woman volunteering: one of her favorite alternatives to alcohol

Alternatives to Drinking Alcohol

Life in recovery will sometimes have challenges that can take you by surprise—especially if you’re not prepared with the knowledge you need to navigate those situations successfully. If you have experienced alcohol use disorder, these challenges might include finding alternatives to alcoholic beverages or discovering new ways to spend your time without drinking. Check out…

what does mania feel like

What Does Mania Feel Like?

Mania is a condition that causes someone to display a noticeably heightened level of activity, energy and mood. If you’re experiencing a manic episode, you may feel a euphoria that puts you on top of the world. Talking quickly, sleeping very little, being easily distractible and having delusions of grandeur are also symptoms of mania.…

Learned Helplessness

Learned Helplessness and Substance Use

It’s not always easy to make positive choices in life. Sometimes, these decisions feel impossible, especially if someone feels helpless in a situation. People naturally wonder if our circumstances can be changed and become discouraged when they face hardships. However, living in a state of learned helplessness is often debilitating and can contribute to the…

men's health week

Men’s Health Week

Though anyone can develop physical and mental health issues like heart disease, cancer and depression, men are more likely than women to make risky choices, ignore unusual symptoms and fail to take preventive health measures like visiting their doctor for annual screenings. One potential contributor to these problems is the unrealistic cultural norm that men…

the value of making amends

How to Make Amends

While everyone’s path to addiction recovery is different, rebuilding damaged relationships is one of the first goals many people have after they achieve sobriety. Isolation, deception and secrecy are defining characteristics of active addiction, all of which undermine trust and intimacy. After driving others away with your self-destructive behavior, making amends is one way to…

eating disorder

Eating Disorder Risk Factors, Statistics and Treatment

Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that can affect people from all walks of life. Two people with the same eating disorder may have very different symptoms and experiences. However, professionals have identified some characteristic eating disorder risk factors that may predict someone’s likelihood of developing disordered eating patterns. Read on to learn more…

a doctor explaining to her patient what is rehab like

What is Rehab Like?

A California rehabilitation center significantly improves your odds of maintaining long-lasting abstinence. Attending inpatient and/or outpatient treatment allows you to have the support, guidance, and understanding necessary for recovery. But what is rehab like? Addiction doesn’t discriminate. Anyone, regardless of background, age, gender or socioeconomic class can develop a substance abuse disorder. Substance abuse disorders are chronic…

Bipolar and Addiction

Substance abuse disorders, including addiction and alcoholism, and mental health conditions, like bipolar disorder, are both chronic, incurable and progressive diseases. Mental health symptoms, especially when left untreated, can become disabling. Mental health disorders can also increase your risk of using or abusing drugs and alcohol. When you have a co-occurring disorder, like bipolar and…