Mental Health

After fully diving in and understanding the first three steps in a 12-Step Program, a person in recovery may begin working the fourth and very critical step, “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” Step 4 is one of the key foundational steps in everyone’s recovery journey as this is the step where they make a personal inventory to account for what actions and behaviors of theirs lead them to addiction. This step not just encourages but requires honesty and accountability of a recovering addict to examine their past, so they may finally break the cycle of addiction in their life.

In a world where every time you go shopping you see “Positive Vibes Only” slathered on a t-shirt or coffee mug, toxic positivity is rampant. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing and this is truly the case with toxic positivity. Understanding what toxic positivity means will help you to be aware when you or others are contributing to this mindset that aims to downplay an individual's feelings and experiences.

If you aren’t yet familiar with the term hygge, then listen up because it can make a difference in your recovery journey or improve your mental health. Hygge is a Danish word that doesn’t have an exact English translation but is meant to evoke sentiments of coziness, well-being, and contentment with life. Understanding how you can bring hygge into your life and home can help just about anyone bring more feelings of comfort and well-being into their life. It can do even more for someone in recovery by making their home environment more conducive to healing and similarly, for those who struggle with poor mental health, it is an effective way to boost mood and overall happiness.

To feel a strong sense of health and well-being, you must take good care of both your physical and mental health. For instance, if a person is overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, it could be manifesting in uncomfortable, physical symptoms in the body. This link between mental and physical health goes both ways as one has a profound influence over the other, so if someone’s physical health is poor and they are experiencing chronic pain, then they should carefully examine the state of their mental and emotional health.

Valentine’s is portrayed as a day for celebrating love and happiness with your significant other, but it can bring up a mix of sad emotions for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Anticipating, identifying, and knowing how to cope with the feelings that surface will help you feel at peace and calm this Valentine’s Day. It’s common to experience feelings of grief, loss, or isolation after the loss of your loved one, but for someone with a preexisting mental health disorder or in recovery, it’s even more vital to be on top of these emotions so they don’t trigger any episodes or relapse.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a common approach to addressing a wide array of different therapeutic subjects. However, it is still important to understand what it is to make the most out of this approach and understand how it fits into an individual’s overall recovery goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help each person further understand their situation and inform how other practices help them overcome different obstacles like anxiety, depression and stress, and even addiction.

Mental health concerns have no age requirements. Over the past ten years, the number of mental health issues has been steadily growing in adolescents and young adults with social media notably being one culprit behind the uptick. Recent studies have discovered an increase in mood disorders amongst these younger age groups, with wealthy, young females one of the main groups afflicted.  Having open communication with your children about mental health is critical in detecting the signs of a mental health concern. Just speaking openly about mental health in general and creating strong and nurturing relationships with your children can make the difference to prevent extreme distress during traumatic times. By knowing how to navigate the delicate conversations surrounding mental health, you can help your children better understand and handle their feelings and emotions.

One of the most challenging parts of recovery is looking back and addressing past mistakes. Guilt and shame can be ever-present feelings through recovery, and reflecting on one’s lowest point can add more depression or anxiety into an already complicated process. However, it is important to acknowledge these past mistakes to begin moving through them and contextualizing what it means to see success.  Coping with one’s past may be one of the most difficult parts of recovery, and reconciling relationships and forgiving oneself can take a lot of time and effort. While difficult, it can also be one of the most potent and transformative parts of each person’s recovery story, and looking back is just the first step in learning to look forward to a brighter, sober future.

Choosing if you’re at the right place in life to date and potentially share the intimate details of your inner world with another person in a relationship is a big undertaking, but especially so for someone new to recovery. Depending on where you are on your journey, you may feel unsure if you are ready to put your newly sober self out there. When trying to decide if now is the best time to start dating again and still be successful in recovery, begin by asking yourself a few of these questions.

Art possesses the ability to inspire people and encourage them to think about things from a different perspective. Art also transcends across many different platforms and has become essential in sustaining recovery in that it promotes inner growth, self-expression, self-confidence, and overall better mental health. Research shows that art provokes thought, inspiration, and creativity because it stimulates and strengthens areas of the brain, helping to increase overall brain function, which promotes better focus, memory, and motor skills. In your recovery and mental health, art is an essential step because it helps people communicate thoughts, ideas, or fears in a way that verbal communication sometimes cannot. Art also cultivates resilience, insight, and advances social skills. Here are five ways in which art can improve your mental health.

Eating disorders are a type of mental illness that includes disordered patterns of eating. They are extremely common with over 30 million people in the United States having an eating disorder. Eating disorders are a serious mental illness with more people dying every year from an eating disorder than any other mental illness. Several types of eating disorders exist, but the most prevalent include:

The year 2020 was a total rollercoaster. But we made it through, and are looking ahead to what comes next in 2021. Now that the holidays are over and the ball has dropped in Times Square, your thoughts may be turning to New Year’s resolutions and how you can make positive changes that are good for you going forward. Whether you want to be more present or reconnect with friends and family, each step you take toward the version of yourself that you want to be can be looked at as a part of your recovery. Recovery is most often defined as the process of restoring your body and mind to an optimal state of health. This includes rediscovering pieces of yourself that may have gotten lost along the way. As we say goodbye to 2020, we’ve outlined SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery to help you on your quest for healing and self-discovery in the new year so that you can make meaningful progress toward your goals with a clear focus and vision.