Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef founded Fairwinds Treatment Center in 1989 with the goal of helping substance abusers and their families conquer addiction, heal and go on to lead happy and productive lives. While Dr. El-Yousef has helped countless addiction sufferers recover over the last 25 years, he knows all too well that not everyone gets the treatment they need to survive, leaving their loved ones to shoulder an unimaginable burden.
One New Hampshire family is sharing their story of terrible loss with local news publication The Eagle Tribune, in the hope that they can help others recognize the warning signs of addiction before it is too late. Doug and Pamela Griffin say that just a few years ago, their daughter Courtney was an intelligent, mischievous 17-year-old with a bright future ahead of her. She played the French horn and enjoyed family vacations, like the one the Griffins took to Italy in 2009.
But then drugs took over. Doug and Pamela say that in 2011, a year before Courtney graduated from high school, they started noticing that some prescription pills had gone missing from around the house. Eventually, money and jewelry started to disappear too. Doug's daughter began stealing copper wiring from his computer business, selling it on the black market for drug money. At some point, Courtney's prescription narcotic abuse shifted into a full-blown heroin addiction.
"It was like having an enemy in your camp," Doug told the source. "We had built this wall so nobody outside our family knew she was a heroin addict. No one knew the crisis we were in."
Although the Griffins tried repeatedly to get her the help she needed, Courtney died of an overdose this September. Now they are organizing gatherings for the loved ones of addiction sufferers, hoping to inspire others in the community to recognize the red flags, come forward and get help.
It is often difficult for families to admit that they are struggling with addiction, thanks to the persistent stigma that surrounds it. Many people mistakenly believing that it could never happen to them or someone they love, but addiction can and does affect people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
The good news is that recovery is possible with the right treatment. At Fairwinds Treatment Center, we use a unique dual diagnosis methodology to treat both a patient's physical dependency and the underlying psychological, mental and emotional issues that often, if not always, trigger or worsen it. Many addiction sufferers have undiagnosed anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and/or post traumatic stress disorder. If these internal challenges are not addressed, recovery is likely to only be temporary at best. However, Fairwinds Treatment Center's combination of clinical treatment and therapeutic counseling promotes both inner and outer healing, making lasting wellness entirely within reach.
We also understand that addiction does not just affect one individual. Rather, it causes terrible pain to each of their loved ones. That's why we also offer regular visitation opportunities along with therapeutic family counseling, to help parents, children, spouses and siblings find peace and move forward.
If your loved one is struggling with addiction, contact Fairwinds Treatment Center, one of the best drug addiction treatment centers in the country. We can help you start down the road to recovery.
