Knowing how to comfort a depressed friend is a mystery to many. Managing a depressive episode can be difficult and isolating, not only for the depressed person but also for those who care. Many people around you may not understand what to do or say, even when sincerely wanting to help. Whatever you do, take […]
Addiction aftercare is crucial for long-term addiction recovery. If you’re new to addiction recovery, the idea of 10 years, five years, or even one year sober may seem like a long shot. It’s not a long shot. Once you create a firm foundation and root yourself into a new, sober life, you begin to gather tools
You don’t have to be a mental health professional to know trust issues, anxiety, insecurity, shame and disassociation are bad for relationships. If these same patterns of behavior, however, are common for an individual dealing with a past traumatic event or series of events, how does someone navigate trauma recovery and relationships? In some surprisingly
There are three simple, common-sense reasons parents should consider going to Al-Anon when a child is experiencing a substance use disorder: Education, healthy boundaries, and self-care.Attending Al-Anon actually improves your child’s chances of seeking treatment and remaining in recovery. Substance use disorders are medical conditions impacting the entire family. When one family seeks treatment, either
What’s the difference between drug abuse vs. drug addiction?How do you know if either is a problem for you or a loved one?A substance use disorder, a term encompassing drug abuse and drug addiction, is a progressive medical condition.Let’s dive into what constitutes a substance use disorder or addiction and what’s defined as drug or
Drug Abuse vs. Drug Addiction: How Far is Too Far? Read More »
Social Media Affects Our Mental HealthThis isn’t news to most people. Most of us have experienced how social media affects our mental health through photos of happy families who never seem to bicker—ever. We’ve likely seen air-brushed, filtered photos of celebrities claiming to look “natural.” And, few of us have avoided cyberbullying, even if it’s
Mental healing requires that we stay in the present but confront the past honestly.For those of us healing from a mental health disorder or past trauma, finding a balance between the past and present is challenging. We can only heal when the pain from the past comes into the light. At the same time, getting
How Does the Past Play a Role in Your Mental Healing? Read More »
What’s Important to Know About Attachment Styles?“How do you overcome an insecure attachment style?”“Does your attachment style impact your sex life?”“Is it possible to have a committed relationship with an avoidant attachment style?”These are a few of the stories sweeping the web. So, what is an attachment style? And, does your attachment style really have
Is Your Attachment Style Damaging Your Love Life? Read More »
“I’m on the brink of a mental breakdown.” Do mental or nervous breakdowns really exist? More importantly, if these breakdowns happen, how do you recover? And, how did these terms become so commonplace in our vernacular?Finally, if breakdowns are real, how do you know when you reach the breaking point? Are there clues to your
What’s a Mental Breakdown? Stress in Our Modern World Read More »
We’d all like to think that stigmas around men’s mental health and emotions are shifting for the better. Continually, however, we are reminded how much further we have to go.In a letter to the editor published in Ohio in July 2021, a 12-year-old girl called out an announcer at a July 4th parade for proclaiming
Men’s Mental Health: Getting Honest with Emotions Read More »
