Category Archives: Mental Health

Mar
06
2019

What Is Sex Addiction?

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Sex addiction is hard to talk about and even more difficult to go through. It’s seen as a secret act, is the root of infidelity in some cases, and is touchy because every relationship treats it differently. Men and women are held on different unfair standards for sex, especially by the media even today. We might be outspoken with our loved ones about the activity, guys may pass on their favorite videos of sex in their “bro-chats”, and girls may shy away from sharing what is or isn’t working from them while they have sex. Everyone is different on their perspectives about it. Not everyone is willing to share them.

When it comes to a sex addiction, the line is drawn when the act transforms from pleasure to a full-fledged dependency. A person with an addiction to sex might be severely insecure and see active validation by the act, be addicted to porn, talking to people outside of their relationship, have a history of cheating, or find that they just can’t go a few hours without thinking about it. No matter if you are a girl or boy, it’s important to know what the signs of a person with a sex addiction are and if you might be with someone who has one. Understanding where their behavior is stemming will help you fortify your ability to talk to them and direct them to help.

Get through sex addiction with healing.

Signs of Sex Addiction

It should be totally normal for a person to want to have sex or experience it with someone that they care about or at least interested in. Sex is part of being a human, it’s like eating or sleeping during the day. It’s a natural cause and it’s the reason we are all here today. At the same time, addiction experts can draw out a few key symptoms of people who have a sex addiction since it takes a toll on their life and mental clarity.

If the person you’re with is showing signs of the following behaviors, they may be displaying compulsive behavior:

  • They have cheated and demonstrated addictive behavior before. I believe in second chances, and just because someone cheated before doesn’t mean they’ll do the same thing with you. People can change and shape up if they choose to do so for themselves. If the person’s history unravels and it looks like a serial line of infidelity, you may want to stop and think. What is causing this reason to stray away? Are they having unusually high standards for their partners? Or are they addicted to filling in their sexual ego? These are all questions to brew in the back of your mind if you realize you need to talk to your partner. If the person tells you in the beginning that they have cheated in the past, take it as a blessing. Not everyone admits to cheating and they are doing you a favor if that’s a deal breaker for yourself.
  • They demonstrate compulsive behavior. This means that they can easily get hooked to something that excites them, like sex. They might make up a lot of lies to cover up their tracks as well. People who have a compulsive behavior issue tend to be compulsive liars, even towards the people they care the most about. They can’t control it after it becomes a bad habit. You won’t be able to cover all of their tracks during the day, and there’s no need to put a tracker on their phone to tell. That’s the extreme end and usually you will realize that their actions aren’t matching up to their words. Overall, if you are in a relationship with someone that doesn’t make you feel secure or supported enough, you need to get out. Usually you can trust your gut feeling in this case.
  • They lack mental clarity. Someone who has a sex addiction won’t be able to cope during a normal day without thinking about sex in some shape or form. A normal conversation with a girl or boy could cross the line, they could get caught for inappropriate browsing at work, or they could be stashing photos or videos on their phones that lead to an issue. Leads that are pointing to consistent topics on sex on social media should be one of the dead tale signs of sex addiction. Maybe they leave the room in the middle of a movie, stay in the bathroom too long, or are taking their lunch break at odd times during the day. Unusual behaviors like this and often looking “out of it” could be a sign that their head isn’t where it should be. If they also say they are helping themselves down there many times during the day, also watch out. This is one trait that can cross the line really quick, especially if they are at work or at school during the day. An exorbitant number of times a day is not normal for anyone. Take it as a flashing red light of their oncoming sex addiction.
  • They may flirt or sext too much. If you know that they’re talking about sex with someone of the same sex as you, you may start to feel upset and insecure that they’re flirting with that person as well. It hurts to read messages that are explicit, especially if you’ve already told your partner that that behavior isn’t okay. If they respect you enough, they will continue. If they continue, you know what to do.

Get Sexual Addiction Treatment

If you suspect that a person you’re spending time with, dating, or even married to might have a sex addiction to really watch their behavior. Maybe you realize that you have a sex addiction that is interfering with your relationships, your mental clarity, and your productivity above all at work. If it’s taking a toll on you, it’s definitely needs to be addressed as soon as possible with the help of a professional therapist or even an online support group if you are too embarrassed. Sex is still a highly taboo topic for people to talk about, especially if they are developing an addiction to it.

If you are especially committed to the person that you are in a relationship with, gethelp and talk to them in an intervention style manner. Approach them with an open mind and don’t point any fingers at them if they haven’t been on their best behavior. All of us hurt for different reasons, have different vices, and take out our stress in different ways. Some people smash weights in the gym, some go out, some take drugs, some get in fights with their loved ones, and some turn to sex. Everyone is different so it takes time to understand their point of view. If you don’t want to see them fall in the future, consider talking to them about getting sex addiction recovery so they can regain a better focus on their life. Sex addiction is definitely conquerable if you take matters into your hands.

Men and women can deal with sexual addiction.

Mar
06
2019

Workplace Addiction

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Workplace addiction is a common problem that today’s industries are battling. Everyone deals with stress differently and could turn to addictive substances like drugs or alcohol to take the edge off. For people who are feeling like they’re nearly at their limit, sometimes smoking a joint or taking a few shots in between shifts is what they need to keep feeling strong. The classic line of cocaine on the desk in the banking facility is a common reality when you look at the statistics. As great as it may make them feel in the short term, workplace addiction isn’t right and is extremely dangerous. For those operating machinery, driving, or are on the front lines of dealing with customers, maintaining a sober state of mind is crucial. Anything that tampers with their mental clarity could lead to complaints, failure perform well, injuries, or even death at the worst case.

While we all think we’re invincible at some point, no one wants to become completely tied to using drugs or alcohol to just get by. Even self-proclaimed addicts know that their habits aren’t healthy and could lead to the loss of their professional career. Since workplace addiction is a growing issue, companies are enforcing strict policies for testing and dismissal. Be sure you know the facts before you take the risk.

Workplace addiction needs to be addressed immediately.

Workplace Addiction Consequences

Using drugs of any kind extremely impairs decision-making abilities and physically impaired people while they are on the job. Nearly 10-20% of American workers who die at work have a positive result when tested for drugs or alcohol from their employers. Besides not following the rules, people can risk being suspended on their job, become demoted, or dismissed completely. That type of dismissal can stay on their record and can come up at awkward times if they try to apply for another corporate job. Companies have a right to contact previous employers and investigate their candidates at most times! What’s alarming is that almost nearly industry struggles with workplace addiction including bartending, healthcare, construction, transportation, financial investing, and even media to name a few. Celebrities, mainstream movies, and hit songs can further encourage the use of drugs and alcohol in susceptible minds that aren’t educated on its risks.

The sooner the problem is stopped the quicker recovery can begin for an employee. Drugs and alcohol are not the answer to dealing with stress, and they need to know that their “high” will only become a painful, tiring, and stressful come down. Not every drug will provide the same withdrawal effects so people could suffer from a wide range of headaches, bloodshot eyes, restlessness, or muscle aches from not getting their dose.

Workplace Addiction And Long Term Risks

Workers all have to go through periods of high stress and anxiety on their job. The unhealthy habits and addiction and sprout from them ignoring their stress symptoms and allowing the feeling to build up inside their body. Some people may crack and resort to drugs and alcohol to deal with the tension they’ve been hiding for so long. Many addicts at work are high functioning and can cover up their habits to the rest of their company. The guy at the corner of the office may be dressed up in a nice suit, but what is he doing during his long lunch breaks? Over time, people will start to ask questions and interrogate if their coworker is someone they see nearly every day.

A worker may start to look less put together from lack of sleep or control of their addiction. They could carry a scent of the substance, look tired or overly stressed, or seem defensive if any questions about their activities are asked. In either case, if you work at a company with rules enforced you can’t expect someone not to notice the change. People may be telling your manager about your habits and all people could be watching you for some time before discipline steps in. Companies will not tolerate any use of drugs in general for workers who are at or off work. Anyone heavily relying on their job needs to steer clear from addictive substances and know better than to chase the high.

In the big picture, the company can suffer from bad press or poor reviews from customers. This leads to declined sales and a damaged reputation if the caught employee is in upper management especially. Even if you’re an entry level work, you’re probably directly talking to your clients and are doing some of the most important daily tasks for your company. Don’t allow your addiction to brew, get help from addiction treatment professionals before it’s too late.

Workplace Addiction Doesn’t Discriminate

Addiction can choose to victimize anyone. If you are constantly using drugs or alcohol and aren’t looking after yourself, odds are you will develop an addiction. Most employees with a workplace addiction can be men or women. There is no set “look” to someone with an addiction as we all have different experiences with overcoming something addictive. Before your stress takes a hold of you, think about the specific goals that you have for this week, month, and year before you take the hit of a drug. You could ruin your chance to be successful and others who are consistently putting in more work than you will definitely beat you to it.  The importance of time management, exercise, proper sleep, and healthy nutrition is critical to understand as well as you navigate your career. Large companies might have a program in place for men and women with workplace addictions, but make sure to read your HR policy before making any assumptions. As someone responsible you can check into a treatment center in your community and get the help of their expertise.

Online Addiction Recovery Centers

If you need help for your workplace addiction, you have many options. Since full time schedules and even part time responsibilities can be draining, many centers now offer online treatment programs to engage you in becoming sober. They understand that it’s sometimes tough to get into popular rehab programs, so the online platform ensures that everyone gets a chance. It also allows you to learn more about overcoming your workplace addiction in a time sensitive manner. Block out an hour a day or even just a few hours a week of rehab education so you can make little accomplishments very quickly. That will help you stay motivated to complete the program overall and stay accountable!

Jan
25
2019

Art Therapy For Children

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Children are lovers of all things fun, creative, and freeing. They won’t hesitate to take a paint brush or pen and create pictures of their wildest dreams. In our world today, young kids are experiencing more stress than usual with school, growing up, and being around technology all the time. With mounting pressures affecting them more than ever before, some parents wonder what will help them naturally take the edge off without being too invasive of their space. For children who already have mental illnesses like high anxiety, PTSD, or depression, the answers can become even vaguer since they aren’t as skilled in articulating what symptoms they are feeling. A child may think the world is crashing down around them, and overly exaggerated what is going on. On the flip side, they may be quiet and hesitate to say they’re feeling “out of it” or in pain because they don’t understand what is happening.

For a child who is showing frequent signs of stress or anxiety at school or at home, using art therapy is a great way to get them to open up and reflect on their environment. They have the choice to connect with their feelings in a safe space and aren’t in fear of being judged during an art therapy session. Better yet, they can work with the counselor leading the session to talk about what they are feeling and learn more about their personalities. This is essential, since children don’t yet have a strong grasp on who they are, why they’re afraid of, and what they want in life. No matter what, children are guaranteed to have fun in art therapy and will want to show the world what magical pieces they can make from it. Let’s look at the ways art therapy works and how it’s perfectly suited to help our tiny tots.

Art therapy has endless possibilities.

Art therapy has endless possibilities.

Using Art Therapy

Art therapy is a great way for very young children to communicate easily and without fear. Originating in 1904 by Margaret Naumburg, art therapy can take on many forms and is used for patients of any age if they wish to start. Like any other therapy process, both the patient and the therapist has to remain patient and open to change for it to be successful. Unlike other methods, however, art therapy is unique for the following reasons:

  • Art therapy can include any kind of art medium. Traditionally, painting, crayons, colored pencil, charcoal pencils, and even clay sculpture were used for patients during their sessions. Typically therapists choose what medium would best suit the patient and after hearing suggestions from the patient. Today, with the amount of digital tools to our use art therapy includes digital collaging, 3D printing, animated drawings, and digital painting done from a laptop. This allows patients to be able to complete sessions in the comfort of their own home if they wish to do so. For children who may be shy of hospitals or confined environments, digital art therapy is a great alternative to improve their mental health over time.
  • Art therapy allows clients young and old to better process their inner thoughts and understand what stress might be present in their lives. Some of the most popular art therapy methods are active imagination therapy, gestalt art therapy, and third hand. Active imagination allows patients to practice free association with words or images that come to their mind while they create art. Gestalt art encourages clients to use art along with language instead of analyzing their external environment. For patients suffering from anxiety, this is great so they can better reflect on their own feelings and thought process instead of reacting to the world around them. Third hand has the therapist helping the client produce artistic images together by digital media, collaging, or other mediums. Through this method, the two parties can develop a strong bond and better communicate their thoughts.
  • Art therapy helps children build self-expression, positive perspectives, and stronger self-independence from the negative events or people in their life. A child can work through any difficult feelings or experiences by drawing about them instead of painfully explaining every detail. It also is a great way for them to unwind after a long school day or get out of the house if they feel stuck at home.
  • Art therapy is exciting and always different. No session will be exactly the same, since art is an ever changing form of self-expression. Every art piece a child draws will take on a different persona or show a different story from their imagination. This is enjoyable for the therapist to see and serves as a fun activity for the child if they build a positive relationship over time. Parents don’t need to worry about the therapist accomplishing this since they have years of intense training in social work, art therapy, and even psychology under their belt. .

Art Therapy In The Future

As technology continues to disrupt our lives and what we know to be true, so will the form of art therapy. The method of treatment was much different one hundred years ago compared to today. Luckily, people of any age can benefit from art therapy since it allows one to decompress, let go of their fears, and gain self-awareness. Children especially have an important voice since they are the future of our society and often have a fresh perspective on our world. They should be given the chance to unlock their inner imagination and help them engage more fully with their environment. Since younger children also usually have a lot of questions about new things like therapy, it’s important that they feel listened to and supported from start to finish. If you also want to learn more about what art therapy services are available in your local community, check out what is located in arts centers, nearby universities, and counseling locations. Some areas might specialize in art therapy for younger patients like children. Be sure to know all your options are before making a big decision that could impact their health!

Art therapy is a great and natural way to improve mental disorders.

Jan
25
2019

Cannabis-Assisted Detox

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You could have different experiences with using drugs, but it’s easy to tell that the topic of medical cannabis is highly controversial. Not everyone is standing behind its medical benefits and think it’s only going to ruin our national security. More teenagers might get addicted on the homefront and it is sparking political feuds around the country. Yet, thousands of people are preaching nonstop about its calming abilities and help symptoms of writer’s block, insomnia, and anxiety. For people who need detox from drug abuse, medical cannabis does a great job as well to block their cravings and prevent relapse in the future.

While no one can justify the “right” way to use medical cannabis and how much the “right” dosage should be, we can take action to learn more about its benefits and how it’s been scientifically proven to help people with addiction. Medical cannabis is already legal in 29 states and at least 85% of the general public supports legalizing it as of last year. No reported deaths have been linked to medical cannabis as well, with exceptions to patients operating dangerous machinery or just doing something out of the ordinary that would put their safety at risk. Since our government makes nationwide decisions by thorough research and party agreements, speaking out about your support and beliefs towards medical cannabis will help the people who really need it. The states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey took initiative to pass the drug and implement it into treatment plans in drug rehab centers throughout its region. People from a variety of backgrounds now use medical cannabis since it’s proven as a dramatically effective way to treat chronic pain and opioid addiction compared to alternative meds.

Let’s walk some of the pros and cons of using medical cannabis and if using it is right for you.

Cannabis assisted detox can make detox successful.

 

Medical Cannabis Benefits

Medical cannabis helps with patient’s chronic pain, opioid addiction, cancer symptoms, acute pain, and even PTSD or anxiety levels. If you’ve wanted to try the drug for your illness or begin cannabis-assisted detox for your drug addiction, think about its benefits:

  • Cannabis-assisted detox works by providing opiate withdrawal help. Opioid overdoses affect over 200
    people every day in the country. With medical cannabis, patients have reportedly lower stress, better sleep and eating habits, less headaches and pain throughout the day, less mood changes, and better peace of mind overall. Compared to anti-craving medications, patients are experiencing many benefits without taking another pill or worrying about a hefty prescription. If a patient takes medical cannabis and doesn’t abuse the drug the same way someone would with a substance abuse disorder, run into the same legal and financial issues that are usually linked to drug-related crimes.
  • Medical marijuana does require a prescription from your personal doctor, not your counselor or your neighbor down the street who’s a dermatologist. The drug is still very unregulated and comes with its own deal of side effects if it is abused to the extreme. Due to its nature, it is only allowed to be distributed in less than half of the states in the country. If you live in a state like California or Colorado that legalizes marijuana for rehab treatment, first visit your doctor. Tell them about your symptoms from your addiction and learn about the risks that are associated with using medical cannabis. From there, they can give you the prescription to legally obtain the drug from a licensed distributor in the area. You’ll also need to explain to your doctor if you have any family history of illnesses, personal medications you take, and possible pregnancy as well. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
  • You need to be aware of your personal health before using medical cannabis. People who are of older age, already sick with an illness, have a family history of addiction to drugs, or are weak in general can affect its effectiveness.For example, If someone is already on a drugs like allergy medicine, asthma inhalers, or antibiotics, they may not want to use medical cannabis or else the risk unwanted side effects. Mixing different drugs together is always risky because everyone’s body chemistry is different.
  • Cannabis-assisted detox may help opioid addicts to keep their relapse rates down. Opioid addiction is hard to deal with because it often causes relapses in even the most desperate treatment followers. Instead of using anti-withdrawal symptom pills that could induce annoying nausea, thinner blood, or loss of appetite, medical cannabis calms down patients. It also relieves their pain naturally and without taking a pill every day. With less annoying symptoms to deal with, patients can regain control of their life quickly and go back to feeling normal again.

Is Cannabis-Assisted Detox For You? 

Using medical cannabis for detox can be an effective way to secure a sustainable treatment method. You won’t be suffering from side effects from medication, pricey medication fees, or risk the relapses that often occur during drug addiction treatment plans. Patients are showing true signs of improvement from their previous pain, headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and even weight management. People who are interested in taking medical cannabis should immediately ask their doctor before taking any other actions. You should know what the risks are for yourself and if you can sustainably incorporate the drug into your lifestyle before committing to a large medical cannabis dose for treatment. You might also have a lot of questions that can be answered if you take a trip to their office. Overall, it’s best to consult a cannabis-assisted detox specialist as your first step and act as a sponge to all the information you can learn about treatment with it!

Learn more about cannabis assisted detox from trusted resources.

 

Jan
25
2019

Marijuana Addiction

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Marijuana addiction and overall cannabis abuse is hot topic in our country addiction. People are abusing the drug in their spare time illegally to get high, while others are using medicinal marijuana for their mental or physical illnesses. Not every state awill completely agree with the use and distribution of medicinal marijuana as well, so not everyone is in the same boat for their available resources for marijuana addiction treatment. Before taking action, it’s important to understand what possible signs of marijuana addiction are before anything dangerous happens.

Marijuana is not as physically dangerous as other drugs like heroin, cocaine, alcohol, stimulants, or opioids, but marijuana addiction can still progress to a fully-fledged disorder that disrupts a person’s regular life. They may suffer from withdrawal effects, financial loss, and broken relationships as a result of an intense marijuana addiction if they don’t get help and treat their problem responsibility. For the country overall, marijuana still interferes with people’s daily life and can lead to the same economic problems caused by other types of addiction in every community. While the public opinion of medicinal marijuana has eased up over the past few years from scientific studies done on its benefits, we need to fully understand its risks and what ways it should be used responsibly.

Marijuana addiction is a huge problem in our country.

Signs of Cannabis Abuse

Some signs of drug addiction can be more difficult to detect than others, especially if a person is a high functioning marijuana addict.A high functioning addict is someone who is highly skilled in covering up their secret and will appear like a normal and functioning human being to the outside world. They could be fooling their spouse, their friends, and even their close family if they are careful enough to cover up their tracks. Unfortunately, this facade only lasts so long as a marijuana addiction can snowball into a much deeper problem.Many people who have a marijuana addiction may either think they do not have a problem or won’t know how to handle the addiction with affordable treatment. Some of the most common red flags of someone having marijuana addiction include:

  • They are heavily in denial. No matter what people say or question about their habits, they tell them and themselves that there is no issue. They believe that their marijuana addiction is the new normal or is totally okay because other people who are successful have a similar habit. Just because the rich or famous practice cannabis abuse doesn’t mean it’s right, healthy, or fashionable to do the same. In most cases, people who don’t treat their cannabis abuse problem will end up in a crisis from losing hours of time, thousands of dollars, important relationships, and even potential careers that could’ve led them to freedom. Don’t let the short term excuses and justifications shadow the bigger problem at hand if you have a marijuana addiction.
  • They have odd behavior. Someone might be even experiencing family members who turn a blind eye to their behavior which further enables their beliefs that everything is okay. Someone with a marijuana addiction will likely experience either weight loss or weight gain, find themselves lying more than often, experience scenes of sudden panic, emotional dependency on the high, and even anger towards people who can sense something is off. Someone may not be able to even last an hour throughout day without thinking about their next hit of marijuana and how to support their out of control cannabis abuse. Their friends may be bad influencers or judge them in general, so they have more of a reason to not tell someone about their problem. People who pressure us or make us feel inadequate are the last people we want to come clean to about a marijuana addiction. If someone starts to come home from work later than before or tend to hide their financial activities something is most definitely off.
  • They look off. Someone who has full-fledged marijuana addiction will start to look more tired, agitated, and just weak in general. They could show up with more dark circles than usual, look a little more underweight or overweight, and seem like their mind is just not present at all. If someone with a marijuana addiction is clever enough, they may play off their difference in appearance as a joke or a response to their friend not believing in them. As someone who lived with a roommate during college who had an intense marijuana addiction, look out for these expressions of dark humor, frequent disappearing, and odd sleeping habits. Humor always has some grain of truth to it you know the person well enough.
  • Someone with a marijuana addiction will suffer from lower productivity. The easiest way to spot someone doing so in college is to see how many classes they are missing, how many times they blow off your plans, or how many hours they oddly sleep in on a weekday. They aren’t present anymore and so is their mind. For a working adult, they routinely show up to work late or take longer than usual lunch breaks once everyone returns back to the desk. They may avoid office parties or after work outings that they once took part in before their marijuana addiction. They’re likely rushing to the car or somewhere secret to get their next hit after going through hours of painful sobriety. Most of all, they could show up with the lingering scent of marijuana and may have bloodshot or tired looking eyes. Watch out for all of these signs of “MIA” behavior to get a sense of a possible habit of cannabis abuse.
  • They start to have different friends. Someone who smokes a lot of marijuana for recreational purposes will seek out people who encourage their behavior. We’re the average of the five people we spend the most time with, so look out for differences in their social circle and locations they seek out. If they’re often at the club or a new guy’s house, there may be something fishy going on. If they are also routinely creating an alibi or are even making up fictional friends, they absolutely need an intervention as soon as possible. Don’t wait until it’s too late to bear the consequences of marijuana addiction

Combating Marijuana Addiction

Although some people have no problem checking themselves into treatment, not everyone will be as brave. Our social influencers and work environment can play a huge role in our ability to recognize we are brewing a dangerous marijuana addiction. When someone is frequently taking drugs on and off of work or in the middle of their school classes, their internal drive to get their responsibilities down will be nonexistent as well.  If you or someone see often is starting to perform much worse than usual, help them talk about their daily routine and try your best to go to treatment. Even talking to a school counselor or getting a consultation at nearby rehab clinic can make a world of a difference.

Jan
06
2019

Are Millennials More Depressed?

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It seems like so many millennials these days are going through depression, anxiety, or other mental issues like PTSD. If you aren’t one, you may think that they deserve the stereotype of eating too much avocado toast, spending too much money on experiences than actual needs, and are babied too much by society. If you are one, you might be angry at the world for leaving an economy trashed by reckless reforms, constantly judging you for using helpful technology, spending money on experiences than useless material goods, and seeing the liberal side of political issues overall. For either party, we can agree that living in society today is tough and almost anyone is prone to developing mental health issues like depression if they aren’t taking care of themselves.

What doesn’t help millennials, however, is the mounting pressure from all sides to perform better than before. Olympic records are becoming faster every year, college is becoming more expensive, iPhones are becoming a necessity to actually stay in touch with peers, and the job market seems to be shrinking. Count in the thousands of dollars of student debt that we have to bear after college that our parents didn’t have to worry about. Jot down the rising costs of healthy food and affording things like health insurance that the older generations keep shouting at us to have. As a millennial myself, I can honestly say that we have it very hard. Not all of us are battle proof enough to go through these struggles with enough family support, healthy routines, and mental tenacity to come out happy and unstressed. Social media plays a huge role in our life’s, and why not? It weaves us together and helps us share important information. Yet, it mainly show us only the highlights of other people’s lives and we never see the times they are struggling just like us. We scroll on our phone and watch Jeffree Star’s latest YouTube video to relax, but in the long run it costs us sleep that could actually benefit us more.

The first step to helping each other with depression is to stop the judgement. If you are feeling strong and care about another person’s well-being, it is time get educated about the types of treatment plans that are available and what affordable activities can actually help!

Social media can contribute to poor teen mental health.

Poor Mental Health

There’s many signs that point to someone (not just a millennial) suffering from depression or weak mental health. Maybe they just look sad or act irritable most of the day, are losing interest in activities that once had their passion, are eating or sleeping differently, or are not doing well in their classes or job. On the deeper level, they could have thoughts of suicide, are isolating themselves from people, or are turning to substances drugs or alcohol. If your suspect these things, come to them with an open mind and don’t accuse them of doing something that they’re not. Catch them at a time when they aren’t busy and put yourself in their shoes. Maybe they’re annoyed or are giving you vague answers to get away. Remember that their tone of voice is just displaying stress they’re experiencing from their mental health.

Overall, tell them that you understand and make it really clear that their emotions are valid. It isn’t wrong to feel upset or stressed if their problems aren’t “as big” as others. Remind them that everyone is going through a struggle of their own. Lastly, be compassionate without point fingers are why they aren’t getting help already. They would not know if a certain treatment is for them if they are so worked up day to day and often can’t give you an answer to such a pressured question.

Getting The Right Help 

Make sure you accentuate how positive someone’s decision to get treatment is. Acknowledging their problem is huge! But that’s the first step. Make sure it fits their schedule and don’t pressure them into seeing the traditional counselor if they want to make diet changes, sleep changes, and exercise changes first. Sometimes seemingly severe mental health issues can be improved in a few weeks with enough sleep and proper nutrition. If they know that their state is much more severe than that, help them look at local treatment or counseling centers that are friendly towards helping younger people. Seeing a younger counselor can sometimes be more comfortable since they might be more relatable to your stage of life. From there, form a plan with possible antidepressants (at a last resort), counseling, support groups, holistic medicine, or another alternative depending on the person’s situation.

Usually the best results are from using a combination of medication and therapy so any other issues besides the depression or stress addressed. The exact plan that the person you’re helping will follow will be determined after all their factors are taken into account. Taking time to tailor a plan to their needs is necessary for successfully completing it.

The Youth Is Strong

You aren’t weak or incapable because you’re young. We millennials are talented, intelligent, and see sides of issues with creativity and with less stubbornness on average. We know how to improvise and deal with life problems with less money in the bank after so many loans. Just having the skills of conquering that is a tremendous feat. Dealing with poor mental health and anxiety disorder in millennials can be hard because we all take on so much each day. We are always adjusting to the stress of school, work, and being a successful person. If you or someone you know is too depressed or stressed, first talk to someone trustworthy. Then, go together to see a counseling expert who can form a battle proof plan. Take action and see where the road takes you!

Millennials can adapt and succeed.

Jan
06
2019

Addiction in San Francisco

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Addiction and mental illness issues have been rampant in our country for quite some time now. With increased distribution and popularity of drugs, it’s becoming extremely difficult to help people who don’t have the resources of money to get the treatment they need. In metropolitan areas like San Francisco, homelessness and addiction are two highly correlated problems that are taking lives every day. As the country is dealing with nearly 115 deaths from opioid addiction each and every day, the city wants to shape up their climate. The city’s leaders are hoping that they can tackle the constant opioid addiction in the streets with free and proper medical treatment.

In the middle of California’s homelessness crisis and the national opioid epidemic, the city’s Mayor Mark Farrell recently announced a budget plan to create a ten person large medical team that will visit people and offer prescriptions. He stated, “Drug abuse is rampant on our streets, and the recipe of waiting for addicts to come into a clinic voluntarily is not working. Plain and simple. So we’re going to take a different approach”. This team would be funded by six million dollars to support their travels, basic needs, and the cost of the drugs themselves.

Farrell’s announcement also allows the city to join several others across the country who are quickly taking steps to open up treatment centers to battle the national’s opioid addiction. These prescriptions would be buprenorphine prescriptions to homeless people in the city through needle exchanges, parks, and other public locations that are often used as flu shot centers throughout the area. This would drastically help more people who can’t afford to reach help to access help for their opioid addictions. In turn, with consistent use the medications will help stop their opioid cravings and ease off often painful withdrawal effects.

The San Fransisco homelessness crisis has been growing.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

To combat their addiction crisismore directly, Farrell also announced that San Francisco tent cities would be set up to help provide additional help for the homeless. This plan called for an additional $29 million for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.  More than half of that fund is going directly towards creating the cities where homeless men and women can gain free of charge substance abuse counseling, mental health help, and even career searching advice. Right now, San Francisco has five tent cities and the newest in development is meant to specifically help women who are pregnant.

Since recovering from substance abuse doesn’t just work by physically removing drugs, these people can benefit from learning about coping skills from the experts themselves. This is what dual diagnosis treatment encompasses as it treats both sides of the person’s addiction. The mayor’s hope is that his plan to roll out more San Francisco tent cities will help friends and family of the homeless repair bonds as well. As they wear off their dependence from the drug and can function more normal again, the career centers can help them find steady work and earning a reasonable living again. And although everyday life will still be stressful for these people after rehab, they will always have the free resource down the neighborhood to aid any possible episodes of relapse. Ultimately, Farrell hopes that homeless in San Francisco and across the state will slowly decrease as more people are helped to get back on their feet. The cycle of poverty is vicious and can only be broken with ample education, an opportunity for a living wage, and resources for both men and women.

Helping Homeless and Addiction

By having access to enough resources to stop their addiction to opioids, the social climate of San Francisco’s streets and crime rate has a chance to steadily improve as well. Since drug abuse is directly linked to many problems like domestic abuse and violence, sexual assault, theft, property damage and driving under the influence many possible outbreaks can be prevented.

Overall, most drug addiction-focused programs like Farrell’s plans are cost effective since they reduce the public expense toward the social problems it does cause However, it’s important for the city government to consistently fund, manage, and track its performance at all sites to determine what methods and locations are the most effective. In the city of San Francisco, police officers and other public serving leaders have already pointed out where the most heavy areas for drug-related activity area. This activity tends to cover any reports of illegal drug sales, using drugs in the public, or criminal acts committed by people under the influence of using illegal drugs like opioids.

Future of addiction in San Francisco

The future of the city of San Francisco looks bright as their medical team starts to sweep the streets for people in need of opioid addiction treatment. As more homeless people learn about the counseling centers and the opportunity to gain medication for their withdrawal effects, the more they’ll be inclined to improve their quality of life and hopefully seek the chance to become a contributing member of society. While getting over addiction is never easy, it always helps to have a group of experts to provide information on dealing with symptoms and provide you moral support to get through the toughest days. I have faith that more cities will catch on to San Francisco’s opioid addiction treatment plan since the whole country is suffering from the epidemic. As someone living in the Midwest,I think it’s crucial for more hubs like Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, and Minneapolis to invest in similar programs or expand the reach of theirs if they haven’t already. Thousands of lives could be saved if everyone pitches in and realizes that there’s still people out there who need help!

It can be difficult to deal with opioid addiction.

 

Nov
27
2018

Opioid Withdrawal and Addiction

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No one is ever safe from developing an addiction to heroin. If you happen to be hooked onto a certain food, activity, or another illicit substance like alcohol or drugs, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You tend to crave it during the day no matter what you’re doing, and the thought of going cold turkey with the opioid withdrawal symptoms makes your skin crawl already. The worst part about being addicted to drugs, however, is that the withdrawal symptoms are much more intense and sometimes painful to go through alone. Across our country, thousands of people are experience withdrawal symptoms from being addicted to prescribed or recreational opioids. 

Opioids are designated as its own class of drugs working which are often given by doctors in every field to relieve severe muscle or bone pain. Typically the process for a patient to receive these drugs is easy, but the effects of their long term usage can be devastating if they aren’t educated on its risks. Opioids are present in popular medications like painkillers and heroin to date. Once a patient realizes they feel pleasure or no longer have the pain they can’t stand experiencing, they turn to opioids weekly, daily and sometimes multiple times a day to cope. With the numbers of patients checking into rehab centers with opioid addictions climbing each day, it’s crucial to know how they work and what risks there are if you see being prescribed the drug in the future. With the current opioid overdose epidemic affecting every community in our country right now, you don’t want one with the numbers. 

It can be difficult to deal with opioid addiction.

How Do Opioids Work?

Naturally derived from the opium poppy plant we can find in nature, opium blocks any types of pain receptors and communicate “pain” to us in our body. This is why most patients suffering from traumatic injuries, are healing from an extremely invasive surgery, or are experiencing a severe disease are given opioids by doctors to cope. 

On the flip side, opioids also help patients feel more happy or satisfied with their surrounds in the “high” they come on to. This pleasurable effect is proven by research to be highly addictive and is hard to come off of if it is used in large doses too often. 

If a patient is using opioids for a very large period of time, they may start to experience more erratic or slower breathing patterns, an irritable bowel or constipation issues, feelings of vomiting, dizziness or lack of focus, and drowsiness throughout the day. For a person that needs to keep up an active lifestyle or has a large workload, this can be extremely detrimental to their daily functionality. In addition, opioids can completely restrict your ability to breathe at a dangerously high dose which can lead to a fatal overdose. 

While some opioids are known as narcotics and help with patient’s pain, these are not the exact same type of drugs as one like Tylenol. You might have heard about drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, fentanyl, and heroin which are illegal in all states in the country. For someone abusing these substances frequently, they may show signs of lack of hygiene, loss of control of their responsibilities, changes in their weight, eating, or sleeping habits, signs of irritability, and a newfound financial crisis. Some people are highly skilled in covering up their opioid addiction while others may find their habit slips through the cracks  Someone who takes notice of their own withdrawal symptoms persistence should seek therapy as soon as possible so they can prevent future damage. 

Keeping Up With Opioid Addiction

While there is immediate cure for a patient who has opioid withdrawal symptoms, they need to know that they must stay committed to maintain a sober mind and body. If you happen to be suffering from opioid withdrawal symptoms and don’t know how to cope, don’t get too nervous. The first action to take is to check yourself into a detox facility to first rid your body of any traces of the substance in a relaxed and controlled manner. This won’t be any kind of horror-esque rehab facility or a similar type of therapy you may be thinking of if you’re a fan of scary movies. You will be treated by employees who truly care about you and will lead your hand every step of the way so you minimize your levels of discomfort.  

If you were initially addicted to a dose of opioids nearly every day are drastically tapering your use, make sure you ask questions about how your body will react. You may have difficulty concentrating or have lower energy levels at first from the withdrawal. Make sure you read your reviews before attending a facility to start your treatment just in case there’s anything you should know more about. 

Finishing Strong

After you have detoxified your system, take the steps to organize a battle plan for getting over relapse and conquering sobriety. With the help of a counselor that may be recommended to you through the detox facility, you will gain ample education and emotional support about dealing with your opioid addiction. It is important that every patient understands that you might feel like a failure or feel hopeless in the beginning. This is completely normal and is not a sign of your potential in the end of treatment.

Yet, with enough emotional support from your counselor, potential support group, close friends, and your family members who are informed about your treatment, you will be armed with enough motivation to push through the journey. We all can use consistent encouragement and positive thinking from our loved ones so we get through the harder days during treatment!

Jul
06
2017

How being “aware” of the present moment can help anxiety

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Having the ability to be mindful is definitely a lot tougher than most people think. It is not as simple as just reflecting or contemplating on a current moment, yet it is a full body effort to be totally present in where you are and what is going on around you. Being mindful means tapping in to all five of your senses, feeling the breeze on your skin, smelling the aromas in the air, hearing the faintest of noises in the distance; it is the ability to do all of these things yet silence your mind and focus on maybe a single objective that you place there or nothing at all. With practice. these skills can be honed in and refined; however, to get it perfect on your first try is close to impossible. As the saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed try try  again. In this life, bettering ourselves is something we should strive for every day, therefore even if we do not get it right first time doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to try.

Having a skill such as awareness is crucial to our everyday lives and can lower stress and anxiety levels immensely. Many people try so often to immerse themselves in their busy lives giving themselves no time to stop and breathe through the day and take a step back. Having a quiet period to yourself everyday can help keep you fresh and ready to go, instead of getting stuck in a rut where at most times of the day you are feeling overwhelmed with tasks. There are a few ways we can incorporate being mindful into our day, making sure to choose something you enjoy is very important in your quest to refining your ability to be aware of the present.

Different methods to becoming more aware

There are many different ways you can practice being mindful. One method to achieve this is called awareness meditation. To perform this, first make sure to sit comfortably and focus on your breath. If your mind starts to drift, simply shift your focus back as you notice it, and do this without judgment or frustration. Make sure to observe your emotions and let them pass through you without resistance. Having these types of experiences and meeting them with nonjudgmental thoughts will allow you to see the anxiety more clearly and pinpoint the root of the problem; this can make the adversity of stress easier to overcome. For example, being in touch with your anxiety and allowing it to move through your body without resistance is a key stepping stone in overcoming it. Accepting your anxieties and knowing it will pass can decrease stress levels and allow you to become more comfortable in your present situation.

If this method is not something you would want to try, there are many other different ways to achieve mindfulness. Doing activities such as yoga or sports can be something where you are able to find that place in your consciousness of complete focus. It allows you to come away from the stresses of your day and have your mind singularly focused on the task at hand. Plus being active is a great way to stay in shape and keep yourself healthy.

Finally, if none of these methods seem appealing to you, then you should try holistic therapy. This is a treatment that can be performed by a specialist and promotes the overall wellness of the patient. It is a way to become more physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. Holistic therapy specialist will take into account every aspect of your life and treat you in such a way that it leads to a more balanced and healthy lifestyle.