Florida, like California, is full of sunshine, warm sand—and drugs. A transshipment point for cocaine and heroin smuggled in from the Caribbean, it ranks first in the nation for seizures of Ecstasy, the party drug of choice for high school and college students in Florida. Vice is alive and well in Miami and everywhere else.

The good news is that Florida has a widespread network of drug treatment centers and alcohol recovery programs. Substance abusers or families seeking help for a loved one’s drug or alcohol problem can choose from any number of detox centers, residential living programs, halfway houses, and rehab centers. All families should be as proactive as possible; modern drugs are so highly addictive that ignoring or denying a minor drug problem can quickly result in a major and difficult to treat drug addiction.

Because there are hundreds of drug treatment and rehabilitation centers in Florida, evaluating whether they are right for your particular problem is an important step toward a successful recovery. Not every rehab facility offers the same type and level of services. Some may specialize in a particular problem like alcohol, and be less experienced in the newer drugs. A drug detox center may not offer long-term counseling, and a mental health facility may not be equipped to deal with the physical aspects of drug or alcohol withdrawal and mending badly debilitated bodies.

A holistic treatment program for drug or alcohol abuse offers the best chance of permanent recovery for the confirmed drug addict or alcoholic. Florida rehab facilities might be your preference, to keep the addict close to home, but that may not be the best choice. Often, a residential program outside your local community may offer the environment required for true recovery. As an outpatient, an addict must deal with the everyday stress of family and job and the terrible temptations found in the medicine cabinet, the liquor store, and down the street where the drug dealers hang out. As an inpatient, an addict will not only receive 24/7 medical attention, but also will reside in a safe environment that does not enable his or her drug habit.

Another advantage to residential care, but certainly a factor in any good drug or alcohol treatment program, is access to professional counseling aimed at helping the addict understand his or her addiction. Many addicts, even after withdrawal, deny the scope of their problem and do not want to face the things that led them to depend on drugs or alcohol to begin with. Counseling is essential to breaking this emotional dependency, and a residential program is often the best means to do so.

The easygoing Florida lifestyle means that drugs can show up in the most innocent of places. While it may be easy to get hooked, getting clean is a long and complex process. Permanent behavior modification can only come with the help of professionals affiliated with a qualified drug or alcohol treatment center. Florida is full of them, so what’s stopping you?