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Stress can negatively affect many areas of our lives – our relationships may suffer, our work performance and productivity may decrease, and our lives may spin out of control; there’s no doubt that sleep can also be negatively affected, but how? If you’ve been tossing and turning all night or experiencing insomnia due to stress of any sort – getting to the bottom of this could help you ease your mind – and body – a little more. When you become stressed, your body muscles tense. As emphasized by the American Psychological Association (APA), muscle tension is nearly a reflex to stress – it’s the body’s way of guarding itself against pain or injury. Chronic stress often causes the body’s muscles to be more or less tense in a constant state, which can lead to further distressing physical issues such as migraines. Your respiratory system is also affected, as you may experience shortness of breath or even anxiety attacks. The body’s cardiovascular system is affected, as stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol amp up. The endocrine system is affected as when your body is in “fight or flight” mode, the liver produces more glucose, a blood sugar that gives you the energy to react in response to an emergency. Furthermore, energy will come from the additional cortisol and epinephrine that your adrenal cortex has produced in your adrenal glands. Your gastrointestinal system is affected, as your stomach, esophagus, and bowels experience heightened activity. All of these symptoms together affect the central nervous system, which plays a part in your sleeping patterns. A study published in Experimental Neurobiology found that stress can cause an activation in the body’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, one of the main neuroendocrine stress systems during sleep. When stress hormones are activated, the sympathetic nervous system results in wakefulness, attention, and arousal. The study further denoted that stress-related insomnia can easily become a vicious cycle of as the hypothalamus is known as a key center for sleep regulation; in order to sleep better at night, you need to take part in activities such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, and other self-care exercises to protect your mind and body from the considerable damage that stress can cause.

You may have noticed that your significant other, friend, or family member tends to act a bit differently when they’ve been drinking. For example, they may typically be shy and reserved sober, but after they’ve been drinking, they become the “life of the party”. Some people become very irritable and angry when they’re drunk – what accounts for these differences between people? Many studies have delved into this area to find out the exact cause. A study published in Clinical Psychological Science involved the recruitment of 156 participants who were split into several groups and assessed on five of the major personality traits after consuming either Sprite or vodka and Sprite cocktails to induce a blood alcohol content of about .09. After a 15-minute absorption period, participants who drank alcohol reported lower levels of conscientiousness (being careful or vigilant), openness to experience (attentiveness to inner feelings, active imagination, etc.), and agreeableness (warm, friendly, tactful), with higher levels of extraversion (outgoing, talkative, energetic) and emotional stability (stable and balanced). Overall, this study could show that our perception of what a “drunk person” or a “sober person” looks like doesn’t pan out to mean the same for everyone. As each person is different, it likely depends on the individual’s personality to begin with. For example, a 2016 study conducted by researchers from Finland found that individuals high on agreeableness and low on openness to experience are more likely to reduce alcohol consumption and lean more towards abstinence; where do you fit in? Many people who drink excessively are high sensation seekers – they tend to be more impulsive and use less perseverance because of their alcohol consumption. In addition, the way we handle our emotions can impact the way we think and act when we’re drunk. As alcohol tends to suppress our decision-making and emotion regulation strategies, people who suppress their anger are more likely to become more hostile when drinking. If you’ve been struggling with alcoholism, make the decision to seek help today. Excessive drinking can have negative repercussions on your health, relationships, career aspirations, and more. Don’t wait any longer to reach out to a reputable treatment center.

Whether it’s you or a loved one who has recently began a treatment program for an addiction or mental illness, anxiety and overwhelming feelings may be at the forefront of your heart and mind. It’s normal to feel apprehensive – after all, it’s a completely new experience, one that you may not be sure you’re ready for. However, completing treatment is essential to your success in recovery, and identifying some of the risk factors for wanting to leave treatment early could help you overcome these thoughts and/or feelings. A 2018 study published in Qualitative Social Work interviewed 15 males and females aged 19 to 29 years old to explore patients’ own understanding of their drop out from residential substance use disorder treatment. The following were the themes found:

More than 4 million people in the United States have borderline personality disorder (BPD), a disorder characterized by intense emotions experienced for extended periods of time. BPD makes it difficult for a person to achieve stability after an emotionally triggering event; this difficulty can lead to impulsivity, poor self-image, rocky relationships and dangerous self-harming behaviors. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 75% of those with BPD are women. In whole, BPD is associated with difficulties in regulating emotion. What is emotion regulation? Emotion regulation is a complex combination of ways in which a person relates to and acts upon their emotional experiences. This may involve one’s ability to understand and accept their emotions, one’s ability to cope with uncomfortable emotions, and one’s ability to engage in appropriate behaviors when they’re distressed. Individuals who do not have difficulty with emotion regulation are able to – for example – remain calm even in a distressing situation, whereas someone with BPD may self-harm or engage in reckless behavior when upset. A 2015 study conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri identified 4 main components to emotion dysregulation that those with BPD experience:

Traumatic events such as rape, domestic violence, natural disasters, severe illness or injury, the death of a loved one, witnessing an act of violence and more can have a lasting impact on one’s physical, mental, and/or emotional stability. Many people who experience trauma also struggle with guilt, denial, anger, sadness, and emotional outbursts. Physical effects of trauma may include paleness, lethargy, fatigue, poor concentration, racing heartbeat, hypertension and more, making compassion such a critical component of recovery. A 2017 study published in Behavior Therapy assessed the effectiveness of compassion-based interventions for individuals who experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At a 2 and 4-week follow up after the intervention, researchers found that the participants showed improvements in self-compassion and self-blame. Shame is often a major component of trauma, and having compassion-based therapy helped these individuals push past these damaging beliefs. What does a compassion-based intervention consist of? Compassion-based therapy aims to promote mental and emotional healing by encouraging individuals to be compassionate towards themselves and others. This form of therapy often integrates components of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of therapy that helps people overcome negative, unproductive thought patterns and develop newer, more positive and productive ones. Much of the way a person recovers from trauma is grounded in their perspective of the event, themselves, and others. A reputable treatment program that is grounded in customized treatment, compassion, and CBT can have a major positive influence on those who are struggling with the distressing symptoms of PTSD. How can I be more compassionate to myself in recovery?

There’s no doubt that many people with mental illness experienced discrimination or stereotyping on a daily basis. Nearly one in five Americans experience a mental health disorder each year, yet only 25% of people with a psychological condition feel that others are understanding or compassionate about their mental illness, according the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Many people look at mental illness as a character deficiency – as if someone could simply “get over” their mental illness if they wanted to. Unfortunately, this has caused many people to internalize these damaging perceptions.OK Self-stigma, or internalization, refers to a time when a person cognitively or emotionally absorbs stigmatizing assumptions or stereotypes about their mental illness and comes to apply those beliefs to who they are as a person. According to a study published in Psychiatric Services, self-stigma can lead to a number of damaging outcomes, including: avoidant coping, social avoidance, decreased hope and self-esteem, worsening of symptoms of one’s mental illness, and decrease use of mental health services and other support groups. Self-stigma is marked by shame – a feeling that one isn’t “good enough” or that one cannot receive what they need because they are “inadequate”. A 2015 study conducted by researchers from the University of Connecticut interviewed 105 adults with mental illness who self-reported their experiences of discrimination based on their mental illness, their anticipation of discrimination and social devaluation from others in the future, and their level of internalized stigma. Some participants ranked high on the following beliefs associated with internalization:

Much research has shown that mental and physical health are linked; this is why your muscles may tense or you may experience a prolonged headache because you’re feeling stressed. A 2018 review of the literature published in Psychiatric Services denoted that mental illness, general medical comorbidity, and premature mortality are greatly affected by risk factors such as tobacco use, substance use, poor diet, and lack of physical activity. Thus, reputable treatment programs offer several effective components to addressing these concerns: medical and psychological interventions, nutrition assessment and management, and physical fitness exercises.

Imagine that everything has been going very well for you in recovery lately. You’ve met all of your goals that you’ve had set for yourself, and your therapist has commended you on your diligence in meeting those goals. You’ve been feeling great…but suddenly it all stops. You become a whirlwind of emotions one evening, and you feel all of this negative energy creeping in. Before you know it, you’ve relapsed, and you feel like it’s all gone terribly wrong. “How did this happen?” you may ask yourself. “Everything was going so well – where did it all go wrong, and where do I go from here?” Recovery is a lot like life. There are ups and downs and, at times, we may act in ways that contradict our values. This doesn’t mean that we have failed – it simply means that more reinforcement is needed, and/or we need a minor adjustment to our treatment regime. Perhaps something you’ve been working on in treatment hasn’t truly “sunk in” for you or you just don’t connect with it – that’s okay, as there are many treatment modalities for this very reason. If you’ve relapsed, you will want to work with your therapist to identify what led to this event. There are a number of triggers that could have affected you without you realizing it, such as:

When most people describe the stereotype of what someone with alcoholism would “look like”, they may include a person going out for drinks a lot with friends, partying often, drinking too much, and getting into legal trouble due to their drinking. While these descriptions could be accurate for some, there is another side of alcoholism that doesn’t get discussed as often: drinking alone. Nearly 13.8 million Americans have a drinking problem; how many people do you imagine drink at home by themselves? The truth is, drinking home alone could be a warning sign of dependence/addiction, or it may not be; it all depends on the drinking pattern. Imagine this: You’ve had a party at home with several friends over. You’ve been sipping slowly on an alcoholic beverage all night, and by the time your friends go home, you decide to finish your drink. Is this problematic? Not necessary, but do you do this often? How many drinks have you had? What is your reason for continuing to drink after they’ve all left? The following are some concerning reasons for drinking alone:

If you’ve recently started a residential treatment program for an addiction and/or mental illness, you may have learned of the importance of social support to your success in recovery. Oftentimes this form of support comes from family and friends, while other times it comes from team leaders and peers within your program. Making friends in any place can be challenging at times, but connecting with others who are working to overcome their addiction or better manage the symptoms of mental illness can add another level of challenge to the mix. A 2017 study published in Health and Social Care in the Community noted several factors that impeded progress of residential treatment clients’ success in building social support with one another. We will review the reported challenges and provide you with ways to overcome them:

Fox News covered the story of a 45-year-old mother with 3 children who is married to a college sweetheart now running an investment firm. This woman has a master’s degree in education, has traveled around the world with her family, and volunteers often at her local church. The feature then discussed that this mother had a drug addiction due to “accidental addiction”; this term was defined as when a person “trips down the rabbit-hole of addiction after being prescribed pain or anxiety medications by a well-intentioned doctor.” There are many factors that have placed a person at high-risk for accidental addiction, such as underlying mental health issues, childhood issues, trauma, or certain temperaments. Whether your story relates to the one mentioned above or not, you may be wondering, “Is accidental addiction real?” This question is a bit more complex than what it seems on the surface. Contrary to the widespread belief that most individuals with opioid addiction fall into it accidentally, many people who abuse opioids or have become addicted to them also have a substance use history with other drugs, as well as psychological problems poly-drug use. In fact, it seems that many people who become addicted to opioids aren’t even the ones prescribed them – a 2018 study published in BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical journal, found that only 1% of people who took prescription pain medication following surgery showed signs of opioid misuse. Furthermore, a 2014 analysis conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 54% of non-medical users got their prescription opioids for free from friends and family. It seems that opioid addiction isn’t as much of an accident, after all. Does this mean that accidents don’t occur? Accidents can certainly occur, they are just less likely to occur than people tend to believe. Women are more susceptible for “accidental addiction” due to their hormones – higher levels of estrogen make women more likely to experience a “high” from opioids, and women are more likely to seek help from a doctor than men anyways, making them more likely to obtain a prescription in the first place. If you have been prescribed painkillers, remember to follow the directions exactly as prescribed. Maintain regular check-ups with your doctor to ensure you aren’t becoming dependent on them, and properly wean yourself off the medication with your doctor’s help when the time is right. If you feel you are becoming addicted to them, seek treatment right away. The sooner you seek help, the better.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 948,000 people reported using heroin in 2016. Heroin addiction has shown to be very destructive to people’s health, social, home, and financial life; long-term use changes the physical structure and physiology of the brain, with several studies showing that heroin can deteriorate some of the brain’s white matter. If you’re seeking treatment for heroin addiction, you’ve made the best choice you possibly can. Seeking help, whether early on or later in addiction, may prevent further damage from being done and could potentially help your body to reverse some of the damages it has undergone. You’ve made a great decision. If you’ve attempted to recover several times but have not been successful, you are not alone. A study published in the Journal of Addictive Diseases found that after following an analysis of 242 heroin users (2 groups of people: one group who recovered and one group who didn’t) after 30 years, non-recovered individuals were more likely to utilize substances to cope with stressful situations, to have spouses that abused drugs, to lack proper social support, and to have a lack of self-efficacy. Without the right treatment program, heroin addiction can be challenging to overcome. Previous research has shown that addiction recovery must include community support, a structured program, and negative consequences of substance use; perhaps in previous programs you were not provided with these crucial components to success, or you attempted to recover at home. There are many successful interventions that can be used for heroin addiction, including both behavioral and pharmacological options; integrating both treatment options have been shown to be the most effective. Medications may be used to aid in withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction, including: 1) agonists (activates opioid receptors), 2) partial agonists (activates receptors but produces a smaller response), or 3) antagonists (blocks opioid receptors, interfering with reward responses). Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are the most common medications currently used to treat this addiction. Behavioral therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and contingency management are most likely to be used in a treatment program. These programs will help you to release negative, unproductive patterns of thought and replace them more positive, productive ways of thinking. Contingency management is based on providing vouchers and other healthy rewards for actively working towards your recovery. Reach out to a representative at a reputable treatment center today to begin your journey towards recovery.