What are Intrusive and Unwanted Thoughts?
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, repetitive thoughts that pop into your mind without warning or control. They can be about anything from a past event to an image of something you fear. Sometimes we are confronted with thoughts that are not pleasant, such as unpleasant memories, images, or worries. Even though we prefer not to, the […]
Paranoia And Anxiety in Relationships In Today’s World
Paranoia is a mental condition characterized by feelings or delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance. It may be related to a personality disorder, drug abuse, or severe conditions such as schizophrenia, anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. Why do I experience paranoia? No one […]
How is Major Depressive Disorder Different From Depression?
A depressed mood disorder is characterized by sadness or despair for at least two weeks. Severe Depression is when the symptoms are so prevalent they interfere with daily life and cause work, school, and family relationship problems. Major Depression can become a chronic medical condition if it lasts over two years without improvement. When depression treatments […]
Feelings of Anger – Losing Control of a Healthy Emotion
Anger is a human emotion that helps us deal with stress. Physiological changes cause physical symptoms when we become angry, such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle tension, etc. The parasympathetic nervous system reacts with these responses to prepare our bodies for action or fight-or-flight situations. The emotion of Anger also […]
Benzodiazepine Abuse: Symptoms & Signs of Dependence
Benzodiazepines are a sedative class drug commonly prescribed by physicians to treat anxiety, seizures, sleep disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. This class of drugs has significant abuse potential. A person with physical dependence on the effects of benzodiazepines may encounter a host of other problems due to the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepines may […]
The Rise in Adderall Addiction in College Students
Adderall XR is a prescription stimulant commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The components of Adderall are highly addictive and similar to methamphetamine. Adderall has a high potential for abuse due to the availability and the everyday nonmedical use in college students. Adderall addiction in college students is becoming more common in our high-pressure […]
Frontline Healthcare Workers and the Effects of Chronic Workplace Stress
Chronic workplace stress has been linked to many adverse effects and health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and even cancer. But what if you’re a frontline healthcare worker or first responder who’s dealing with the chronic stress of the COVID-19 pandemic every day? What if you’re working in an environment with a high risk […]
Dual Diagnosis: Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Conditions
Common Mental Health Issues And Addiction Few psychiatric disorders present alongside a drug addiction. Often these psychiatric disorders are the leading cause of addiction. That is why it’s important to recognize mental health symptoms along with signs of co-occurring substance use. Common mental health disorders linked to substance use disorders include: -Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) […]
The Connection Between Trauma and Addiction
Addiction and substance use disorders can often be connected to traumatic life events. Trauma is defined as an event or series of events that cause psychological damage. Traumatic experiences can cause long-lasting effects on the brain. These effects can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance abuse. This article discusses […]
Prescription Medication Dependence
Prescription medication dependence stems from not using a prescription drug the way it was intended and prescribed. Prescriptions are meant to be used for specific purposes, but people often take them for other reasons or do things with them that were never intended. This can lead to overdose, dependence on the drugs, withdrawal symptoms when you […]
