Addiction can leave people feeling lonely and disconnected from those they love, and it can make work and everyday responsibilities much harder to keep up with.
Fort Lauderdale is no exception. If you or someone you love here is struggling with drugs or alcohol, the first step toward recovery is asking for help, and treatment works.
This page covers how addiction works, the kinds of rehabilitation programs available to Fort Lauderdale residents, how to choose a rehab center, and how Allure Detox in West Palm Beach can help.
Understanding Addiction
Addiction is a chronic disease that changes the brain’s motivation and reward circuits. People with a substance use disorder feel a compulsive need to keep using, even when it is causing harm.
Drugs trigger a large release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, which creates a sense of pleasure.
With repeated use, the brain adapts and becomes less sensitive to dopamine, so the person needs more of the drug to feel the same effect and feels worse without it.
Each substance affects the brain differently, but any of them can lead to dependence.
Commonly Used Drugs in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city known for its beaches and nightlife, and like the rest of South Florida, it sees a wide range of substance use.
Substances commonly involved include:
- Alcohol: The most widely used substance, and one of the most dangerous to withdraw from without medical care.
- Opioids: These include heroin, prescription painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, and fentanyl, which is now involved in many overdose deaths.
- Cocaine: Widely available in South Florida.
- Methamphetamine: A highly addictive stimulant.
- Marijuana: Heavy, long-term use can lead to dependence and withdrawal.
Drug Use Statistics for the Fort Lauderdale Area
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) published a survey brief on drug use covering the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Pompano Beach metro area. The figures below describe the whole metro area, not Fort Lauderdale alone, and the survey is now several years old.
- 12.5% of residents aged 12 or older reported using an illicit drug, compared with 14.3% across Florida.
- 21.3% reported binge drinking.
- 7.8% met the criteria for a substance use disorder.
- 4.9% of adults had experienced a major depressive episode in the previous year, a mental health condition that often occurs alongside addiction.
Understanding Rehabilitation
So what is rehabilitation, and how does it help? Rehab is a structured process that helps a person stop using a substance and regain control of their life.
It involves medical, psychiatric, and psychological professionals who support the person through different kinds of treatment.
The purpose is to help the person face their addiction, break the cycle of use, and build the skills to stay well. Rehab also helps people get through withdrawal safely and learn how to prevent relapse.
Types of Drug Rehab Treatments
Rehabilitation comes in several forms, and most people move through more than one. Allure Detox provides the first two below at our West Palm Beach facility.
1. Detoxification Programs
Detox is usually the first step in addiction treatment. It combines medical support and counseling while the body clears the substance.
The medications and level of monitoring depend on the substance and how severe the dependence is. Medical detox is our core service at Allure.
2. Residential Treatment
Residential treatment (also called inpatient rehab) is when a person stays at the facility for a period of time.
Stays commonly run between one and three months, depending on the person’s needs. During that time, patients receive individual and group therapy and close support from clinical staff.
Residential treatment addresses the mental health issues connected to substance use and teaches skills to prevent relapse. Group therapy sessions, a big part of residential care, give patients a sense of community and belonging.
3. Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)
These are structured day programs that provide counseling and medical services for several hours a day, most days of the week.
Patients live at home or in sober housing while attending, which offers more flexibility than inpatient care. Many people use PHP as a step down after residential treatment, and some move into a sober living home if they are worried about returning home too soon.
Allure does not run a PHP on site. When it is the right next step, our team arranges it before you leave, often through our sister facilities in the Recreate Behavioral Health Network.
How to Select the Right Rehab Center?
There are several factors to consider when choosing a rehabilitation center. The right place is one that fits your individual needs.
Insurance
Rehab can be expensive, so cost matters. Check whether the center accepts your insurance plan and how much you would pay out of pocket.
Also ask what later levels of care, such as partial hospitalization or outpatient treatment, are likely to cost, and what aftercare planning is included.
Types of Treatment Offered
Before choosing a rehab center, check which treatments it offers and talk with a clinician about whether they are right for you.
A good center addresses both mental and physical health. Ask whether you are likely to need medication-assisted treatment and which medications would be used.
Location
If you will be staying at a residential center, think about the setting. Some people want to stay close to home so family can visit. Others prefer some distance from the people and places tied to their use.
For later, outpatient levels of care, being close to home matters more, because you will travel back and forth.
Resources for Fort Lauderdale Residents
If you are in Fort Lauderdale and looking for help, here are some places to start.
- Allure Detox: A licensed medical detox and residential treatment center in West Palm Beach, about 45 miles north of Fort Lauderdale on I-95.
- 211: Dial 211 for free, confidential information and referrals to local health and human services, 24 hours a day.
- Florida Department of Children and Families: Oversees the state’s publicly funded treatment services, a good starting point if you do not have insurance.
Insurance Coverage
Allure Detox works with many major U.S. health insurance plans, so your insurance may cover part or all of a medically supervised detox. We are not able to accept Medicaid or Medicare at this time. See our accepted insurances page for the plans we work with most often.
How to Start
- Call our admissions team, available 24 hours a day
- Fill out the confidential insurance verification form
- Receive your benefits summary and know exactly what’s covered before you commit
Take the Next Step
Choosing to go to rehab is an important decision, whether it is for yourself or for someone you love.
Treatment comes in several forms. Some programs involve staying at a facility, while others involve regular visits, and therapy is central to all of them. When comparing rehab centers, weigh cost, location, and the types of treatment offered.
If you are in Fort Lauderdale and ready to start with a safe medical detox, the admissions team at Allure Detox is available at any hour.
Written by: The Allure Detox Editorial Team
Published on: June 28, 2023
Updated on: October 16, 2026
