In addiction treatment, it is very common to find a mental health condition that underpins and fuels a substance use issue. The most common of these include depression, anxiety, and trauma. For this reason, trauma therapy is often a key component of recovery. What few people know, however, is that there are many different ways…
Anyone who has battled clinical depression knows how difficult it can be to overcome. The neurochemical effect of depression casts a negative shadow over the ways in which the sufferer interacts with the world from home to work to community and hobbies. The pervasive aspect of clinical depression can make it difficult for loved ones…
If you experience sudden episodes of intense fear or anxiety for no apparent reason that feel like cortisol is being dumped into your bloodstream, you may have the diagnosis of panic disorder. Typically there is not an explicit trigger that causes the panic, but these episodes are so frightening, that patients often go to the…
Trauma is a condition that develops when the mind or body feels unsafe and experiences danger. This can occur when someone experiences a life-threatening event or through repeated events in abusive relationships, chaotic family environments, and through other violations of human dignity. The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often severe and develop over…
Trauma as a singular life-threatening event or build beneath the surface for years from micro-moments of emotional injury or neglect. Whether brought on by sudden devastation or repeated injury to the body or psyche, traumatic experiences can make us feel like hostages in our own bodies. Rather than thriving, we are barely surviving. Trying to…
Every September, the US recognizes the power and availability of treatment of substance use and mental health issues through National Recovery Month. September is therefore also a wonderful time to raise awareness and understanding surrounding addiction and mental health treatment. This month-long homage to the journey of recovery has taken place for over three decades,…
Many people begin to suffer from depression without realizing it. Close friends and loved ones may not even be able to tell that they are experiencing the early stages of a serious and debilitating mental illness that affects an estimated 14 million American adults. There are many promising treatment modalities that effectively treat depression and…
For anyone who has struggled with alcohol use, the way out may seem too far or too difficult to navigate. That’s why it’s crucial to seek the right help when you’re ready to change your relationship with drinking alcohol. Alcohol use disorder has been classified as a biological, brain-based disease, which can make it especially…
Many users of marijuana don’t see it as a problem. But marijuana use can quickly transform from a recreational pastime to a dependency that’s difficult to shake, especially among teens and young adults, but we are seeing it more frequently in older adults as well. Recognizing that your relationship with any substance, whether it’s alcohol…