In his 1983 book entitled Mister Rogers Talks with Parents, Fred Rogers recounted how when he was a child and would see scary things on the news, his mother would tell him, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." In many cases, those "helpers" are the EMTs and paramedics who are first to ... Read More
Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes a Problem
Orthorexia, or orthorexia nervosa, is not officially diagnosed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Yet it is a severe eating disorder that can be life-threatening. Orthorexia and Its Connection to Healthy Eating When someone has orthorexia, they are fixated or obsessed ... Read More
Mental Health Care for Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers are charged with the task of serving and protecting citizens and creating a safe environment for everyone in their communities. Being a police officer can be rewarding, but it also comes with high demands and exposure to trauma. Over time, this can take a severe toll on the officer's mental ... Read More
Can You Get PTSD from Witnessing a Terrible Event?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that many people misunderstand, largely thanks to some persisting myths and misinformation. Traumatic events leave people feeling sad, anxious, frightened, or even guilty. When these feelings persist for long periods, it could be PTSD. While most individuals ... Read More
How to Help Someone Silently Suffering from Depression
Depression is a common but serious mental health condition that affects a wide array of people, regardless of factors like age, race, or income level. About 17 percent of Americans struggle with depression and as many as six out of 10 adults in this country will experience at least one episode of depression in their ... Read More
This National Recovery Month: One Expert’s Challenge
September is National Recovery Month, and according to SAMHSA, it started in 1989 as “a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make ... Read More
The Science Behind the Overdose Dangers of Relapse, From an Expert
Drug overdose is now a leading cause of death in this country, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is also a public health crisis that has left families in grief, decimated whole communities, and prompted an urgent nationwide search for solutions. Dr. Albert Castellon, M.D., has devoted much of his ... Read More
What It’s Like to Respond to an Overdose Emergency
Trigger Warning: This article contains language about overdose that could be triggering for some people. The overdose epidemic in this country has continued to outpace itself. Drug overdose deaths, most of which were opioid-related, hit a new high in 2022. For every one of these 109,000 deaths, there were many ... Read More