Alcohol Treatment in Bonita Springs and Fort Myers
Board certified in Family Medicine. Same-day appointments often available.
If drinking has stopped being something you choose and started being something you manage, treatment can help. Dr. Scott Jaffe has treated alcohol use disorder in Southwest Florida for more than 30 years, in a private office, one patient at a time.
You do not have to leave your job, your family or your home to get treatment. Most people we see are working, raising children and holding their lives together, and they want help that fits into that life rather than interrupting it.
Care from a physician, at every visit
Dr. Jaffe is a board certified physician with more than 30 years in practice. He completed his medical training in Des Moines, Iowa, and has years of additional training in treating all forms of addiction, including alcohol use disorder.
You see Dr. Jaffe himself at every appointment. Not a rotating staff, not a different provider each visit, and not a case manager. The person who evaluates you is the person who treats you and the person who knows your history six months from now. For a condition where trust and continuity matter as much as the medication, that is not a small difference.
What Separates Alcohol Use Disorder From Heavy Drinking
Plenty of people drink more than they meant to. What makes alcohol use disorder different is not the amount in the glass. It is the loss of control over the decision to pick it up.
The clinical picture is a pattern rather than a single event. It shows up as drinking more or for longer than you intended, wanting to cut back and not managing it, spending a large part of the day drinking or recovering from drinking, and continuing after it has already cost you something that mattered. Physical dependence adds two more markers: needing more alcohol to get the same effect, and feeling withdrawal symptoms when you stop.
Severity sits on a range rather than a line you either cross or do not. Someone with two or three of these markers is in a very different place from someone with eight, and treatment differs accordingly. That is part of why an outpatient physician can treat many people who assume a residential facility is their only option.
None of this requires hitting a rock bottom first. Waiting for a dramatic consequence is the most common reason people arrive years later than they needed to. If drinking has become something you manage rather than something you enjoy, that is reason enough to have the conversation.
Signs It May Be Time to Get Help
Patients rarely arrive because of a checklist. They arrive because of something smaller and more ordinary.
You tried to take a break and could not make it as long as you planned. You drink earlier in the day than you used to, or you drink alone when you did not before. Mornings are harder than they should be, and the first drink makes them easier. You have started hiding how much you drink, or counting drinks at a dinner so nobody else has to. Sleep has gotten worse rather than better. Your blood pressure or your liver enzymes came back higher than last year. Someone you trust said something, and you brushed it off but have not stopped thinking about it.
Any one of these on its own may mean nothing. Several of them together usually mean the pattern has changed, and a pattern is easier to treat early than late.
One safety note before you decide anything. If you drink heavily every day, do not stop suddenly on your own. Alcohol withdrawal can be medically dangerous and, unlike most substances, can be fatal without supervision. Call the office and let a physician tell you whether you can taper safely at home or need supervised detox first. That conversation costs nothing and it is the right first step.
How this differs from a treatment center
Most alcohol treatment in this area is delivered by residential facilities and recovery programs. Those serve an important purpose, particularly for people who need supervised detox or a period away from their environment.
This practice works differently. Treatment is office based and outpatient. Appointments are private and discreet, in a normal medical office rather than a facility with a sign on the door. There is no admission process, no program to enroll in, and no set length of stay. Your treatment is a plan between you and your doctor, and it changes as you do.
For many people that is the difference between getting help and putting it off for another year.
Medication options for alcohol use disorder
Medication does not stop addiction on its own. What it does is reduce cravings and remove some of the pull, so that the work of recovery becomes possible rather than overwhelming. Dr. Jaffe will discuss which option fits your situation, your health history and your goals.
Vivitrol
An extended release injection given monthly. Vivitrol blocks the receptors alcohol acts on, which reduces both the reward of drinking and the craving for it. Because it lasts a month, there is no daily decision to make and no pill to remember.
Oral naltrexone
FDA approved for alcohol use disorder since 1994 and one of the most studied options available. Taken daily, naltrexone reduces both the rewarding effects of alcohol and the craving for it. It suits people who prefer a daily medication to a monthly injection.
Antabuse (disulfiram)
Antabuse causes an unpleasant physical reaction, including nausea, flushing and headache, if alcohol is consumed. It works through accountability rather than craving reduction, and for the right patient that structure is exactly what helps.
Our office handles prior authorizations for these medications. That matters more than it sounds. Prior authorization is the paperwork step that stops many people from ever starting treatment, and we are one of the few practices in Southwest Florida that completes it for these alcohol medications rather than sending the patient to do it.
What the first appointment covers
The first visit is a conversation and a medical evaluation. Dr. Jaffe will ask about your drinking history, your general health, any medications you take and anything else going on, including anxiety, depression or attention issues, which frequently sit alongside alcohol use and affect how treatment goes.
From there you will discuss whether medication is appropriate, which one, and what the first few months look like. Nobody is lectured and nobody is pushed into a program. Same day appointments are often available, and telehealth appointments are available for follow up care.
If you are not sure whether what you are experiencing counts as alcohol use disorder, our article on the signs it is time to get help walks through the difference between heavy drinking and a medical condition.
What treatment costs
We accept debit and credit cards, both in our office and over the phone. Payment for telehealth visits is taken over the phone. If a family member or someone else is paying for your visit, they are welcome to call the office and pay by card on your behalf.
Our office does not bill insurance companies directly. After your visit we provide the completed paperwork you need to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement, and we handle prior authorizations when your plan requires one.
The medication for your treatment is usually covered by your insurance if you have coverage. If you do not have insurance, the monthly prescription typically costs roughly $40 to $50. You are also free to use whichever pharmacy you prefer. Dr. Jaffe does not own a pharmacy and has no financial relationship with any pharmacy.
If cost is a concern, please call and ask. We would rather answer the question than have it keep someone from getting treatment.
A Note on Alcohol Withdrawal and Safety
This part matters and it is worth being direct about. Alcohol is one of the few substances where stopping abruptly can be medically dangerous. Someone who has been drinking heavily every day for a long stretch can experience tremors, severe agitation, hallucinations, seizures or delirium tremens, and that requires supervised medical detox rather than an outpatient office visit.
If you are physically dependent at that level, Dr. Jaffe will tell you so and help you get to the appropriate level of care first. Medication for cravings comes after you are safely through withdrawal, not instead of it.
If you are drinking heavily and have symptoms of withdrawal now, do not wait for an appointment. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Serving Southwest Florida
Dr. Jaffe treats patients from Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Estero, and sees seasonal and traveling patients as well. Telehealth appointments are available across Florida.
Take the first step
Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition, not a character flaw, and it responds to treatment. If you have been thinking about this for a while, a single conversation is enough to find out what your options are.
Call (239) 498-5760 to schedule an appointment. Same day appointments are often available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alcohol Treatment
Can I get alcohol treatment without going to rehab?
Yes. Dr. Jaffe provides outpatient alcohol treatment, which means you are treated by a physician on a regular schedule while continuing to work and live at home. Residential treatment is the right level of care for some patients, and Dr. Jaffe will tell you honestly if he believes you are one of them, but many people are treated successfully on an outpatient basis.
Does naltrexone stop alcohol cravings?
Naltrexone blocks the receptors alcohol acts on, which reduces both the reward from drinking and the craving to drink. Most patients describe wanting alcohol noticeably less rather than being unable to drink. It does not eliminate addiction on its own, and it works best alongside counseling and support.
What is the difference between Vivitrol and oral naltrexone?
They are the same medication delivered differently. Vivitrol is a once-monthly injection given in the office. Oral naltrexone is a daily tablet. The injection removes the daily decision and is often a better fit for patients whose relapses start with missed doses. The tablet is less expensive and easier to stop. Dr. Jaffe will help you choose.
Is it safe to stop drinking on my own?
Not always. For someone who has been drinking heavily every day, stopping abruptly can cause seizures or delirium tremens and requires supervised medical detox. This is one of the reasons to speak with a physician before you quit rather than after something goes wrong. If you are having withdrawal symptoms now, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Do I have to be sober before my first appointment?
No. You do not need to have stopped drinking to be seen. Come as you are and we will work out the plan from there. Please do not drive yourself if you have been drinking.
How long does alcohol treatment last?
It depends on the person. Some patients are on medication for several months, others considerably longer, usually alongside counseling and support. Dr. Jaffe reassesses with you rather than putting you on a fixed timeline.
Will my employer or my family find out?
No. Your treatment is confidential and protected by federal privacy law. Appointments are one-on-one with Dr. Jaffe and nothing is shared with anyone without your written permission.
How soon can I be seen?
Same-day appointments are available in many cases, particularly for addiction concerns. Call 239-498-5760 and ask.
Do you accept insurance, and what does treatment cost?
We accept debit and credit cards, both in our office and over the phone. We do not bill insurance directly, but we provide the completed paperwork you need to submit for reimbursement, and we handle prior authorizations when your plan requires one. The medication for your treatment is usually covered by insurance. Without coverage, the monthly prescription typically costs roughly $40 to $50.
Do you offer telehealth for alcohol treatment?
Yes. Telehealth appointments are available for patients throughout Florida, including seasonal residents. Payment for telehealth visits is taken over the phone. Some visits, such as a Vivitrol injection, need to happen in the office.
Start Alcohol Treatment in Bonita Springs or Fort Myers
The hardest part of this is the phone call, and it is a shorter call than you think. You are not committing to anything by asking a question.
Dr. Scott Jaffe, MD
10915 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 1122, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Currently accepting new patients. Same-day appointments often available. Telehealth offered throughout Florida.