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Have you or someone you love ever grabbed an alcoholic drink while saying something along the lines of, “I’m stressed”, “I’m depressed”, or “I feel on top of the world!”? We don’t realize it in these minute instances, but our mood can directly affect the way we think about drinking as well as how much we actually drink. Conversely, the type of alcohol we drink – and how much – can have a direct affect on our mood. In 2017, Medical News Today, a website that publishes information related to a variety of health conditions, explained that beer, wine and spirits can all have different effects on us; so, in other words, if you find yourself more aggressive after drinking spirits, you’re not alone. Professor Mark Bellis from the King’s College London noted a study that confirmed the effect that liquor can have on our mood and explained: “For centuries, the history of rum, gin, vodka, and other spirits have been laced with violence. This global study suggests even today consuming spirits is more likely to result in feelings of aggression than other drinks.”

We’ve heard this term a lot growing up, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what a “gateway drug” is. Throughout our high school years is typically when we talk about this term, but did you know that adults can deal with gateway drugs, too? Cambridge dictionary defines a gateway drug as, “A drug whose use may make it more likely that someone uses other, more dangerous drugs.” Despite the fact that this term is associated mostly with younger populations, the opioid epidemic has shown loads of gateway drug access for individuals moving from prescription medications to drugs like heroin, which is now at an all time high with over 948,000 reporting using it. Cases like these show us that illicit drug use can make its way into a person’s life even a person would never have originally contemplated it. In fact, a government study that assessed substance rates from 2002 to 2012 found that heroin initiation was 19 times higher for those who’d previously reported nonmedical pain reliever use than those who didn’t; how do instances like these arise? Well, it’s due to a few reasons, such as:

Do you know of someone who seems to only care about their needs, only to brush off yours? Do you know someone who acts as though they’re better than everyone else? Narcissism is a spectrum disorder, and a healthy amount of narcissism is okay – but if narcissistic levels are too high, a person may have narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) without even realizing it. If you think that you or a loved one may have this disorder, it’s important to understand why this disorder is often overlooked – and with the right tools and information, you can move forward in the right direction for you or you loved one’s needs. Help Guide explains that NPD is, “…a pattern of self-centered, arrogant thinking and behavior, a lack of empathy and consideration for other people, and an excessive need for admiration.” Others may view someone as being manipulative, selfish, or even patronizing – but it can be hard to tell whether a person has a true personality disorder over someone who just acts on narcisstistic tendies every now and then. Earlier this year, writer Katie Heaney noted a book on The Cut titled, Rethinking Narcissism: The Bad – and Surprisingly Good – About Feeling Special; the author of this book, clinical psychologist and Harvard Medical School lecturer Craig Malkin explained that narcissism is something that we all have – it’s a universal tendency that, in many cases, can help us do well in interviews, dream hard, work towards our goals and more. The disorder itself is when tendencies of narcissism get taken to the extreme – it’s the need to feel special; with this disorder, a person is typically willing to lie, steal, cheat, or do whatever it takes in order to feel at the level where they want to be. If you’re ready to restore your mind, body and spirit from NPD, substance abuse and/or other conditions, please speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today.

Alcohol is a major part of our society today; it’s used for celebration, social occasions, and even as a “self-care” tactic after a long day of work. While alcohol is incredibly mainstream in our culture today, there are far too many people who struggle with dependency and alcoholism – yet they don’t even realize it. In many cases, alcohol causes people to change in attitude and behavior, and that’s when situations can become incredibly risky – especially when violence is involved. The first question many people ask is, who’s at risk? According to ABC Heatlh and Wellbeing, an Australian source that provides information on health topics such as diet, fitness, mood, relationships and more, explained a few years ago that those who are more irritable, who have poorer anger control and who display lower levels of empathy towards others are most likely to get caught in this dangerous trap. A 2015 study published in the journal Trauma, Violence & Abuse highlights that alcohol is often a major factor in child maltreatment and intimate partner violence – and if help isn’t sought quickly, a person may continue to spiral. To those who are on the outside looking in, alcoholism and violence can seem so absurd – and while it certainly may not make sense, often those abusing alcohol are just searching for a solution. In 2017, writer Amy Anderson explained that for her, alcohol was a solution. She told Success, “Most people look at addiction or alcoholism from the outside and wonder, ‘How could they sink so low?’ What these well-meaning people don’t understand is that sometimes addiction and alcoholism feel like a step up from someplace worse.” As a person continues down the path of alcoholism, they often find that violence escalates – and the symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic disorder (PTSD) or other deep-rooted issue only become covered up. If you’ve been struggling with alcoholism, it’s time to seek help. Speak with a professional from Avalon Malibu today to start experiencing healing and restoration – it’s never too late to turn your life around.

When we talk about personality disorders, we mostly refer to borderline personality disorder (BPD), avoidant personality disorder (APD) or narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) – but histrionic personality disorder deserves acknowledgement too, because it affects so many people. This disorder is considered a “Cluster B” personality disorder because it’s considered a highly erratic, dramatic and emotional disorder. If you’ve been diagnosed with this disorder, know that you’re not alone – and that help is available. Those with histrionic personality disorder (HPD) tend to have a distorted image of themselves; their self-esteem is often based on others’ approval, and thus they tend to feel as though they need to “act out” in certain ways to get attention. In 2017, writer Fatima Dereye shared her personal story of HPD via Affinity, a website that publishes content on various topics, such as arts & culture, politics, feminism and more. She stated, “…When I am in a group of friends, I cannot stand being ignored. I will shake, feel anxious and sense that everyone is against me.”

Warning: This post may contain trigger warnings. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters. Celebrities tend to pave the way in our society – they guide the latest trends, speak up on the latest issues and emphasize certain behavioral patterns that become integrated into our culture. Celebrities are incredibly influential – and while we don’t always know the intimate details of their lives, the work they produce can have such an incredibly important influence on us. Mental health has been more widely discussed amongst celebrities, as more and more are coming out about their own personal struggles with mental health issues and how they manage the symptoms they experience. Demi Lovato, for example, has been very open about not only her struggle with bipolar disorder (BPD), but also with her journey through addiction recovery, relapse, sobriety and more. Unfortunately, we’ve lost many amazing celebrities this past year due to mental health concerns and/or drug-related overdoses. We’d like to commemorate some of the precious souls that we lost in 2018:

One individual shared their experience in college with using Xanax via The Muse. They stated, “…Doing cocaine led to taking Xanax to come down, taking Xanax led to more cocaine to wake up, and the combination led to the reintroduction of alcohol in my life.” College students are at an extremely high risk for abusing substances, and for a number of reasons. The freedom experienced during college often leads many to experiment with substances, and peer pressure can have a similar effect. Xanax has become a popular drug to use recreationally for students in college, which is generally used to treat anxiety. In 2018, Vice magazine highlighted that Xanax affects GABA receptors in the brain, “…sort of like the brakes on the brain. It calms everything down.” There are many pressures that come to college students, such as the pressure to fit in, pressure towards making good grades, achieving expectations held by family and friends, and more. Young adults are at an increased risk to use substances like Xanax during this time, especially if they feel there’s no other way to work through the symptoms their experiencing. In 2018, an individual shared on The Odyssey that Xanax is rarely ever taken “just once” by college students. Not only that, but Xanax is often mixed in with other substances, where overdose is at high risk. How can we protect young adults from abusing Xanax? A 2016 study conducted by researchers from California Polytech State University found that drug abuse prevention interventions can be effective for college students, as they influence their knowledge on these drugs, their perceptions of risk, and enhance their self-efficacy to prevent prescription drug abuse. For parents who witness their college student struggling with Xanax addiction, treatment is needed.

The opioid epidemic has sparked a lot of discussion on how we can monitor prescription drug abuse, but Americans are leaning towards illicit opioids, too. For instance, many find themselves transitioning from prescription opioids to heroin because of the ease of accessibility and affordability overall. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimated that 72,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in 2017; and the biggest increase in deaths was due not to prescription opioids or to heroin, but to fentanyl – a deadly, synthetic drug.

Our hearts are with all of those who have suffered displacement and loss from the active wildfires in California. We want to assure our Avalon Malibu family and friends during this heartbreaking time that we have safely evacuated all residential patients to our partner facility in Orange County where they are receiving continued treatment and support from our clinical team. We are incredibly grateful that our facilities made it through without any fire damage, and we will return to Malibu as soon as the authorities give us clearance. Further information will be provided as soon as it becomes available or contact us at 855-709-4032. If you or a loved one is in Southern California, here is a Google resource that shows information on the fire, available shelters and more.

Note: If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters. American fashion designer Kate Spade’s death by suicide shocked the world and sparked a major discussion on seeking help, providing support, and recognizing the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal ideation. Her husband, Andy Spade, told CNN News that she was seeking help for anxiety and depression; he was completely shocked by this news, as he stated that he spoke with her the night before and she sounded happy. Kate Spade’s death was another traumatic incident that proves depression and suicidal ideation can affect anyone – no matter your race, origin, class, success, education, and more. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly 45,000 lives were lost in 2016 alone; suicide has been listed as one of the top leading causes of death in the United States, making this a huge cause for concern. People Magazine claims that David Spade, Kate Spade’s brother-in-law, has recently decided to honor her by donating $100,000 to help those struggling with mental illness. He stated, “More people suffer from mental health issues than we realize but no one should ever feel ashamed to reach out for support.” If you have a mental illness and it’s drastically affected your ability to live your life, seek help immediately. Treatment is available, and may include medication as well as therapy to give you the tools you need to better manage your symptoms. If you are a loved one of someone with a mental illness, recognize the warning sides of suicidal ideation:

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been shown to affect nearly 4 million people in the United States alone; estimates show that 75% of individuals diagnosed with BPD are women, making women a key population of interest when it comes to this particular mental illness. People with BPD often experience varying mood swings, unstable self-image, feelings of worthlessness or insecurity, impaired social relationships, and more. Typically beginning during adolescence or early adulthood, symptoms of BPD can cause significant challenges in daily life. Recent research has been aimed at discovering more closely the emergency of BPD, and the latest findings reveal an unexpected area for women: the menstrual cycle. A 2018 study published in the journal Psychological Medicine and conducted by researchers from Chicago involved the analysis of 15 healthy, unmedicated females diagnosed with BPD over a period of 35 days; researchers recorded their symptoms to see if any patterns were revealed. What the researchers found was that symptoms of BPD were heightened the week before and during a female’s menstrual cycle – which can have significant effects on suicidal ideation. Assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago Tory Eisenlohr-Moul stated, “…People with borderline personality disorder are at a high risk of suicide, so anything that can help patients and clinicians reliably predict changes in their symptoms is very useful.” Researchers hypothesize that women with BPD are more sensitive to hormonal changes, which could provide reasoning as to why a woman with BPD would experience more severe symptoms leading up to a during her menstrual cycle. However, this new finding could provide a lot of support to healthcare teams seeking to reach out to adolescents, young adults, and women with BPD for preventative measures. Eisenlohr-Moul also stated, “When [estrogen and progesterone] drop so precipitously around menses, it’s not surprising that some women with trouble regulating mood and emotions have an even harder time.” If you’ve been diagnosed with BPD, treatment is available, and recovery is possible. Speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center today to learn more about treatment options.

Note: If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters. Death by suicide has been rising dramatically all over the United States; according to the National Public Radio (NPR), approximately 45,000 lives were taken in 2016 by suicide. More celebrities and high-profile individuals are losing their lives, including fashion designer Kate Spade, chef, author, and host Anthony Bourdain, Alan O’Neill, Verne Troyer from Austin Powers, and more solely in 2018, as stated by U.S. Magazine. Suicide is devastating and effects everyone – friends, family, coworkers, and more, as the entire world suffers with each life that is lost. By recognizing the signs that someone may need help, you could save a life. Recognizing that someone may be having suicidal thoughts can be difficult because you may really have to pay attention to subtle cues. If you notice that your loved one is doing any of the following, these could be warning signs that they need immediate help: