What are Appropriate Text Messages to Send to a Friend with Anxiety?

painting Melancholy III (1902) by Edvard Munch. Original from The Art Institute of Chicago.

Anxiety can send you to a dark place where you feel alone, overwhelmed, or completely consumed with worry. Sending a text message to a friend with anxiety may not cure anxiety, but it can offer your friend relief or a bit of hope. When you send a non-judgment text message to a friend with anxiety, they […]

How To Overcome the Stigma Surrounding Addiction

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Undergoing the consequences of addiction is hard enough on your own, especially as the disease wreaks havoc on your health, professional life, family life, and more. However, the way others treat you because of your addiction can add to this pile of negativity in your life. The stigma surrounding addiction is rampant due to inaccurate and […]

What is the Difference Between a Substance Use Disorder and Addiction?

Diverse people in a rehab session

A Substance Use Disorder is a diagnostic and legal term to define someone’s need for treatment due to the action of someone abusing drugs, whereas addiction can result from drug abuse. It is important to remember that not everyone who abuses substances develops an addiction. What Is Substance Abuse? Substance abuse is when someone overuses […]

How Do You Deal with Separation Anxiety Once Your Partner Goes Back to the Office?

social-distancing-workplace

When you were living with your partner during quarantine, you were used to spending every second with each other. If you have to go back to the office, you may feel anxious about leaving your partner. If you and your partner make an effort to adjust to this new routine, the transition back into normal life […]

How to Cope With a Mental Health Diagnosis

mental-health-diagnosis

Receiving a mental health diagnosis can prompt an influx of emotions in the aftermath. For some, receiving the diagnosis will result in a sense of relief as they finally have a name for the symptoms they have been experiencing. For others, receiving the diagnosis can result in feelings of shame, embarrassment, denial, anger, or hopelessness. […]

What It Feels Like to Have Schizophrenia

Abstract blurred business people commuting during rush hour

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder attached to mounting stigma due to inaccurate portrayals in the media. When you hear about schizophrenia, it is most likely linked to a serious crime committed. This has the adverse effect of portraying schizophrenia as dangerous and violent. By examining the symptoms and how they affect day-to-day life for […]

Understanding the Differences Between Mania and Hypomania

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Bipolar disorder is often misunderstood due to media portrayals of the disorder within movies, TV shows, newscasts, and more. For this reason, an increasing amount of stigma has resulted from a lack of knowledge surrounding bipolar disorder. One facet of this mental health disorder that is commonly misunderstood is mania. Often portrayed as a sudden […]

How Can You Avoid Stress Going Back to the Office?

Stressed senior woman talking on a phone by the window in a white room

During the pandemic, you were probably feeling safe working at home. You did not need to worry about contracting the COVID-19 virus only speaking to people through a phone or computer. It is important to remember that the anxiety you feel is worse than reality and head into the office feeling confident about what the […]

How Do You Talk About a Parent’s Addiction?

talking about a parent's addiction with your child

It can be a scary and confusing environment living with a parent struggling with addiction. Kids may feel shame and guilt trying to keep the family’s secret, and they may feel abandoned when their parent is not fully available to them. By having a talk with your kids about your struggles with addiction, you and […]

Facing Criticism of Taking Medication in Recovery

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Taking medication while in recovery helps many people maintain their sobriety and manage their mental health. However, medication in recovery has become a controversial topic as some groups claim it is “replacing one addiction for another.” Some people are even told they aren’t sober because of their medications that their treatment team prescribed. This criticism […]