Here is a list of addiction types we frequently see at Windward Way. Since many of these compulsions often lead to a substance-use disorder, it’s important to realize how these gateways led to a much more serious drug or alcohol use:

• Antidepressants Addiction
• Stimulants Addiction
• Steroids Addiction
• Sleeping Pills Addiction
• OTC Drugs Addiction
• Dual Diagnosis
• Family Issues
• OCD
• Anxiety

What makes our program of recovery different from the others? Our people. Windward Way staff, counselors, and employees all eat, breathe, and live the very principles of long-term recovery. The vast abundance of positive feedback we receive from our graduates confirms that both our drug rehab and alcohol treatment programs are on the right track.

Do you want to be able to hold a job? You got it. You need to make it through the day without a drink? Coming right up! A life of long-term recovery is in reach for you with Windward Way.

What’s more, our post-treatment support will help ensure that you’ll stay on course. After all, a lasting recovery is only good if it is, indeed, lasting. Since we’re here right now, take a moment to reach out. Our support staff will explain the process and help you navigate the waters to craft an individualized program, just for you: (855) 491-7694.

Many Americans appeal to substances to reduce their stress and cope with life’s challenges. Some take antidepressants, some pop wine corks, and others light cigarettes. About 16% of Americans have a substance problem, whether we’re talking about nicotine, alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs. Some people can take a sleeping pill the night before an important meeting and forget about them for the next six months; for others, stopping isn’t as easy and dependancy flourishes.

How Does Normal Use Become Abuse/Addiction?

Let’s make one thing clear from the start: the concept of addiction isn’t limited to substance use (e.g., alcohol, drugs, nicotine, etc.) Any engagement in specific activities–such as gaming, gambling, shopping, or sex–that becomes compulsive and interferes with the person’s daily responsibilities at work, school, or home represents a form of addiction.

The human brain is wired to see pleasure as a reward and to pursue it constantly. Sometimes these experiences are innocent, like eating too much dessert at dinner, but at other times, they can become dangerous.

The problem with drugs is that they excite the parts of your brain that make you feel good. Naturally, you want to repeat the things that gave you pleasure, but after taking the substance repeatedly, the brain gets used to the level of excitement it brings and no longer experiences pleasure. In order to feel good again, users increase the dose to the point their brains and bodies can no longer function in the absence of the drug.

Addiction isn’t something that occurs overnight. You don’t take a pill and form an antidepressant addiction immediately. It’s something that develops over time from recreational use to feeling the urge to compulsively seek out the substance or behavior that brings that pleasure. As such, identifying the early signs of addiction can be challenging.

Warning signs of alcohol abuse:

• Temporary memory loss or blackouts;
• Irritability, depression, or mood swings;
• Alcohol becomes a friend that can help you cheer up, relax or socialize;
• If the person stops drinking, they experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, insomnia, anxiety, tremors, nausea;
• Physical changes of the face and body: puffy, flushed skin, broken capillaries;
• Behavioral changes: drinking alone, in secret, or throughout the day;

Signs of drug addiction may include:

• Taking risks to get the substance (venturing into unsafe neighborhoods, associating with criminals, etc.)
• Loss of Control: Addicts tend to use more as time passes than they originally did for longer periods of time, and they can’t stop on their own, inevitably resulting in total loss of control.
• Jeopardizing Relationships: Addicts lash out at those closest to them, especially if they try to make them stop using. Another effect of substance abuse is a no longer enjoying of hobbies or social activities and professional or school performance collapsing.
• Continued Use of the Substance: Although the person realizes that substance use is creating problems and jeopardizing their personal and professional lives, they can’t stop.

What Are the Physical and Psychological Risks of Drug Abuse?

Substance abuse alters the brain’s chemistry, increasing the chances of developing mental health issues, such as aggression, hallucinations, depression, anxiety, paranoia, etc. A study conducted in 2015, showed that close to 43.4 million (18%) adults age 18 and older in the US suffer from various forms of mental illness. Of these, 8.1 million have a combination of substance use disorder and another mental illness.

Addiction is especially harmful to young people whose brains have yet to develop. Most of them start with stimulants like coffee or caffeinated drinks, which they see as harmless. What they don’t realize is that any substance abuse, whether it’s stimulants, alcohol or illegal drugs can affect the way their brain processes and retains information. In other words, it may change the way they focus, learn, and think.

The behavioral changes described above have clear consequences on school life. Teens with substance abuse problems have lower grades and they drop out of school earlier. Addicts can’t keep their jobs because of the associated mental issues, and they risk destroying their families. Moreover, family members can also be faced with performance issues because they need to take care of the addict. Such situations may include loss of productivity and absenteeism, lack of focus, or health problems.

Addiction is a serious problem, but that doesn’t mean you can’t manage it. Get the medical and psychological support you need to change your damaging behavior and improve your life. Ask for help, and we can help you get your life back on track.

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• Are You Enabling a Drug Addict? Recognizing Behaviors for Prevention
• Pregnancy and Addiction: Concerns, Statistics, and Treatment Options
• How Long Do Drugs Stay in Someone’s System? Types and Information
• What Professions Have the Highest Rates of Substance Abuse?
• What is Drug-induced Psychosis? Diagnosis and Treatment Options
• Drug Overdose: Facts, Symptoms, Rates, and Statistics
• Addiction and Treatment Issues in the Elderly Community
• How Addiction Impacts Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces
• What to do When Your Spouse is Addicted: Safety and the Relationship
• How Gender Affects Substance Abuse Rates and Statistics