When it comes to mental illness or addiction recovery, art therapy is defined as a therapeutic process in which a person can freely engage in creative processes while exploring their emotions, reconciling emotional conflicts, fostering self-awareness, and more. The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) emphasizes that art therapy can range from a variety of creativeRead More
Alternative and complementary therapies have become much more mainstream in the United States. Holistic treatments such as massage therapy, chiropractic services, meditation, hypnotherapy, and more have become more widely accepted for pain relief, stress reduction, and promotion of one’s mental health. Aromatherapy is a holistic form of treatment that involves using essential or volatile oilsRead More
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) typically begins in childhood. Instability in their early life, unhealthy parental patterns of engagement, and lack of secure bonding are just a few ways a person may struggle with attachment to loved ones. Find out more about RAD, how it changes a person’s brain, and why addiction may enter the pictureRead More
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) claims that approximately 15.1 million adults aged 18 and over had an alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2015; only 6.7 million people actually received treatment. Alcohol is such a central part of American culture – it’s used for celebrations, meetings, gatherings, parties, and even to windRead More
While people may not think of excessive drinking in terms of financial costs, it certainly adds up over time. That bottle of wine there, the case of beer for the Friday after work party, and going out to socialize with work buddies while drinking. These are examples of ways people spend their time withRead More
Mental health is something that should be worked on every day, but this can be difficult to do when life’s stressors (such as work, school, home responsibilities, family issues, health concerns and more) take over. According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Stress in America Survey conducted in 2017, nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) areRead More
When we’re feeling as though everything is falling apart, many people turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms – such as alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, shopping, and more. They hope that what they’re doing will distract them from the pain they’re experiencing or provide them with some form of relieve. While this main work temporarily, the realityRead More
Spirituality has long been a major discussion in the realm of addiction recovery. With self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), individuals are guided towards a path of recovery through building a connection with a Higher Power. For many, spirituality provides purpose and depth to an enriching life, which can aid in building a lifestyleRead More
September 21st marked the changing of the seasons with the Autumn Equinox. As the weather starts to change, the sunlight hours dwindle. Though many people relish the early, colder hours of the night, many others loathe this time of year because they experience SAD. Approximately 4-6% of people in the United States may have seasonalRead More
Whether you have a mental illness or an addiction, triggers are relevant to your recovery. Triggers can be anything – a person, place, object, or situation – that causes you to want to relapse. For mental illness, relapse could mean reverting back to self-harm, self-medication through use of substances or drugs, reckless behavior, and more.Read More