Fitbits are wearable activity monitors that look like a watch but offer a lot more insight when it comes to your daily activity levels and vital signs. Many Apple watches and Garmin brand watches have similar features and are lumped under the moniker of 'Fitbit'. You'll find many variations within these products ... Read More
Learning Center
FHE Health is dedicated to educating the American public—especially individuals, families, and communities—about mental health and substance abuse topics. In our Learning Center, you'll find articles on alcoholism, substance abuse, behavioral and mental health, and other treatment-related issues. Our articles are written both for the person in need of treatment as well as loved ones seeking more information. We also provide information for those who have gone through treatment and are building a new life in recovery.
The Mental Health Pitfalls of Fitbits for Consumers
Lessons Learned from Margot Kidder’s Lifelong Battle with Bipolar Disorder: The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment
Formative Years Actress Margot Kidder suffered from mental health problems throughout her short life, specifically bipolar disorder, which doctors failed to diagnose until she was in her early 40s. When she was 14, Kidder tried to commit suicide by overdosing on codeine capsules following a sudden break-up with her ... Read More
Narcan: The Must-Have Drug to Have on Hand if Your Loved One Has an Opiate Addiction
It's 2017, Chicago, and Chris Rogers is walking the three blocks from his parking spot to the front door of his apartment building. He passes a park and sees a woman motionless on the ground. He approaches her and recognizes it immediately — an overdose. He has to make the split-second decision between ... Read More
Drug Profile: Concerta
Concerta is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Once-a-day-Concerta is often prescribed to treat ADHD. The drug helps control the chemicals in the brain that are associated with hyperactivity and impulse control. Concerta is a relatively new drug; it’s been on the market since 2000 and is prescribed to ... Read More
Can Despair Kill You? Disease Experts Say “Yes”
Everyone knows that stress plays a huge role in mental health, and mental health can also have a major impact on your physical health and overall well-being. When stress, anxiety and despair get to extreme levels, they can actually increase your risk of dying from these so-called diseases of despair. Here's a look at ... Read More
Organ Transplants and Addiction: Finding a Second Chance
Transplants involving those with a past of substance abuse has led to new opportunities but also new questions. One of the tragic outcomes of the opioid overdose crisis is the availability of more organs for those waiting for life-saving transplants. Though a very sad consequence of this crisis, many younger people ... Read More
How One “Stop Drinking” Pill Can Aid in Alcohol Recovery
While the integration of "medically assisted treatment," or MAT, into inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment programs is a relatively new concept, some of the drugs used in these programs are not. Antabuse — one of the brand names for a drug called disulfiram — is regarded as one of the very first medications ... Read More
How Addiction Impacts the Family: The Stages of Progression
Addiction doesn't discriminate, and having a cohesive, loving family background doesn't exclude someone from becoming an addict. While it can be difficult to understand how someone ends up in the throes of addiction with such a positive and supportive family or how a family can end up in the place of cutting the addict ... Read More