In 2015, it was estimated that up to 1 in 5 adults in the United States dealt with mental illness the previous year. As many as 1 in 25 adults lived with a “serious mental illness,” according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). All of us are at risk for “mental breakdown” during this […]
Author Archives: Alta Loma
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Aug
Aug
Hunter Michael Shepard was battling drug addiction ever since he was 12 years old. After years of treatment facilities, Shepard was able to get the help he needed and has been clean for 846 days. Even though his parents were there to support him in his recovery, Shepard thanks his orange cat, Pete, for what […]
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Aug
Aug
Struggling with addiction is difficult on the best day. When battling addiction while simultaneously fighting the risk of a virus, fear can quickly begin to feel like a threat to your sobriety. Dr. Peter Grinspoon recently published an article entitled “A tale of two epidemics: When COVID-19 and opioid addiction collide.” He explains that addicts […]
31
Jul
Jul
Contrary to popular belief, not all people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are plagued with low self-esteem. High self-esteem can cause its own unique set of problems when it comes to addiction recovery. Where Does Self-Esteem Come From? Self-esteem comes from experiences with people and activities. Childhood experiences play a huge factor. If you were […]
31
Jul
Jul
Recovery can be incredibly difficult to navigate at times. It’s particularly scary at the very beginning when you don’t know what to expect. Seeking treatment is a major change – and starting recovery can be nerve-racking, because we all crave what we’ve been used to. It’s also not uncommon for those in early recovery to […]
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Jul
Jul
They absolutely can – but it’s not always easy. Even when you achieve sobriety, feelings of self-doubt can still linger. Self-esteem is defined as a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. In other words, it’s how much you appreciate or like yourself. When we drank and used substances, our self-esteem was very important […]
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Jul
Jul
Every day across the United States, millions of Americans of all ages struggle with pain – whether it be from an accident, a critical health situation, a sports injury, or something else. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 50 million American adults experience chronic pain. That’s over 20% of […]
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Jul
Jul
If you are currently in treatment or just got out, you may be wondering where and how to attend 12-Step meetings. Because of COVID-19, almost all 12-Step meetings have closed their doors. However, there is no reason to worry – plenty of 12-Step meetings are now available online. Find a Zoom Meeting Most meetings are […]
28
Jul
Jul
The first thing a person usually wants to do when they are newly sober and out of treatment is to find a job. Some are able to rely on loved ones or government assistance programs until they are truly ready. Others will have to go back to work right away. Interviewing and working while trying […]
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Jul
Jul
One of the mysterious aspects of art therapy is how it allows us to get lost in our own world – while also helping us find ourselves at the same time. For decades, we’ve used a variety of artistic modalities to help us understand our perceptions of the world, even in unconventional ways. For many […]
