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With the opioid crisis, many people are in search of pain management techniques to help them work through the pain without having to use medication they once used before that could potentially lead them to addiction. If you experience chronic pain, this may be a challenging time for you as you learn to navigate healthy ways to manage your pain while avoiding prescription drug abuse, addiction, and overdose. Thankfully, there are a variety of holistic practices that you can incorporate into your daily routine that may help with pain:

Mental Health America states that codependency can be passed down from generation to generation within dysfunctional families. This is often because dysfunctional families refuse to acknowledge that problems exist and as such, family members learn to repress their feelings and disregard their own needs. When this occurs, family members often “lose touch”, disconnect, and hide themselves away. If you are someone who has gone through this, you may have developed some habits of codependency. This can be incredibly dangerous, as it increases your risks for being in abusive relationships. Psych Central has identified several characteristics of codependency, including:

Bipolar disorder is classified as a mental illness characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, those with bipolar disorder often experience mood swings and changes in activity levels, which can affect all aspects of daily life. If you have bipolar disorder, you may be wondering how and if you should address this in your workplace – after all, it’s a common fear that those who disclose this information to managers and/or employees will face ostracization and other reactions from stereotypes. David J. Miklowitz, professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado-Boulder, explained for Forbes Magazine the challenges that many with bipolar disorder face when it comes to the workplace. He stated, “The stigma is real. It can be as subtle as fellow workers attributing justifiable reactions to situations to your illness, or as blatant as not getting a job or a promotion”. Previous research has followed through to confirm these fears, as previous studies have found that individuals who have disclosed their mental illness in the workplace have reported being denied opportunities for training, promotion, or transfer, and coworkers have reported viewing an individual with a mental illness as a personal failure. However, to push past these obstacles in the workplace we must, as a society, discuss mental illness more openly and provide more support for those who disclose. For example, the Huffington Post argues that businesses are losing $100 billion and 217 million lost workdays due to mental illness. If businesses can learn to address these concerns with employees and provide more resources and support, productivity levels and employee retention may yield incredible rewards. In addition, creating a culture of acceptance means that there is less stress, more conversation, and more inclusion. These benefits are so large that many employees would gladly take a salary cut in exchange for these invaluable gains. If you have bipolar disorder, it is completely up to you whether you feel open and safe to disclose your mental disorder to your employer and/or coworkers. Never compromise your safety if you feel that it would be threatening to disclose. If you work for a company that values inclusion and acceptance, this could be a fantastic opportunity to build more cohesion in your workplace. If not, you may be able to speak with your company’s Human Resource department to learn more about how you can incorporate a more inclusive-centered atmosphere into your workplace.

Approximately 1 in 4 adults in the United States have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is a very real, very intense disorder that can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. The disorder may involve agitation, hypervigilance, impulsivity, meaningless repetition of words or actions, ritualistic behavior, social isolation, and more. No matter what type of OCD you are experiencing, note there are tools you can use to help overcome this. OCD can be very distressing, but here are several tips to help you begin your journey to recovery:

There are two kinds of couples when it comes to couples therapy. First are the couples who don’t think they need professional help or work on their relationship. Second are the couples who realize that needing professional help and working on their relationship isn’t a bad thing. One group is ready to do the work required of them in therapy. The other is not. Most of the time, both people in the relationship need to be willing and ready to seek therapy if the relationship is to work. Unfortunately, many couples wait too late – until one has already mentally distanced themselves and left the relationship – before seeking help. CNN notes that couple’s therapy should be sought long before a couple believes they “need” help. Kristie Overstreet, a licensed mental health counselor told CNN, “Most issues within a couple start small and then grow in size when they don’t get resolved. This is where therapy can help, by giving tools and techniques to improve conflict resolution.” For many, seeking therapy early on can save a relationship - even years of distress. Many couples find that an objective third perspective from a counselor can help them recognize problems and how to fix them before the issues become bigger. Oftentimes therapists will assign couples homework to know they are working on their problems outside of the therapist’s office as well. There are many other benefits that couple’s therapy can provide, according to Psychology Today:

Most of us have been there. Feelings of dread and panic arise when a big test is coming up, when we are about to enter an interview, when we are asked to come up and speak on stage, and more. The symptoms of anxiety can feel very real, and very scary. You may easily experience heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, detachment, tingling sessions or numbness, and more. If we let it, severe anxiety can take complete control over our lives. Thankfully, help is available and there are ways to overcome some of these fears we are experiencing. For example, medication can sometimes help us focus on what’s most important: our mental health. Alexander Crawford shared his experience with anxiety, depression, and psychosis on the Anxiety and Depression Association’s main page. Here is an excerpt from his story: “I had my first psychotic breakdown. The next couple years of my life would amount to a living hell. As I pretended to take my antipsychotic pills, I routinely got into arguments with my family, the local police, and so on. I remember being so paranoid that I would have specific garbage cans I could throw my pills away in…Stabilizing allowed me to complete undergraduate studies, work, take vacations, and in general just enjoy my time. I have been stable now and on medication for about five years, and I definitely have not looked back.” For many people who have overcome their anxiety, it has taken them many tries at finding what works best for them. Ben shares his story and what has worked best for him on the Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria, Inc. website. Here is a short clip from his story: “I suffered from acute agoraphobia. I was terrified to leave the house. I wouldn’t ride on planes, trains, or any form of public transport. I was terrified of being caught in traffic jams, lifts, shopping centers, open spaces, crowds, and especially hot, crowded rooms…I keep myself symptom free by regular meditation, keeping physically fit, having a high self-esteem, a healthy diet, resting when I need to rest, surrounding myself with calm people and not partaking in work that causes me anxiety.” Severe anxiety can take many forms, and there are different tools that each person can use, depending on what works best for them. If you are struggling with severe anxiety, recognize that there are many tools you can use. Make the decision to seek help today.

According to a 2016 study published in the Psychological Science Agenda, workaholism consists of several things:

The National Institute on Mental Illness estimated in 2007 that 9.1% of the population had a personality disorder in the United States, and that number has likely grown. Personality disorders are characterized by mood swings, along with the way a person views themselves, others, and the world. Undiagnosed personality disorders can significantly affect the way a person lives day to day, and can cause much distress to a person as they experience challenges in their work, home, and social life. Research has shown that personality disorders are caused by a multitude of factors: genetics, childhood trauma, verbal abuse, high reactivity, and other environmental factors. Let’s explore each of these with research: Genetics -  A 2010 study published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience found that genes can influence the development of a personality disorder. In particular, if a person is more vulnerable to pathology or negative emotionality, high impulsivity and low agreeableness, and introversion, they are more likely to develop a personality disorder. The study further stated that genes that are linked to neurotransmitter pathways, specifically involving serotonin and dopamine, can increase the susceptibility that a person has in developing a disorder. Childhood trauma – According to the American Psychological Association, studies have shown that childhood trauma – and sometimes even the number and type of trauma experienced – in childhood can increase the risk factors of a person developing a personality disorder. A study conducted by researchers in China and Australia examined 1402 patients and found that childhood maltreatment had a strong association with most personality disorders. Verbal abuse – A study published in Comprehensive Psychiatry found that verbal abuse alone can increase the chances of a person developing a personality disorder. The study found that children who experienced verbal abuse were more than 3 times as likely than those who did not experience verbal abuse to have borderline, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, and paranoid personality disorders during their adolescence or childhood. High reactivity -  Childhood reactivity has been shown increasingly in patients who develop borderline personality disorder. Emotional hyper reactivity is when a person is extremely sensitive to both internal and external stimuli – their senses become easily aroused and they may seem to overly react to things. Other environmental factors can include connections with peers at a young age, as well as any substance abuse. If you have been diagnosed with a personality disorder and are ready to be on your way to recovery, make the decision to seek help today.

In short, they certainly can be. There are 2 ways in which addiction and mental illness coincide. In one way, addiction can perpetuate symptoms related to a mental illness, which can further develop as time continues. In another way, people who already have a mental illness may lean towards substance abuse in order to help them cope with distressing symptoms. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines either of these scenarios as cases of comorbidity, or “two or more disorders or illnesses occurring in the same person”. The NIDA notes that both the addiction and mental illnesses can worsen the course of each, causing a person a lot of distress. For example, a person with anxiety and depression may choose to drink alcohol often as a way to relax and interact more in social settings. This could eventually lead the person to develop alcoholism, in which case the person would have both an addiction and a mental disorder. On the other hand, a person who is addicted to antidepressants may develop more severe symptoms of paranoia, leading them to develop paranoid personality disorder, for example. There are a variety of causes for both addiction and mental disorders:

One person explained their success story with barbiturate addiction on the Massachusetts Medical Society’s official website. Here is an excerpt from their story: “I abused narcotics and barbiturates for the better part of 15 years. I initially like the way the drugs made me feel. Toward the end of my use, however, everything had changed…I lived in terror of being caught, thinking that I was maybe one of two or three doctors in the country with such a shameful problem…I have several years of recovery at this time…I feel that I am a far better physician, father, and member of society today than I ever was before.” First developed in the 19th century, barbiturates are both psychologically and physically addictive. Individuals are at high risk for overdose with barbiturates, as the dose that could lead to this is very small. Barbiturates are in the same classification as benzodiazepines, which include Valium, Klonopin, and more. These drugs act as depressants on the central nervous system, and often are used in medical practices for anesthesia. The “high” effects of barbiturates reach a plateau after a few hours, leading a person to have to consume more of the drug – which can easily lead to addiction. According to the Global Information Network about Drugs, barbiturates increase the activity of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), placing a sedative effect on the individual which can even lead to unconsciousness if taken in strong doses. Once taken, effects of the drug can kick in within 15 minutes and can last for up to 6 hours, depending on the drug taken. Typical symptoms associated with barbiturate use are: slurred speech, lack of coordination, reduced inhibition, impaired judgment, and confusion. If overdose occurs, respiratory arrest and death are possible. Barbiturate addiction is noticeable when a person seems to be tired all of the time, falls over often, and seems paranoid when awake. Insomnia is also a cause for concern if addiction is present. If you are struggling with barbiturate addiction, make the decision to seek help today. It’s never too late, and there are many people out here who want to see you overcome this.

Neurofeedback is a biofeedback technique that focuses on helping a person train to directly affect brain function. In a sense, neurofeedback helps the brain to heal itself and is used to treat a variety of conditions such as eating disorders, mood disorders, addictions, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorder (ADD). With neurofeedback, a person learns to “self-regulate” by learning how to regulate their brainwave patterns on their own without medications or other forms of therapy. A typical session for neurofeedback is held at least once a week. Electrodes are applied to a participant’s head and connected to a computer. The patient and the therapist then have the ability to essentially listen to what the brain is doing. While this is happening, the electrodes are sent to a computer and the patient can see and hear images and sounds that correlate. With this, a person can easily understand how their brain works when they are thinking, feeling stressed, feeling relaxed, etc. Essentially, it is like a person playing a video game with their brain! Each session takes approximately 15-35 sessions, and has been shown to have no side effects. Many people work to retrain their brain patterns in order to relax themselves and control their stress levels. A few individuals shared their success with neurofeedback on The Brain Lady, a website of best-selling author, speaker, and trainer Debra Burdick. Here are some words of success from individuals who follow her: “Before I started neurofeedback, I had anxiety so bad I couldn’t go to school or see friends. After a few months of neurofeedback, I was back in school, on the honor roll and had a new job. Neurofeedback has been like a miracle in my life.” Another person stated: “I have tried a variety of treatment…and neurofeedback is the only thing that has really helped me feel good. I no longer crave alcohol, very rarely get depressed or feel bad about myself – even at a challenging time in my life.” Many have reported success with neurofeedback. If this is something you are considering, speak with your doctor today to see if this is a technique that you may benefit from. If you’re researching treatment centers, aim to find a reputable center that offers this as a method of treatment. Recovery is possible, and there are many tools you can use.

Mental health hasn’t always been the most popular topic to discuss, despite its incredible role in our overall happiness and well-being. As Mental Health America (MHA) states, many people don’t talk about mental health because they believe issues surrounding this topic only happen to “someone else”; 54 million Americans experience mental illness each year, and you cannot leave yourself out of the picture. This month, make it a priority to place your mental health at the top of the list – doing so could prevent you from developing a mental disorder, could improve and strengthen your relationships, and could enable you to maximize your capabilities of living a balanced, meaningful life. First, check in with yourself throughout the day. What does this mean? Take inventory of your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and more to get an overall “snapshot” of your mental health. This check in will serve as a basis for you to determine if you need to eat a snack to feel a little better, if you need to exercise to relieve some stress, if you need a hug from a loved one to improve your mental state, if you need a nap to replenish yourself, and more. Much of the problems that we face throughout the day are due to a lack of care when it comes to our mental health – our mind and body do a lot of talking, but when we fail to listen closely, we miss those cues and that causes us to fall behind. Next, take note of what works and what doesn’t. Are there certain people, places, or things that suddenly cause you to feel mentally drained? This type of event doesn’t just occur spontaneously – again, it’s your mind and body telling you that you can only handle so much. In addition to taking note of who/what you should reduce your time with or avoid altogether, it’s important to reflect on what seems to work for you. In the late afternoon, does a snack seem to help you feel mentally energized again? If so, you now know to make sure you have a small snack each afternoon to help you push forward with the day. Lastly, seek help if your mental health is significantly and negatively affecting your daily life. The sooner you speak with someone from a reputable treatment program, the sooner you can be on your way towards recovery. Not seeking help could place you at risk for worsening of symptoms or developing another mental illness or addiction – often called a dual diagnosis. Start taking steps towards bettering your mental health today.