Category: Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

Each year, more than 10 million Americans experience abuse at the ends of a domestic partner at an average of 20 people per minute. Domestic violence and abuse occurs across all demographics in all relationship configurations; however, women are more likely to experience domestic violence and abuse than men.  One...

Suicide Prevention Week is dedicated to ending the silence and shame surrounding suicide loss and preventing future tragedies. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, yet is one of the few which is 100 percent preventable. Connection, compassion, and empathy can help to bridge the...

The 5th Leading Cause of American Deaths Did you know that stroke is a leading cause of death in America? 795,000 people suffer from strokes yearly. Further, strokes account for 1 in every 20 deaths that occur in America. This means that 140,000 people die of strokes every year. This...

What Exactly is Functional Alcoholism? Functional alcoholism can be difficult to spot. By definition, functional alcoholism is when someone appears as any non-alcoholic would, despite having a habit of abusing alcohol. They are called “functional” or “high-functioning” alcoholics because they appear to have normally proceeding lives that may even contain...

April is Stress Awareness Month, designated in 1992 to educate the public about the effects of stress on one’s mental and physical health as well as remedies for daily stress. Because addiction often has roots in one’s mental health, understanding and learning to identify stress and stress triggers is important...

How to Calm Anxiety Creatively Every well-being advice column is chalk full of tips on alleviating anxiety- you know the tired, rehashed advice we’ve heard our entire lives. Breathe deeply. Distract yourself. Remind yourself with positive affirmations that “everything is going to be okay.” Well, sometimes things are NOT okay....

I grew up with a mother who had a prescription drug addiction. This disorder started when my mother broke her ankle when I was just four years old. Her life went downhill after that, and it affected my life in ways that still haunt me. The Early Years It didn’t...

With the prevalence of prescription drug abuse and corresponding fatal overdose rates, it’s time to challenge the way we view and respond to the substance abuse epidemic sweeping the U.S. By correcting misconceptions, banishing stigmas, educating the public, and creating greater access to recovery services, we can work together to...

May is Mental Health Awareness month, a time designated to raising awareness and challenging the stigmas that stand in the way of meaningful treatment and recovery. Because mental health disorders and addiction are often co-current, understanding how your mental health impacts substance abuse recovery is essential to maintaining long-term clean...

The holiday season is upon us, and with it the stress and joys of spending time with the people you love. Rather you’re gearing up to travel home for the holidays, playing the host, or opting to celebrate with friends, now is the time to celebrate all you have to...