Safe injection sites, or supervised injection sites, are a harm reduction strategy that’s gaining attention in many US cities. Right now there are at least 100 safe injection sites worldwide. Most of those are in Europe, Canada, and Australia. The idea of safe injection sites and other harm reduction strategies is to minimize the damage… Continue Reading Do Safe Injection Sites Work?
With the holidays coming up, you be looking for gift ideas for a friend or loved one recovering from addiction. Generally speaking, people recovering from addiction like the same things as everyone else, although anything related to drugs or alcohol is clearly off limits. However, you might want to give something that lets her know… Continue Reading 5 Holiday Gift Ideas for Someone in Recovery
Hypnosis has been around for centuries and has long been a staple of TV and movie plots. You may also have seen stage shows in which unassuming audience members were made to believe they were chickens or Robert De Niro. As entertaining as these depictions are, they are not an accurate representation of hypnotherapy, or… Continue Reading Can Hypnosis Be Used to Treat Addiction?
As the holidays approach, one hazard to beware of is the anniversary effect. The anniversary effect is when a certain time of year reminds you of a difficult experience. For many people, the first holiday season without a loved one can renew the pain and grief that had started to subside. Or it could be… Continue Reading Holidays and the Anniversary Effect
It’s common for people to say they’re depressed when they’re sad. Also, when most people think of depression, sadness is the first thing that comes to mind. We sometimes use these words interchangeably, but sadness and depression are not the same thing. Depression continues to be a misunderstood condition and it’s one that affects about… Continue Reading How is Depression Different from Sadness?
Benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world. They are typically prescribed to treat acute anxiety, panic attacks, or insomnia related to stressful events. They work well when used for very short periods. Unfortunately, benzodiazepines are also extremely addictive. Even two weeks of regular use can lead… Continue Reading Signs of Benzodiazepine Dependence
Over the past 60 years or so, marijuana has been associated with creativity. Writers, artists, comedians, and musicians have been known to use it regularly. Marijuana is especially associated with the counterculture of the 1960s and all the new art, ideas, and music that emerged from it. Many people feel like marijuana is essential to… Continue Reading Does Marijuana Make You More Creative?
More than half of people with substance use disorders also have a mental health issue. Common dual diagnoses include depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia. Many people with these disorders will try to mask the symptoms with drugs or alcohol. This works temporarily, but in the long run,… Continue Reading Are You Self-medicating?
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects about two million Americans. It’s best known symptoms are auditory and visual hallucinations, but other symptoms include delusional thinking, disordered or incoherent thinking or speech, social withdrawal, or diminished affect in speech or facial expressions. Although most people know something about schizophrenia, many people misunderstand the condition, leading… Continue Reading 4 Common Misconceptions About Schizophrenia
Anyone who has spent too much time on social media knows what it’s like to come away feeling anxious, irritable, despondent, or angry. Interacting with friends, acquaintances, and strangers online can provoke emotions ranging from envy to outrage. Many people often lament that social media platforms have replaced meaningful social interaction with superficial sharing, which… Continue Reading Is There a Link Between Social Media and Depression?