Reading Time: 3 MinutesIf At First, You Don’t Succeed: The Do’s and Don’ts with Antidepressants “You have a major depressive disorder, and I think you will benefit from starting a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a commonly prescribed antidepressant.” This is a common phrase many doctors tell their patients who are struggling with depression. If you have experienced […]
Reading Time: 4 MinutesImpulse-control disorders are conditions that involve the lack of self-control resulting in unbalanced emotions and behaviors that can harm one or others. Impulse Control Disorders often co-occur with substance abuse or mental health disorder. The individual generally feels pent-up stress, anxiety, and negative emotions before committing the impulsive act. During the impulse, the individual will […]
Reading Time: 3 MinutesAnxiety and depression are separate mental health disorders but are intimately connected. Having an anxiety disorder is the strongest predictor that an individual will develop depression. Nearly one-half of individuals who have been diagnosed with depression will also experience a co-occurring anxiety disorder as both of these disorders have similar triggers and underlying causes. Some […]
Reading Time: 3 MinutesWhat Are Study Drugs? “Smart drugs” and “study drugs” are more than a chemical escape hatch from reality. Individuals commonly abuse them to boost the brain’s ability to think under stress, stay alert and productive for long hours, and keep track of large amounts of information. High school and college students, shift workers, and individuals […]
Reading Time: 4 MinutesThis summer seems like the first “normal” summer since the COVID-19 pandemic when the world shut down. People travel again, take family vacations, and enjoy time outside with their loved ones. This may be the first time you have taken a vacation since the start of COVID-19 or taken a vacation since you have been […]
Reading Time: 4 MinutesMental health refers to an individual’s well-being regarding their psychological and emotional state. Mental health affects how we think, feel and act. An individual’s mental health is fluid, meaning that it can change. Stressors, milestones, unhealthy lifestyles, and past trauma affect our mental health. Depending on the individual and the extent of the stressors, mental […]
Reading Time: 4 Minutes“July was first declared as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008. Since then, July has been a time to acknowledge and explore issues concerning mental health, substance use disorders, and minority communities. It is also important to destigmatize mental illness and enhance public awareness of mental illness among affected minority groups across the United […]
Reading Time: 4 MinutesWe continue to raise awareness in June by introducing the next important awareness day: International Day Against Drug Use and Illicit Trafficking, June 26th. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, nearly 275 million people used drugs worldwide in 2020, up by 22 percent from 2010. It added that the number of […]
Reading Time: 4 MinutesIndividuals often interchangeably misuse the terms “substance misuse and substance abuse” and although these terms are related on a spectrum, there are stark differences between them. Substance misuse often refers to prescription medication but also can refer to alcohol and other drugs such as marijuana. Substance misuse is defined as taking a drug for […]
Reading Time: 4 MinutesJune is National Post Traumatic Stress Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising public awareness about issues related to PTSD and reducing the stigma associated with PTSD. PTSD is often associated with war soldiers and veterans. Although many men and women in combat are at risk of PTSD, this mental health disorder can affect anyone […]
