This is the third of three posts based on the work of writer Johann Hari, whose search for answers about his own depression led to his book Lost Causes: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression–and the Unexpected Solution. In the first part of this series, we looked at the problems with the serotonin model of…
Anyone who has had a loved one who struggles with substance use has probably been frustrated by that person’s evasiveness, stubbornness, and lying. Deception and secrecy are common characteristics of addiction, but people who struggle with addiction don’t just lie to others; they lie to themselves as well. Here are some common lies people with…
Getting someone you love to enter addiction treatment is often difficult. You may experience several stages of resistance. First, they don’t acknowledge the problem. Then, they may acknowledge they have a problem but they can take care of it on their own. After these two hurdles have been cleared, they may resort to practical objections.…
Many people make some new year’s resolutions every year. They start diets, join gyms, and throw away their cigarettes, promising themselves things will be different from now on. Unfortunately, new year’s resolutions rarely stick. Most people make it a couple of weeks and give up. It’s just too hard or there’s too much going on.…
Depression is the number one mental health issue in the US, with more than 16 million Americans suffering from a depressive episode each year. Symptoms typically include sadness, irritability, lack of energy and motivation, disturbed sleep, poor concentration, physical aches, slow movements, and thought of suicide or death. Depression is typically treated with a combination…
Methadone and Suboxone are drugs commonly used in opioid replacement therapy, a form of medication assisted therapy, or MAT. Methadone and Suboxone both work by mimicking the effects of opioids, only they don’t cause the same euphoria. Therefore, they can reduce the intense cravings that so often derail recovery from opioid addiction while allowing the…
Medication assisted treatment, or MAT, means using FDA-approved medications in conjunction with counselling or treatment to recovery from addiction. The most common and controversial form of MAT is opioid replacement therapy, in which patients typically take methadone or buprenorphine to control drug cravings and prevent relapse. While opioid replacement therapy is controversial, it is not…
Medication assisted treatment, or MAT, is the practice of using FDA-approved medication as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. MAT has been shown to be most effective for treating alcohol and opioid use disorders. Typical medications include Antabuse, naltrexone, and Campral for alcohol addiction, and methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, often in the monthly, injectable form,…
Anxiety is never pleasant, especially if you have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can make everyday tasks feel like major challenges. It can impair your performance when you need to pass a test, interview for a job, give a speech, or deliver in a big moment. Even worse, anxiety can harass you when there’s nothing going…
Many of us have grown so accustomed to keeping up with our daily lives while handling tremendous amounts of stress that we don’t recognize the warning signs of burnout until it’s too late and we’re already suffering. We’ve learned how to function and maintain the regular operations of our lives. We manage to keep a…
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