DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Dry January is almost over, but for so many, the real fight knows no time limits.
Craig Robinson will be the first to tell you that. Alcoholism is a door he'd never thought he'd walk through. After a decade in denial, he said checking himself into rehab is the best decision he has ever made.
"My 'a ha' moment was surviving a suicide attempt," Robinson said.
In 2018, Robinson, a successful lawyer, was spiraling. He was on drugs, drinking too much, and ruined important relationships.
"One of the characteristics for me was the ability to lie and the ability to lie to myself and the ability to believe my own lie, so as long as I kept telling myself everything was okay," Robinson said.
Robinson isn't alone in his battle. The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics said roughly 261 people die every day from alcohol-related issues.
A new residential treatment center in Delray Beach hopes to cut to the heart of the problem. Like other clinics, Caron Florida treats mental health and substance abuse. However, it also specializing in treating adults 55 and older.
"Where there are unexplained bruises on the patient or they're experiencing more falls or cognitively they're just not quite right or they called you once and then they're calling you an hour later telling you the same thing. So, there are warning signs that you can pick up," said Dr Barbara Krantz, the director of addiction medicine at Caron.
Robinson is too young to participate in the older adults program at Caron Florida, but he did have warning signs. Now he is ready to close the door on his dark chapter. He wants others to know addiction isn't something you age out of.
"I think the message should be hope. That no matter how bad it's gotten no matter what you've done that there is a way out," Robinson said.
