Mental Health

Addiction is a challenge that countless people face. However, it’s important to note that many people struggling with substance use simultaneously struggle with other mental health issues. Often, these disorders are what perpetuate the addiction, as substances can be used to self-medicate their symptoms. Unfortunately, when mental illness goes undiagnosed, the sufferer can find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of drug and alcohol abuse that they may feel hopeless of ever overcoming.

Look around and you’ll notice that social media is at every turn. Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest newsfeeds flood our screens and our minds as we move through each day. While social media can be a compelling tool for radical movements, self-actualization, community, and communication, it can also have negative impacts if it’s used too frequently.

Although commonly confused, mood disorders and personality disorders are inherently different. While some symptoms may overlap, each diagnosis has its unique characteristics, therefore requiring specific treatment. If you or a loved one have recently been diagnosed with one of these, it’s important to educate yourself. Having a solid understanding of the disorder is a crucial step towards recovery, as it allows you to seek out proper resources and support.

Have you ever felt incredibly angry, lonely, depressed, or frustrated? Has this feeling ever occurred while you were in the middle of lunch, dinner, or when you were about to have a snack to keep you going throughout the day? If so, do you recall eating too much? Too little? For many people, emotions can certainly affect the way they eat. Similar to the way people abuse substances, food can be used to escape, control or numb uncomfortable emotions.  Previous studies have sought to explore the effect that emotions can have on eating, and they’ve found that many people who are experiencing troubled mental states often struggle simultaneously with disordered eating behaviors. The instant gratification experienced through food offers a sense of immediate comfort to the sufferer. Unfortunately, if left untreated, disordered eating can get significantly worse, severely impacting mental health and quality of life.

Mental illness has many stigmas attached to it that often cause people to hide their experience. Words like “crazy”, “psycho”, and “weird” can be offensive and create feelings of shame in those that are silently suffering from a mental health disorder. Unfortunately, society tends to perpetuate these stereotypes and overgeneralizations. Ignorant depictions and inconsiderate language in the media around mental illness can greatly, and often subconsciously, impact the public view and sensitivity on the issue. Consequently, people become quick to judge those suffering from mental health disorders without properly understanding the pain that lies beneath the surface.

Narcissism is a spectrum and we all fall on it to some degree. Interestingly enough, having a bit of narcissism can offer some positive effects, such as promoting success at job interviews and consciously making a good first impression. However, higher levels of narcissism can be detrimental, leading to the development of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Personality disorders like NPD can affect the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves around others and within their daily lives. Nearly 1% of the population in the U.S. has NPD. While it’s something we’re still learning about, there are certainly ways to treat this disorder if you or a loved one is suffering from it. The first step towards recovery lies in understanding the symptoms of the disorder itself.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is experienced by several million people across the United States. Studies report that most people diagnosed with BPD are women, which makes this a vital population of interest in terms of support and treatment. People with BPD often experience varying mood swings, unstable self-image, feelings of worthlessness and insecurity, impaired social relationships, and more. Symptoms of BPD tend to occur early on in life, such as through adolescence and early adulthood, and can greatly impact daily life.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects millions of people around the world. Individuals struggling with OCD typically have a very difficult time pushing certain obsessive thoughts out of mind. Consequently, this leads to compulsive behaviors in an attempt to relieve the stress caused by the obsessions. Unfortunately, compulsions such as cleaning, hoarding, repeatedly checking, counting, and other repetitive behaviors can become incredibly distressing as they get in the way of daily life.

Narcissism doesn’t have the best reputation. When people talk about this term, they tend to associate it with the idea of someone being completely self-absorbed or self-focused, displaying little regard for others. While one form of narcissism may present this way, people often don’t realize that there’s an entire spectrum related to narcissistic behavior. For example, there are healthy levels of narcissism. Believe it or not, we all have narcissistic tendencies. It’s these tendencies that compel us to dress nicely around others or to put our best foot forward when meeting other people. Those who have severely high levels of narcissism can classify as having a narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) – but even in these cases, recovery is possible.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and avoidant personality disorder (APD) both share a number of similar symptoms, increasing the risk of misdiagnosis. Both disorders involve intense fear of criticism and rejection, with a high level of emotional distress that can affect daily life. Therefore, emotional intensity is a major concern among those with either disorder. If loved ones can better understand both of these disorders, it will be much easier to support friends, coworkers and family members who have received either diagnosis.

When two disorders occur at the same time, it’s referred to as comorbidity, dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders. Each person’s experience with this is different and, because of this, it can be hard to tell which disorder actually came first. In some cases, one can lead to the development of the other, while in other cases, one disorder can make symptoms of the other one worse. It becomes tricky to safely manage both at the same time, which is why having a healthcare team at Avalon Malibu could be the best option for recovery. Studies suggest that it’s not all that uncommon for a person to experience both a mental disorder, such as depression, and an addiction, such as alcoholism or drug addiction, at the same time. In fact, people with mental health disorders are actually more likely to abuse substances. So, if you are experiencing co-occurring disorders, the sooner you seek help, the better.

Millions of people in the United States are diagnosed with schizophrenia. Consequently, schizophrenia is considered to be one of the leading causes of disability in our nation today. Common symptoms of this mental illness include delusions, hallucinations, and unorganized speech and behavior patterns. Additionally, feelings like disassociation and/or detachment from oneself, general discontentment, anger, and anxiety are reported by individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Media coverage depicts schizophrenia in a negative light, generating fear around the illness due to a lack of education and understanding among the general public. Here are some facts about Schizophrenia, in hopes of dispelling some of the confusion and stigma associated with the disorder.