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Social media is more pervasive than ever – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and more all serve as tools to connect with others – to share moments of our lives, see what others are doing in their lives, and keep in touch with loved ones who may be at a distance from us. No matter how you utilize social media, it certainly plays a major factor in perceived social support. As human beings, we’re social creatures, and we rely on support to make us feel loved, wanted, and needed in the world. Dr. Drew Ramsey, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University stated on U.S. News,  “At its worst, depression is a disease of social isolation. People generally tend to be social creatures. We feel best when we are connected to others and to our community.” Since social media is a such a major part of our communication, it’s no wonder that many of us rely on social media to provide us with the social support that we need; even further, it makes sense that if we don’t feel we’re getting adequate support through social media, we’re bound to experience depression and/or anxiety. A 2016 study conducted by researchers from Australia sought to explore just how connected social media is with perceived social support and depression; researchers analyzed many studies that had been done between 2005 and 2016 to see if any major themes arose. Results from the analysis of these studies indicated that positive interactions, social support and social connectedness on social networking sites were consistently related to lower levels of depression and anxiety, whereas negative interaction and social comparison resulted in higher levels of depression and anxiety. Ultimately, it depends on how you use social media and what you’re getting from it that’s contributing to your mental health. Depression is common, and it can be treated. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

Schizophrenia involves a breakdown between a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, which can lead to faulty perceptions, inappropriate actions, withdrawal from reality and an overall sense of mental fragmentation. Many people with schizophrenia are misunderstood because of the way they think and act – in fact, loss of touch with reality, disorganized speech or behavior, and difficulty with concentration and memory are just a few symptoms of schizophrenia. If you’ve been diagnosed with the disorder, you may understand that you experience more difficulty with social relationships than others. This can be particularly distressing at first, but understanding the ways in which schizophrenia affect social cognition may help you in gaining better knowledge of tools that you can use to help lessen the severity of some of these symptoms. A 2017 study published in the journal Mental Illness sought to explore emotion perception, theory of mind (ability to understand another person’s knowledge, beliefs, emotions, and intentions and using that to navigate social interactions) and social knowledge in individuals with schizophrenia. Researchers from the study analyzed 36 people diagnosed with schizophrenia and in an outpatient treatment program and compared them to 36 people of comparable age and education but with no mental illness diagnosis. Several neurocognitive tests were conducted, and the researchers found that schizophrenia patients displayed significant impairments in all three areas studied. Due to these social cognition impairments, it’s important for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia to seek treatment from a reputable treatment center; treatment may involve medication, therapy, as well as social skills training which could greatly improve a person’s interpersonal interactions. Schizophrenia is often misunderstood, which can also make it difficult to form and maintain friendships. With the right treatment however, you can begin taking steps towards building a support network and life that is conducive to your recovery. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

If we don’t have the proper support and tools to safely manage our emotions, they can affect our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors – including what we eat. If you experience this, think about times you feel very depressed, anxious, angry, etc. What do your eating patterns look like during these times? If you’re gravely depressed, do you feel like eating a lot or nothing at all? If you’re angry at someone, do you feel like eating, or is your adrenaline pumping so hard that you would not be able to get a single bite in? Our emotions can certainly affect the way we eat, and this can cause further psychological or physical health concerns if our eating patterns are not healthy for us. A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science sought to explore how emotions such as anger and disgust influenced food intake amongst people. Eighty participants participated in the dissection of several types of fish, and were then provided diverse types of foods to eat afterwards while also assessed with measures of disgust and anxiety. Results from the study showed that individuals who felt higher levels of disgust and anxiety were significantly more likely to avoid eating food compared to their counterparts who didn’t experience such elevated levels of anxiety or disgust. While this type of exploration is quite aberrant compared to daily behavior, it does show that when we’re approached with feelings of disgust, anger, and other negative emotions, we’re not always able to carry on with daily acts as simple as eating. When it comes to mental illness and/or addiction recovery, there’s no doubt that our emotions may act like a rollercoaster. Previous studies have shown that recovery can cause many people to feel a variety of emotions – from pain to joy, sadness to happiness, calm to anxious. These changes can certainly have an affect on your eating habits while in recovery, which is why it’s so important to have a nutrition counselor who can help you ensure that you’re receiving the proper vitamins and nutrients needed to get your mind, body, and spirit back on track. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

Addiction recovery isn’t always the easiest feat. As with life, recovery does have its ups and downs – but the point is to learn and transform throughout the process. If you’ve sought out a reputable treatment program for meth addiction, you’ve taken an amazing, courageous step towards living a happier, healthier life. This time is crucial to understanding what recovery consists of, what it may mean for you, and factors that could prevent you from reaching success so that you can be sure to take preventative measures. A 2017 study published in the journal Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy sought to explore perceived barriers of methamphetamine addiction recovery. Two hundred and two stories were analyzed in an online health forum to identify these barriers. The researchers found the following themes:

Emotions are central to human existence. Happiness, sadness, pain, joy, fear, jealousy, shame, guilt, love, anger and more are all very real, very raw emotional experiences. Many times, however, we don’t always know the safest way to express these emotions – this is what may lead to the development of a mental illness or to an addiction, as some people try to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. Whether you’re currently in a treatment program or not, music can serve as a tool to help you express your emotions or even to bring about an emotion that could support a better mindset for your well-being. A 2018 study sought to explore sadness and music – in particular, how people experience crying when listening to music. Eight hundred and ninety-two participants were involved in the study, with two underlying themes: a “sad” class and an “awe” class. Individuals who classified as the “sad” class tended to feel sad, upset, and depressed when listening to music; people in the “awe” class tended to feel euphoric, happy, amazed, and inspired. The research indicated that people more open to experiences found themselves in the “awe” class, while those with high neuroticism (tendency to lean towards negative thoughts and emotions) found themselves in the “sad” class. While it’s true that the way you think has an affect on the way you listen to music, you can use this to your advantage in your recovery. When it comes to mental illness and/or addiction recovery, music therapy can serve two functions: 1) as a tool to help you understand and make sense of what you’re feeling and 2) as a tool to help motivate you and keep you uplifted as you work towards your recovery journey. For example, the next time you’re feeling distressed, play music that calms you and gives you positive emotions. What do you experience? Did you feel that this type of music reduced your distress? If not, try diverse types of music to see what works best for you. Music can be a very healthy form of self-expression and self-exploration – you may even use music as a coping mechanism during tough times. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about music therapy and treatment programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

From sharing our occupation to the time we die; our lives are centered around our social identities. Mother, brother, friend, neighbor, writer, doctor, teacher, engineer – all of these are social identities that help us relate to others and describe our role in society. Take a moment to consider the identity labels that you or others place on yourself. What do these labels say about your values, beliefs, and attitudes towards life? How well do these labels portray who you really are or who you want to be? Social identity is more than just helping others learn about who we are – it’s a message of how we view ourselves, too. When it comes to your recovery, your social identity says a lot and it’s bound to change as you work towards your recovery. A 2015 study titled “Social Identities as Pathways Into and Out Of Addiction” explored the transition of individuals from the “substance user” identity to the “recovery” identity. Twenty-one adults in a drug and alcohol community were interviewed. The researchers found that some participants felt they lost their identity around the time their addiction started, but later found it when they were in recovery. As one participant stated, “In my good bits, I excel, really excel. I was playing basketball too, got drafted for the Northern Tigers….and then everything just went *poof*”. Other individuals stated that addiction provided them with an identity – a sense of social belonging. One person stated, “I learnt by being naughty I could have friends that actually liked me, that wanted to be with me.” These people talked about how difficult it was for them to transition into recovery because of their social identity, but many participants also noted that once their social identity transitioned from one of substance use to one of recovery, it became a little easier to be around people who also reflected that social identity. Participants stated that once they were in recovery, they felt a sense of purpose and a meaningful role within the community. Ultimately, this helped them to move on. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. Sometimes change is for the better. In this case, it always is.

Time and time again, research has shown that depression causes behavioral and physical symptoms. These often include changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behavior, self-esteem, and more. Other physical signs of depression may include migraines, joint pain such as fibromyalgia, digestive problems such as constipation and bloating, chest pain, back pain with tension in the neck, and more – all of which can deeply affect daily life. According to a study published in the journal Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, approximately 69% of people who meet the criteria for depression also experience aches and pains. If you’ve been struggling with symptoms of depression, the right treatment center can help you heal – mentally, physically, and spiritually. A 2015 study published in the Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences sought to explore the effects of massage therapy on students; 30 student volunteers with depression were randomly selected to either massage therapy or regular therapy as a comparison group. Swedish massage therapy – a relaxing, full-body massage involving massage oil and lotions – was conducted on the massage group 3 times a week for 8 weeks, 30 minutes each session. Both the massage and non-massage group were then given depression inventory surveys. Results from the study found that for depressed participants, massage therapy showed significant improvements to their depressive symptoms. As stated by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), massage therapy can relieve stress, reduce anxiety, manage lower back pain, reduce muscle tension, relieve tension headaches, improve balance, lower blood pressure, and much more. Many reputable treatment programs offer massage therapy that can be completed alongside traditional treatment programs activities. As previous research has shown, massage therapy benefits the mind, body, and spirit. In a relaxing setting, you will be able to release all of the pent up stress, energy, and tension acquired from life’s obstacles. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about massage therapy and treatment programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

When most people think of addiction and recovery, they think of the hardships – withdrawal during detoxification, letting go of past pains, cutting off people who are no longer conducive to recovery, and much more. As with anything worthwhile, of course there are hardships – but there are also many, many bountiful positive elements to recovery as well. The more you focus on these positive elements, the greater the opportunity you have of bringing them into your life; in a very basic sense, it’s about the mindset that you hold. Your perceptions influence your actions, and your actions influence what leaves and comes into your life. According to the University of Pennsylvania, positive psychology is important to look at because it draws on individual and community strengths that bring about hope, resilience, strength, growth and more in realms of recovery, love, social relationships, work endeavors, and other life experiences. By focusing on positive psychology when it comes to recovery, we can tune into the strengths that we currently have – in doing this, we hold much higher chances of success. A 2014 study published in the journal East Asian Archives of Psychiatry sought to review past research on positive emotions and positive aspects of recovery such as “creativity, optimism, resilience, empathy, compassion, humor, and life satisfaction”. When it comes to mental illness recovery, these positive elements have been shown to increase the well-being of those with depression, substance use disorders (SUDs), psychosis, and much more. How can you incorporate these into your daily life? A major source of these positive elements is mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). All of these can provide you with healthier ways of thinking about and dealing with challenges of life such as distressing thoughts or situations. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about programs that could assist you on your journey to recovery. It’s never too late to seek the help you need.

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a manic-depressive illness, and involves unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out daily tasks, as defined by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). There are several diverse types of BPD with the following being the main three: Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic Disorder. Each disorder is characterized by varying levels of intensity and duration of symptoms, with either manic, depressive, or both being the main focus. If a person with BPD experiences a manic episode, they may have racing thoughts, a sense of “being on top of the world” or invincibility, difficulty concentrating, impulsive behavior, and more. Manic episodes with BPD can be dangerous if a person is not taking prescription medication. Psychotic symptoms can be experienced with bipolar psychosis, which involves hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or touching things that aren’t there) or delusions (believing in things that aren’t there) as well as irrational thoughts/speech and an overall lack of awareness. If a person with BPD is experiencing mania and is angry or irritable, they may become aggressive and violent – mania can give individuals a feeling of “superhuman” power, which can become dangerous if not de-escalated quickly. While having BPD alone doesn’t increase the chances of a person becoming violent, there’s primarily a risk if BPD mixes with alcohol or drug use and high emotional stress. Some situations can trigger intense mood swings which, if not medicated, can cause a person to act more dangerously. Manic episodes can significantly affect various aspects of a person’s life, however. A 2014 study published in the journal European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience found that manic episodes account for poor work adjustment for those with BPD; racing thoughts and impaired functioning in attention and organization can make it particularly difficult for a person to complete projects and stay on task. In addition to work life, those with BPD may have difficulty in romantic relationships as their partner attempts to understand their mood swings and motivations. For all of these reasons it is essential that a person with BPD seek effective treatment. BPD in and of itself is not a dangerous disorder – it can, however, get out of hand if combined with the wrong circumstances. If you have been diagnosed, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center today to learn more about various treatment programs and which one may be the right fit for you.

Whether you’ve been with your significant other for a few weeks or a few years, addiction can find a way to sneak into your lives. Perhaps it started off with a little bit of drinking or drugs here and there – you both may have thought to yourself that as long as you do it every now and then, it should be fine. Over time, though, your use becomes a little more frequent, and you both begin using substances a little more than you originally planned to because you weren’t achieving the “high” you once experienced. This turns into dependency, which can eventually become an addiction for either one or both of you. Before you even know it, addiction has control over you in a way that you can’t explain nor keep up with. Addiction does happen in many relationships; sometimes it occurs with one partner, other times both experience it. No matter the situation, it does affect the relationship in major ways. It changes the dynamic between both partners, which can change everything if the right steps aren’t taken. A 2016 study published in Frontier Psychology emphasized that romantic love in and of itself is an addiction with symptoms of euphoria, tolerance, emotional and physical dependence, and more. Both love and addiction have similarities, both of which can affect one another. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) notes the following ways addiction can damage intimate relationships:

Author Alexandra Katehakis wrote in her book titled, “Mirror of Intimacy: Daily Reflections on Emotional and Erotic Intelligence” explained dissociation as this: “The problem with checking out so thoroughly is that it can leave us feeling dead inside…the process of repair demands a re-association with the body, a commitment to dive into the body and feel today what we couldn’t feel yesterday because it was too dangerous.” Dissociation, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), is defined as “problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior, and sense of self.” Often when people experience dissociation, they experience a period of disconnect from themselves and/or the world around them. In a sense, they “check out” – it may seem like they’re daydreaming, lost in a book or movie, and more. Dissociation often kicks in to help a person get through a very traumatic event, such as being the victim of a crime or enduring a natural disaster. A review study conducted by researchers from Germany described the experience of trauma and dissociation as “Freeze-Flight-Fight-Fright-Flag-Faint”, referring to the 6-step process of fragments in which a person responds to an upsetting event until they get to dissociation.

Stigmas have the propensity to hurt many people – those with mental illness and addiction are often stereotyped as being “crazy”, “manipulative”, “lazy”, and more. Whether perpetuated by depictions in the media or general misunderstandings, the fact is that stigmas hold people back rather than propel them to move forward and make decisions towards living happier, healthier lives. Much of what those with mental illness and addiction want is support – people who love them, support them, believe in them and want to them to succeed. Sometimes these individuals don’t provide these things to themselves, making support one of the most crucial factors to recovery. As stated by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), stigmas cause individuals to feel shame about something that is out of their control. The best way that we can combat this is by changing the way we talk about mental illness and addiction altogether. A 2015 study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine emphasized that portraying those with mental illness and addiction as people who have successfully recovered after seeking treatment could be an excellent strategy to combat harsh depictions; when it comes to this population, Americans tend to focus more on the “problem person” than the “treated, recovered person”. If we emphasized that effective treatment is available, and that recovery is possible, consider how many more people would open up and be willing to seek help for their experiences. Previous research has shown that many individuals withhold from seeking help because they fear that nobody will truly care to help them – this depressing reality is often an effect of years of self-stigmatization, discrimination, bullying, and more. If you are a friend or family member of a loved one with mental illness or addiction, actively make the decision to promote their recovery. Rather than shame them, give them guidance and tools on seeking the help they need. Be there to support them through the process. Not only could this support motivate them to seek treatment – it could save their life. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center today. Recovery is possible, and it’s never too late.