Training U.S. Police to Deal with Mental Health and Drug Crises
In spite of the sometimes tragic outcomes of such incidents, police in the United States still receive very little training on how to handle crises involving someone who is mentally ill and/or addicted to drugs. The police often have encounters with the mentally ill that have fatal results because they are not properly prepared to […]
Depression and Addiction in Old Age
Of the growing numbers of people facing addiction in the U.S. today, one of the most surprising statistics is the rise of substance abuse among the baby-boom generation. Older adults now in their late 40s to their mid-60s are beginning to develop addictions later in life and often struggle with co-occurring disorders. One of the […]
Why Anxiety Drugs Become Addictive
About 40 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from an anxiety disorder in a given year. This averages to about18 percent of adults who deal with an issue of anxiety, often with co-occurring disorders like depression. One of the most common ways that people seek relief from their anxiety is through medications Xanax […]
Dealing With Anger And Alcoholism
It’s not uncommon for many alcoholics to find that they have also had issues with anger. For many, their urge to drink is directly linked to how much anger they’re feeling. They may turn to alcohol to cope with their anger because they discover that it is the only thing that calms them. A drink […]
Don’t Let Anxiety Get in the Way of a Good Night’s Sleep
Chronic anxiety can often be hard to deal with, but it doesn’t have to interfere completely. In spite of some challenges that may feel overwhelming, it is possible to manage your life and get treatment and help. One area that can be difficult, yet indispensable for your thriving is sleep. Getting a full night of […]
How Dual Diagnosis Affects the Homeless
Homelessness is a major issue in the U.S. with several American cities such as Los Angeles and New York City considering the problem an epidemic in their area. The rates of homelessness in the country continue to rise every year with recent polls showing more than 600,000 people without homes and about 1.6 million using […]
Understanding and Managing Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that can cause dramatic and seemingly uncontrollable shifts in mood and energy between “high” and “low” states. Everyone experiences some swings in their mood, or some days where they feel more happy and energetic, and other days that feel burdened with sadness or a hard time making it through. […]
Drug Abuse And Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that causes disturbing symptoms such as hallucinations, hearing voices, altered mind states, paranoia, and a loss of normal emotional expression and thinking patterns. This psychotic disorder can be very confusing and frightening for those who suffer from it. Drug and alcohol abuse is quite common among people diagnosed with […]
Determining When You Need Treatment
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has found that almost half of the people diagnosed with a mental health disorder also have a substance abuse problem, and that 37 percent of those who abuse alcohol, and 53 of those who abuse drugs also have a mental health issue. The relationship between mental illness and addiction […]
New Findings on Mindfulness-based Treatment for Addiction
It is already well-known in the treatment community that meditation and mindfulness can help treat a number of issues ranging from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder. Waves of new research have already proven that meditation reduces symptoms of mental health problems and can be used as a tool in a program for psychological treatment. More […]