Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a form of recurrent depression that impacts approximately 10 million Americans per year. An additional 10 to 20 percent experience mild symptoms. SAD is sometimes called the “winter blues,” as it most commonly appears in the fall or winter and subsides in the spring — and this year, things […]
Category: addiction
COVID-19 and Depression: How You Can Seek Help
The world wide pandemic we are currently experiencing has created depression and anxiety and sometimes addiction to unhealthy habits for many people, as well as added more for those who already struggle with these kinds of concerns. The many months of additional stress, isolation, and uncertainty have taxed even mentally healthy individuals who have good […]
The Effects of Addiction on the Body and Brain
Addiction is a complex disease that can have significant effects on the brain and body. It can change the way the brain works, which is what controls the way a person thinks, feels, talks, and moves. On top of that, the brain controls the function of all the other organs in the body. These organs, […]
Factors That Contribute to Substance Abuse and Addiction
Addiction can happen to anyone from any background, social status, race, or gender. However, it is scientifically proven that many people have higher risk factors for substance abuse and addiction than others. There are certain factors that increase the risk of a person developing an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Genetics, family history, mental health, […]
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Addiction Therapy
“We can all help prevent suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).” Those of us living with addiction are also often struggling with mental health issues such as […]
Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug to Harder Substances?
For many years, there has been a division about the long- and short-term effects of marijuana. Many people argue that marijuana is safe because the withdrawals are not as intense as they are with other substances. There is also a misconception that marijuana is not addictive. However, this is not the case. According to the […]
What Are Some Behavioral Addictions?
We commonly associate addiction with dependence on drugs and alcohol, but as addicts we know that any substance or behavior can become addictive for us. We can use anything to try and self-medicate our mental health issues, to numb our pain and cope with the demands of our lives. When we are trying to escape […]
What Are Some Warning Signs of Addiction in Children?
Alcohol and drug use are rampant in our culture, and overusing and abusing them are popularized and glamorized every day by our mainstream media and entertainment outlets. Young people are brainwashed into thinking that substance abuse represents coolness, popularity and likeability. Young people are experimenting at younger and younger ages, being pressured and influenced by […]
How Does Self-Judgment Impact Relapse?
Through our recovery work, we learn that being judgmental with ourselves and down on ourselves only makes us feel worse about ourselves and more insecure, causing us to be more likely to turn to our addictions to make ourselves feel better. Our feelings of security, stability, groundedness and centeredness are all fragile when we’re working […]
What Purpose Did Our Addictions Serve?
A powerful way of healing from our addictions is to examine what purposes our drugs of choice were serving so that we can find healthy replacements for them. Very often we use our addictive substances, behaviors and relationships as coping mechanisms for our mental and emotional pain. It is possible to discover other ways to […]
How Do Addiction and Mental Illness Affect Us Similarly?
Mental health issues are often referred to as co-occurring disorders that manifest alongside our addictions. How do the two illnesses affect us similarly? What are some of the symptoms and causes that are the same for both? With both addiction and mental illness, we can experience deep sadness and fear. We can feel intense anxiety, […]
Why Do Mental Illnesses Co-Occur Alongside Addiction?
When we’re living with addiction and mental illness, we’re often not conscious of the deeply rooted issues at the core of our mental and emotional challenges. We know we’re in pain, we know we’re suffering, but we’re not sure why. We haven’t yet traced our difficulties back to the traumatic experiences we endured. We haven’t […]
Starting Over After Addiction
Making the commitment to get treatment for addiction is a huge step in the recovery process. It can be very difficult to acknowledge you have a problem with drugs and alcohol. The stigma surrounding addiction makes it hard to ask for help. Starting over after addiction can seem overwhelming, but there is hope in recovery. […]
What Do I Do To Support Veterans Suffering with PTSD and Addiction?
“We can all help prevent suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-8255.” Veterans who sacrifice their lives to defend our country often come back home from combat with post-traumatic […]
Why Get Sober?
Addiction is complicated and recovery can seem out of reach for a person struggling with it. Recovery is a life-long process and you will face many challenges and obstacles in your journey to sobriety. When a person is addicted, personal relationships with loved ones are compromised and fall apart. Addiction can result in job loss […]
Holistic Addiction Therapy
Treatment for addiction can be tailored to your individual needs. The length and type of treatment depend on the severity and duration of the drug or alcohol addiction, the type of drug used, and mental health. Holistic addiction therapy is effective in treating addiction and focuses on healing the mind, body, and spirit. Holistic therapy […]