How Celebrating Stress Awareness Month Can Benefit Your Mental Health
April has been observed as Stress Awareness Month since 1992. This nationwide, collaborative effort aims to increase public awareness about the causes and effects of stress, which is considered by most in the healthcare field to be an epidemic in the United States. Stress is generally defined as any factor that causes physical, emotional, or […]
March Is Self-Harm Awareness Month
Throughout the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, March is recognized as Self-Harm Awareness Month, which calls attention to the nearly two million self-injury cases that occur each year. Much like addiction, self-harm occurs across all ages, races, religions, and socioeconomic and education levels. There is a strong connection between self-harm and substance addiction. At […]
Understanding Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Substance abuse is a chemical dependency that is characterized by the uncontrollable use of addictive drugs or alcohol. A dependency on addictive substances impacts the mind and body and can have dangerous long-term consequences. Health problems like seizures, internal damage, difficulty breathing, tremors, and brain damage are just some of the harmful and life-threatening effects. [...]
How To Respond to Financial Chaos After Addiction
Drug addiction can impact all aspects of your life. Your physical or mental health might have taken a toll as a result of substance abuse, or your relationships with loved ones might be strained. One area of your life that addiction can affect is your finances. If you are newly in recovery and are working […]
How Substance Abuse Affects Your Sleep
If you are having trouble falling asleep at night, you should know that this is a common problem. There are countless people who simply do not get enough sleep on a nightly basis. You might wake up the next day feeling tired, irritable, and could even have trouble focusing at work or at school. You […]
Can an Obsession Lead to An Addiction?
An obsession is different than an addiction. An obsession is an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind. However, an addiction is an illness that affects the brain, causing a person to engage in compulsory substance use or addictive behaviors, such as gambling.
How to Cope with Being Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired (HALT)
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been a lifesaver for many people. AA not only provides a recovering addict with a community of sober people (or at least trying to stay sober) but there is also an entire philosophy behind life after addiction. AA provides a clear set of guidelines, a map that will direct you out [...]
Don’t Let Loneliness Get in the Way of Living Sober
For those in recovery, loneliness can be a trigger for relapse. Spending time alone can make using drugs or drinking tempting, and some individuals might turn to substance abuse to feel relief from anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. Understanding how loneliness can be dangerous and having a plan for when this feeling strikes […]
How Nature Can Help You in Recovery
While there’s no cure for addiction, there are treatments available to help you manage the disease successfully. Besides traditional therapy, there are alternative options that can aid your efforts at recovery. Spending time outside is one way you can learn to find physical, mental, and spiritual balance. Nature therapy can aid your recovery by keeping […]
