapy, medication management (if necessary), 12-step meeting attendance and other proactive measures to prevent relapse.

Yes, we accept most major insurance plans. We also accept self-pay and major credit cards. For more information, please speak with an intake specialist at 904.677.5010.

It’s important that you focus completely on your treatment and recovery while in rehab. This means taking a break from work. Patients who voluntarily admit themselves to drug rehab are largely protected in their employment by the Family and Medical Leave Act. Many employers also provide short-term disability insurance, which may cover time spent in treatment. Patients should familiarize themselves with these protections and discuss them with employers.

Yes. In general, we welcome visits from loved ones at Lakeview Health and strongly encourage patients’ families to participate in our three-day intensive Family Workshop. However, all visits must be approved by a patient’s primary therapist and visitation is encouraged during later stages of treatment.

Learning how to have a good time without drugs or alcohol is crucial to a sober lifestyle, and recreation plays an important role in recovery, too. While at Lakeview patients can play ping pong, volleyball, horseshoes, board games, X-connect and more. Group exercise programs are offered daily for patients, led by a certified exercise physiologist.

In addition, patients enjoy an off-site activity every Saturday, such as:

• Spending a day at the beach
• Going bowling
• Taking a dance class
• Visiting a park
• Making pottery

Our certified recreational therapist accompanies patients on outings and therapeutically processes each activity with them afterward.

It’s great! Our licensed nutritionist works with our nationally recognized culinary chef, Chef Clayton Tressler, to offer delicious, wholesome and nutritious meals. Our nutritionist is available for patient consultations and we can accommodate special dietary needs. To find out more about the cuisine at Lakeview Health, check out the in depth information about our rehabilitation centers and the accommodations available.

There are designated smoking areas at the treatment center, but we do not condone smoking. Many of our patients choose to use their time in treatment to quit smoking. Our staff can work with you on this if you choose.

Prohibited Items:

• Electronics, including laptops, cell phones, tablets, digital cameras and MP3 players
• Non-prescription medications
• Non-recovery-related reading materials
• Clothing with offensive sayings or references to drugs or alcohol
• Products containing alcohol (mouthwash, hair gel, Nyquil)
• Food (gum, candy, mints)
• Valuables (jewelry, watches)
• Electronic cigarettes or vaping apparatus or any liquid used for these devices

Any electronics you travel with will be safely locked away upon arrival and returned to you at the end of the program.

Authorized Items:

• Two weeks’ worth of comfortable clothing (laundry facilities are available)
• Personal hygiene items
• Prescription medications in original bottles
• Cigarettes, if you smoke
• ID and insurance card

For more in-depth information, check out what to bring to rehab.

During the early phases of the recovery process, focus on treatment is important. Distractions, including outside calls to friends and family, can be a potential barrier to early recovery. For this reason we have a strict ‘no cellphone’ policy. However, if you give signed consent, loved ones and family members can check in with doctors, nurses and therapists to monitor your progress, or leave messages for you by calling 904-727-6455.

While in treatment, you can keep money in a personal account, which is distributed weekly for incidentals such as personal hygiene items, haircuts or toiletries. We ask that whatever amount you’d like to put into this account, up to $400, be deposited all at once, at check-in. The remainder will be returned to you upon discharge.

Family and loved ones are welcome to send letters and postcards during treatment. Mail is delivered daily. They can also send personal items such as photos, clothing, recovery-related reading materials, and small birthday gifts. No food of any kind is permitted, including candy.