Despite the widespread misconception that eating disorders only affect women, the National Eating Disorders Association reports that 10 million American men will struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Though these disorders are treatable, many men who develop disordered eating patterns do not receive the help they need to get better.…
Habitually turning to drugs or alcohol to mute complicated feelings such as anger may have left you without any healthy coping mechanisms in your arsenal. Now that you are sober, you will need to deal with the aftereffects of your substance use, including learning anger management techniques. Understanding Anger as a Relapse Trigger Everyone experiences…
Triggers, like cravings and stress, can increase your risk of relapsing. Mindfulness meditation is an effective holistic therapy that can help improve your cognition, decrease your stress and support your recovery. During recovery, such as a mindfulness based cognitive therapy program, nearly half of all people struggling with a substance abuse disorder experience at least one…
If you have a co-occurring disorder, such as a dependency on alcohol for depression, recovery is sometimes more difficult after a mood disorder treatment program. Depression symptoms can make you consume more alcohol, while alcohol consumption can worsen your depression. So it leaves us asking, can alcohol cause depression? More than 15 million American adults…
Drug abuse, addiction, and substance abuse problems often start with experimenting with gateway drugs, recreational drugs, nicotine, and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol all produce intoxicating effects by causing changes to your brain chemistry. Your brain releases excessive amounts of neurotransmitters whenever you use drugs or alcohol. This process can cause a rush of pleasurable emotions,…
There is a greater awareness in society of gender and sexual orientation diversity. Advocates in the LGBT community are doing a commendable job of educating the public. However, persistent marginalization has not moved the numbers of those needing LGBT substance abuse treatment. What Increases the Need for LGBT Substance Abuse Treatment? Understanding that a person’s…
Each person has a different path that leads them to develop an addiction. Even two people snorting cocaine will display different behaviors and attitudes. The same is true once they commit to undergoing treatment. One person may do well with traditional approaches. On the other hand, another individual may need to take a holistic approach…
Each year, millions of people must face the reality that they or someone they love has a mental health disorder. This realization comes with societal stigmas and very little awareness of what this means. That is why organizations participate in annual Mental Health Month programs. During the month of May, organizations like the National Alliance…
The inability to healthily manage stress and negative feelings are a major reason for substance abuse. One person simply has a harder time than others and will turn to alcohol or drugs. Mindfulness based stress reduction therapy is one form of treatment that can help a person manage stress and reduce negative feelings. Finding holistic…
Stress plagues nearly everyone at some point or another. Even so, some people face more stress than what they can reasonably cope with. In April, we’ll observe Stress Awareness Month to help shine a light on those needing an anxiety treatment program. Here’s some background about this observance and what you might expect from it…