You have probably heard of the 12-step support group but many people aren’t aware of all the steps or how they help. If your treatment center or your recovery support network suggests you join one, what should you expect to gain from it? The 12-step program was first designed by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous … Read more
Everyone feels anxious now and then. You might feel anxious about underperforming at work, before making a life-changing decision, or about what the future might hold. During the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety is a keyword that captures a common state of being for everyone. Occasional, situation-specific anxiety is okay because feelings of anxiousness are how the … Read more
Wellness means being healthy in many dimensions of your life, including the physical, emotional, social, occupational, and financial spheres. These different aspects are interconnected, therefore wellness means you are balanced and functioning in all these areas. Focusing on any one of these areas at the expense of another may not bring about ideal outcomes. Wellness … Read more
Mental health challenges are worsening in workplaces, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Take depression for example. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that depression causes 200 million lost workdays each year, costing employers a total of between 17 and 44 billion dollars. Unfortunately, the prevalence of mental health problems is underrepresented because of … Read more
The word “depression” pops up a lot these days in the media and in many daily conversations. But this high frequency of usage does not mean that most people understand depression as well as they should. For example, have you heard of a “depressive episode?” According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, over 16 … Read more
Do you have a loved one who is struggling with drugs or alcohol and wonder if you have enabled them down that path? This is an important question that family members and parents rarely ask themselves. Addicted individuals may have used deception or coercion to get you to inadvertently further their addiction problems. This is … Read more
Substance addiction and toxic relationships are often inter-linked. Some people get into the habit of using drugs and alcohol because of someone close to them, whether they are a romantic partner, a family member or a close friend who uses or drinks. In these instances, two kinds of addictions often co-occur: the addiction to drugs … Read more
Did you know that emotional healing is a big part of recovery from addiction? Medical professionals have sought out many ways to facilitate the restoration of healthy emotional expression. One of these approaches is art therapy. The use of art therapy as a supplementary intervention strategy has been used effectively in the treatments of cancer, mental … Read more
Among the many causes that lead to addiction, bereavement and grief are not the most common, but they certainly are worth knowing about. Grief is a natural response to the pain caused by bereavement. Because grief tends to linger, people who are grieving might be tempted to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. If you are … Read more
Many people are aware that trauma can have a long-lasting negative impact on people’s physical and mental health. The effects of some traumas can linger for a lifetime. Did you know people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are three times more likely to develop substance use disorder? Yes, trauma and substance abuse can form a vicious … Read more
