Sarasota Man Addicted to Drugs and Alcohol for 35 Years Transforms His Life with the Help of WhiteSands Rehab

Sarasota, FL - Not long ago, Steven, a resident of Sarasota, had lost hope that he could ever regain control of his life again. He had been drinking and using drugs for over 35 years. Fortunately for Steven, he discovered the help of WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab and was able to completely turn his life around.

“WhiteSands Sarasota showed me how to love myself again. They gave me the opportunity to become a productive member of society,” Steven said.

As a premier alcohol and drug rehab, WhiteSands offers comprehensive addiction treatment services throughout Florida. Like Steven, many patients who enter rehab at WhiteSands are longtime addicts. Because WhiteSands offers the full range of addiction care, they are well equipped to help patients who struggle with even the most severe substance use disorders.

Addiction treatment typically begins with a period of medically assisted detox which lasts anywhere from seven to ten days. Medical detox is always recommended over trying to quit using drugs and alcohol at home. A person who has developed a physical addiction will experience some withdrawal symptoms when they stop using drugs and alcohol. Those symptoms can range from mild to severe, even life-threatening, depending on a number of factors. In a medical setting like WhiteSands detox, clinical staff monitor patients’ vital signs to ensure withdrawal symptoms don’t become severe. Doctors and nurses can also administer medications as needed to help patients feel more comfortable as they gently taper off the substances they’ve been abusing.

High-quality addiction treatment centers like WhiteSands understand that substance use disorders have a myriad of deep-rooted underlying causes. After detox, patients begin working with therapists in a range of individual and group sessions to begin to explore and heal the “why” behind their drug abuse. WhiteSands offers rehab treatment in a variety of levels of care so that treatment can be tailored to the unique needs of each individual patient. Levels of care include residential inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient treatment (IOP), outpatient treatment, and aftercare.

For Steven, the structured treatment and graduating levels of care provided him the framework he needed to reach and maintain a sober balanced life. “The complete program gave me an outline on how to go about staying clean and sober,” he said.

Many patients at WhiteSands choose to take advantage of sober living environments, also known as halfway houses, during and after their treatment. Sober living houses provide a vital bridge for patients as they transition from life in rehab to life in the outside world. Sober houses provide a safe place to live amongst peers who are focused on recovery and working toward similar goals. They can be a great way to maintain a strong support network after leaving the close structured environment of a treatment center. Sober houses hold therapy sessions and twelve-step meetings amongst the residents where they can continue to solidify their recovery and learn coping skills to manage triggers and prevent relapse.

“An amazing staff, from the treatment facility in Tampa to aftercare and halfway sober living houses. The staff at the center and sober living are familiar with all the programs and are there to help. I would highly recommend WhiteSands Treatment Center to and for anyone wanting to find a way to live clean and sober,” Steven said. To learn more about addiction treatment at WhiteSands go to www.whitesandstreatment.com.