Treatment

Anxiety and depression affect more than forty million adults age 18 and over, making them two of the most common mental health concerns in the United States. Since these illnesses involve a complex set of emotional and functional challenges, they require a holistic treatment for anxiety that addresses more than symptoms.

At first consideration, the concepts of “acceptance” and “change” seem diametrically opposed. Acceptance implies that something is suitable or satisfactory, whereas the need for change indicates that something is inadequate or lacking in some way. Yet these two opposite components form the core of dialectical behavior therapy.

Neurofeedback therapy is a biofeedback technique that focuses on helping a person learn to directly affect their own brain function. The approach is a reputable and scientifically proven technique practiced by specially trained psychotherapists. Drawing on the growing knowledge from the field of neuroscience, doctors are trying to reach beyond the symptoms of mental illness to address the circuits that cause them.

Dissociative disorders are a category of mental illnesses characterized by an involuntary and unhealthy escape from reality through a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness and memory. An estimated two percent of people experience some form of dissociative disorder, with women being more likely than men to be diagnosed. Dissociative identity disorder (DID), formerly called multiple personality disorder, is one of three types of dissociative disorders defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

When a person seeks treatment for substance abuse or an addiction, how the therapist structures their treatment will have a significant impact on their recovery.

When battling an addiction, the entire process of recovery must be maintained and engaged throughout. Many people who struggle with addiction fail to apply the proper level of gravity to the aftercare element of the recovery process. An article published by DualDiagnosis.org suggests that paying proper attention to aftercare will significantly increase the chance of long-term recovery success. If you are struggling with an addiction, the quicker that you seek help from a reputable treatment program, the better the chance of achieving a complete recovery. Finding a good aftercare program is essential to increasing the possibility of long-term success in recovery.

Addiction is a complex disease with a number of environmental, genetic and social factors. The most effective way to treat the condition is with a multi-faceted approach that addresses these different factors. One complementary therapy that has become frequently used in addiction treatment is neurofeedback. This therapeutic technique allows participants to identify and change certain types of activity in their brains. Neurofeedback has already displayed promising results in the treatment of epilepsy, ADHD and post-traumatic stress disorder. Today, it is also being used to treat addiction. A growing number of studies has shown that it can help recovering individuals avoid a relapse.

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that originated in India thousands of years ago, and it remains in wide use today all over the world. Considered a form of alternative and complementary medicine in the U.S., many of the principles of Ayurveda have nevertheless come into the mainstream, with physicians trained in modern medicine incorporating some of the practices into their own roster of treatments for various conditions. Ayurveda is particularly suited for helping people with a substance abuse disorder tune in more closely to their physical and spiritual condition. It embodies a holistic approach to healing that addresses mind, body, and spirit, which is increasingly regarded as the best way to treat the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of substance addiction.

Have you ever wondered why your memory doesn’t work like it used to, or why you have greater difficulty concentrating and paying attention? Have you or your friends and family noticed that you have difficulty organizing your thoughts, or finding the right words to express yourself to others? Do you struggle to maintain a stable mood? A Neuropsychological Evaluation (NPE) can help answer these questions and provide you with a detailed assessment of the inner workings of your brain - including strengths and weaknesses, which in turn will assist in  developing a more effective treatment plan for your specific problems. And the best part? Avalon is now proud to offer this comprehensive evaluation to each one of our mental health clients - making us one of a very select few treatment facilities in the country to provide such a service as a part of their intake process.

Introversion and social anxiety are commonly considered to be roughly the same thing, and those who understand neither may simply call it "shyness." But introversion and social anxiety are not the same thing, although they may co-exist. Introversion is largely a personality trait, while social anxiety is a mental health issue. Both introverts and extroverts can suffer from social anxiety.

Personality disorders are mental illnesses that involve chronic patterns of unhealthy attitudes and behaviors, inflexible thoughts, and false beliefs. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder that's characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a deeply-ingrained need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. Beneath the excessive show of confidence, people with NPD usually have an extremely fragile self-esteem and are unable to cope with even slight criticism, according to the Cleveland Clinic. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder often use drugs or alcohol as a way of dealing with with the inevitable relationship problems and other interpersonal issues that result from this disorder, which also commonly co-occurs with other mental illnesses like depression, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder. Due to the complexity of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, one of the most effective treatments for this condition is cognitive behavioral therapy, which can be modified to treat a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse and addiction, which often co-occur with NPD.

Depression is a serious mental illness that saps your energy and reduces your quality of life. Living with depression can cause other illnesses, and it can lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices, including drug or alcohol abuse. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20 percent of American adults who suffer from depression also have a substance abuse disorder, and 20 percent of people with a substance abuse disorder are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Depression can be effectively treated with both medication and psychotherapy, although the National Institute of Mental Health notes that psychotherapy is typically the best option for mild to moderate depression in adults. Psychotherapy can be administered one-on-one or in a group setting. Group therapy is less expensive than individual therapy, and numerous studies, including one meta-analytic study published by the American Psychological Association, show that there is no difference in outcomes between group and individual therapy.