Many people drink alcohol because it makes them feel free and less inhibited. Although alcohol can put you in a partying mood, it’s actually a depressant. It can dampen your mood, slow down your central nervous system and alter your brain chemistry. Is Alcohol a Depressant? Alcohol...
May has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S. since 1949. If you or a loved one has ever struggled to keep their mental health in balance, you might want to learn more about how to celebrate or show your support during this...
There are many different types of depression. Situational depression is an adjustment disorder that is brought about by stressful events. In other words, situational depression is a response to traumatic situations that may make it difficult to go about your everyday life. How Is Situational Depression...
Do you go through periods of highs and lows? Does life feel like it gets you down sometimes? It’s normal to feel a full range of emotions, from sadness to happiness, throughout your days, weeks and months. But if you feel down more than you...
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? A type of anxiety disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health as a “common, chronic and long-lasting disorder” characterized by uncontrollable recurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) which the individual feels compelled to repeat. According to...
Have you ever felt confused by someone, like you have this sickening feeling that something isn’t right, but you keep a relationship with someone (whether romantic or platonic) because you want to believe that he or she is a good person? This is what it...
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without _________ (fill in the blank). Many would insert the word “family” as they imagine images of intergenerational family members cooking, eating and laughing together over stupid funny stories at the dinner table. For single men and women, the idea of...
Addiction has been dubbed a brain disease by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and at the forefront of substance abuse addiction treatment is Psychoneuroplasticity (PNP), a cutting-edge advanced specialty care that is making waves in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Traditionally, brain-based treatment has been used...
Victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) know exactly what it’s like to live inside their head years after a life-altering traumatic experience. PTSD is a disorder that develops after an individual directly or indirectly experiences a traumatic event, such as the following:• Combat • Domestic violence •...
Dual Diagnosis as defined by the DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) is: "...