During treatment for opiate addiction, Megan talked a lot with her counselor about her family of origin, childhood, and, in particular, her father's aloofness. As a child, Megan always blamed herself for her inability to "connect" with her father Sam. Megan's mother lavished affection and attention on her but Sam ... Read More
How to Plan an Intervention for a Loved One with Mental Illness
Awareness of mental illness and the importance of treatment has been growing in recent years, thanks to numerous campaigns and celebrity efforts to raise awareness of conditions like addiction, depression, anxiety disorders, and self-destructive behaviors. Despite this progress, many Americans continue to go without ... Read More
How Negative Emotions Affect Health
If you've recently endured loss, experienced a significant life-changing event or have simply been overtired and overworked, you may be justly concerned about your overall mental health. How can stress negatively affect your mental health? It turns out, much in the same way it can affect your physical health. Have ... Read More
Holistic Mental Health Care: Facts vs. Fiction Re: Alternative Treatments
Today a growing body of alternative treatments for mental health, also known as holistic interventions, are taking consumers by storm. People rave about the wonders of natural herbs and plant-based supplements like St. John’s Wort for depression, Kava for anxiety, and CBD for pain and sleep (among many other “natural” ... Read More
What Will My Friends Think About My Seeking Treatment?
Facing mental health challenges isn't easy. Even though one in five Americans lives with mental illness, experiencing it for yourself can be very difficult to accept. Over the last several decades, the stigmas surrounding mental health have started to wane. However, this is not wholly widespread, and many people ... Read More
Mental Health After COVID-19 – An Expert Interview with Dr. Beau Nelson
The number of lives lost to COVID-19 continues to rise, having now surpassed 100,000. Meanwhile, as an increasing number of states ease lockdown restrictions, the worst of the pandemic seems to be over. But is it? If the overall impact of a pandemic is measured not just in terms of lives lost to the disease itself, but ... Read More
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: The Devastating Effects of Drinking During Pregnancy
When a woman drinks alcohol to excess during pregnancy, her infant may be born with developmental delays and various physical abnormalities. Drinking alcohol while pregnant can interfere with normal infant brain development and cause a range of other disorders that, taken together, are called fetal alcohol syndrome ... Read More
The Dangers of Mixing Opioids and Alcohol
Each day in the United States, nearly 80 people lose their lives because of an opioid overdose. In many of these instances, alcohol is also complicit—despite the prescription drug label that reads "Do not drink alcohol while using this medication." Many people who take prescription or illicit opioids minimize the ... Read More