The majority of people lean toward extraversion. Although no one is purely introverted or extroverted, studies estimate that extroverts make up somewhere between 50 and 74 percent of the population. Extroverts are people who get energy from being around other people, while introverts are people who get energy from being alone. While everyone needs some […]
Author Archives: Alta Loma
07
May
May
Bipolar disorder is a condition characterized by depressive episodes and manic or hypomanic episodes. It affects about 5.7 million Americans each year. Bipolar disorder is one the most frequently misdiagnosed mental illnesses. A survey by the National Depressive and Manic-depressive association found that 69 percent of patients with bipolar disorder are initially misdiagnosed and of […]
06
May
May
There is a large overlap between addiction and depression. As many as a third of people with depression have a substance use disorder. Many people with depression use substances to relieve their symptoms but the causality goes the other way as well. Substance use can also lead to depression or make pre-existing depression worse by […]
05
May
May
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than seven percent of American adults had a depressive episode in 2017. That comes to more than 17 million people. The World Health Organization says that depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide. Symptoms of depression include loss of interest in things you used […]
03
May
May
It can be hard for someone with a substance use disorder to even admit to having a problem. Addiction is tricky and it deploys all kinds of defense mechanisms to protect itself. Admitting to having a problem is a big step but some people who admit having a problem are still reluctant to enter treatment. […]
03
May
May
The dominant model of addiction right now is that addiction is a chronic, progressive disease, meaning you will always have it and, unless you get treatment, it will continue to get worse. This puts addiction in the company of conditions like asthma, high blood pressure, and diabetes and, according to the National Institute on Drug […]
02
May
May
When many people think about addiction treatment, the first thing they think of is group therapy. Group therapy is a regular session of a small group, usually a dozen or fewer, moderated by a therapist or counsellor. They discuss issues, ask questions, and give each other feedback. Some people are understandably nervous about group therapy […]
01
May
May
It’s hard to get a loved one to accept she has a substance use disorder. People struggling with addiction are ingenious at finding ways to justify and rationalize their behavior. Admitting you have a problem is difficult and accepting that you have to do something about your substance use is a big step. However, even […]
