Best-selling author says it’s time to end stigma of addiction

At Fairwinds Treatment Center, we know all too well that anyone can become the victim of addiction. Unfortunately, society stigmatizes substance abuse, decrying addicts as self-indulgent, weak and immoral. In actuality, they are almost always struggling with severe, often undiagnosed underlying issues like depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder. Far too many addiction centers try to treat chemical dependency without also addressing these deep-seated mental, emotional and psychological challenges. Such efforts at recovery are doomed to fail, because they don't ease or even acknowledge the addict's internal pain.  

Journalist David Sheff is an outspoken critic of such antiquated treatment methods. His son Nic — an honors student and varsity athlete — began abusing drugs and alcohol as a teen, quickly descending into full-blown addiction. Sheff wrote a best-selling memoir, Beautiful Boy, about Nic's journey toward recovery and another book, Clean, about his struggles to stay sober. Sheff now talks to people around the country about addiction awareness, underscoring the clear connection between mental illness and substance abuse. 

"Addiction is the only disease that carries shame and blame and guilt," Sheff recently told an audience in South Carolina. "We have this image of what a drug addict looks like … [but they] can look like anyone of us."

Since Fairwinds opened its doors in 1989, it has been a place where addiction sufferers can find lasting healing, both inside and out. For the last 25 years, Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef has used his unique dual diagnosis methodology, combining clinical treatment and therapeutic counseling, to facilitate countless recoveries. If someone you love is struggling with substance abuse, know that there is no better drug addiction treatment center than Fairwinds in Clearwater, Florida.