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Movies and television shows have the propensity to shape societal views and sway overall attitudes on subjects. For example, researchers from the University of Michigan analyzed 625 college students, with 392 of them being female, to determine if movies and television shows had an impact on their love lives. Participants were asked to watch romantic films such as “500 Days of Summer” and “Crazy Stupid Love”, as well as sit-coms such as “How I Met Your Mother” and “Big Bang Theory”. Afterwards, the researchers found that more exposure to romantic movies led to beliefs that love will “find it’s way” and endure all obstacles. Individuals who watched more sit-coms did not find as much weight in these concepts. Since movies and television shows do, in a sense, have an impact on the way we view ourselves, others, and life overall, their affects on the mental health and addiction recovery world are huge. Individuals with schizophrenia face harsh stereotypes due to misunderstandings of the disorder and inaccurate representations shown through media. One example of this misrepresentation is the movie “The Voices”, a dark comedy starring Ryan Reynolds. Criticized by mental health campaigners, this movie is about a serial killer who was instructed to kill through the voices in his head, more specifically through his pet cat. The movie shows Jerry (Reynolds), a character who has been seeing his therapist but hasn’t been taking the medication she’s prescribed to him for his schizophrenia. Jerry begins believing his pet cat, Mr. Whiskers, who tells him that he should be risky and kill people while his dog, Bosco, tells him otherwise. Jerry feels pressured by his cat to take the lives of people one by one, and the movie shows his perspective compared to everyone else around him. While some people could say that the movie raises an important perspective regarding those with mental illness and people who have been incarcerated because of it, the movie overall perpetuates a negative stigma that people with schizophrenia are very dangerous. Despite common beliefs that individuals with schizophrenia are dangerous to others, most people with this disorder are more likely to harm themselves instead. The more we can educate ourselves and others on this disorder, the more we can reduce negative stereotypes surrounding it and promote more love and support.

“There is no health without mental health”. – World Health Organization A 2017 study conducted by researchers from the United Kingdom found that mental health and physical health are cross-affected by both direct and indirect factors. The study suggested that for example, lifestyle choices and social interaction did impact both mental and physical health, and exercise proved to be incredibly important for both aspects. It seems that if we want to live a most healthy and happy life, we must maintain both mental and physical health. How is this so? Let’s explore. The Mental Health Foundation states that poor physical health can lead to an increased risk of developing mental health problems, just as a poor mental health state can negatively impact physical health. For example, a person with depression has a 67% increased risk for death from heart disease or from cancer. This is believed to occur because a person with depression is less likely to receive the routine healthcare they need to ensure their physical well-being. Similarly, adequate exercise is needed to maintain mental health. When you exercise, you release and uptake feel-good chemicals, called endorphins, in your brain. Previous studies have shown that even small 10-minute bursts of exercise can increase your mental alertness, energy, and positive mood overall. As Psych Central emphasizes, anyone with a physical disease is likely to feel more psychological distress than someone who doesn’t, and those with poor mental health may experience more physical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc. Since mental and physical health are so intricately connected, many people are utilizing holistic methods of treatment. Holistic practices can be beneficial because they consider the whole person – their mind, body, and spirit – in treating them. Holistic practices may be used in conjunction with traditional medical practices, but what’s most important is that you seek treatment and begin recovery as soon as possible. If you are currently experiencing poor mental or physical health, begin taking steps towards your well-being today. Stretch, go for walks, eat healthily, get plenty of sleep, associate yourself with loving and supportive people, practice healthy self-soothing exercises such as reading a good book or taking a hot shower to relax, and more. Starting these steps today could mean a healthier you in the future.

Manipulation is a dangerous ploy, and when used by parents, can significantly disrupt a child’s mental health and stability as they get older. If you grew up with a manipulative parent, you’ve likely struggled with a variety of mental and social issues. Psychological Today states that when it comes to parenting, manipulation can take many shapes whether you’re a child or adult:

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) claims that nearly 30 million people experience an eating disorder each year; they can affect anyone of any age and are very serious – even life threatening. If you have an eating disorder, note that with the proper support and treatment, recovery is possible. You may be feeling skeptical about seeking treatment, but many people have gone through it and have succeeded. Of course, there are going to be some challenges along the way, but that’s what will make your recovery most worthwhile. Many people have reported recovery as being a series of ups and downs, with both good moments and bad ones. One person explained this on The Mighty by stating, “Some days recovery feels easy. I feel good in my body and I don’t obsessively think about calories or how big my thighs might be getting. These days are wonderful and carefree, and they make coping with the hard times feel a little bit easier. I know I’m always going to have days that aren’t so great, days when I struggle to feed myself and use my mindfulness in a positive way. What matters is getting through these rough patches and not succumbing to them”. What comes with the ups and downs of recovery are, at times, relapses. Relapses occur when you temporarily retreat to old habits of behavior associated with your eating disorder; most people associate relapses with failure, but they are truly moments of learning and growth. Relapses are quite normal. As one writer explained his story on the Huffington Post, he said, “While in recovery, I have gained weight and lost weight, relapsed and gained weight, relapsed, gained weight, thought about losing weight, etc.” Recovery involves learning some healthy tools that you can use to cope with negative thoughts and feelings. For example, you may learn more about meditation and mindfulness, distractions such as reading a good book or going to the movies, self-soothing activities such as taking a hot bath or going for a walk, journaling, and more. By speaking with a therapist, you will get the chance to uncover some of the feelings you haven’t tended to over the years. You’ll be able to work through those issues at your own pace and will have a support team to work with you along the way.

If you have an eating disorder, you’re not alone. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, at least 30 million people have an eating disorder in the United States. Eating disorders impact the way a person thinks and feels about their body and food. Common traits of individuals with this disorder are having a low self-esteem, perfectionism, overachiever, anxiety, need for control, difficulty expressing emotions, need for acceptance, and depression. Many loved ones have difficulty understanding what it’s like to have an eating disorder but educating themselves on the struggles many people face can open doors for more love and support. The following are common obstacles people with an eating disorder face:

A woman explained her experience with dissociative amnesia on CBS News. Here is a clip from her story: “When I woke up the next morning, I sat up and I didn’t recognize the room. I didn’t recognize the bag that was sitting on the chair, or the clothes that were lying over the chair. I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror. I didn’t know my name.” Dissociative amnesia is a form of dissociative identity disorder; it is characterized by the inability to recall pieces of information that cannot be explained by another illness or general forgetfulness. Psychology Today notes that the disorder can involve a person forgetting their own name and address, to forgetting family members, friends, coworkers, and events throughout one’s life. Moments of not remembering can last from a few minutes to several years. In addition, a person with this disorder may not remember certain bits of information or they may not remember some information altogether. Healthy Place argues that this disorder is most often due to long-term childhood trauma related to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Other events of extreme stress, such as a natural disaster or an accident, may also trigger this disorder. If you have been experiencing this, seeking treatment is a great first step. In the meantime, there are a few coping strategies you can use to begin taking steps towards your recovery:

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, approximately 8 million people in the United States have an eating disorder. Eating disorders are a serious mental illness that often accompany stress, depression, substance abuse, and more. Individuals with an eating disorder often experience a distorted body image and become obsessed with food and losing weight. The following are some facts that you probably didn’t know about eating disorders:

High drug prices are affecting everyone, hospitals included. Pharmacies, whether located within the hospital or privately, often supply drug products for administration in hospitals or the health care system overall. The problem that many hospitals all over the U.S. are experiencing is the high cost of these products – leaving many hospital staff members to scrounge for alternatives to keep the costs down. According to ABC News, many hospitals are now taking action to combat these high prices: they are working to create their own generic drug company. Rural hospitals are facing numerous risks by running out of stock on their medications, simply because they are so expensive. When this happens, patients are often left with sub-par medications or at risk for not having any at all. The National Public Radio covered a story that involved hospital pharmacist Mandy Langston, who has expressed her concern for providing sufficient medications to patients. It was stated that when it came time for her to restock the medication Activase last year, it was so expensive that she left a reorder unfilled for more than a week, anxiously keeping only one dose on hand in case it was needed. She stated, “If we don’t keep this drug [in stock], people will die.” The non-for-profit drug company that is being created will be supported by four main hospitals: Intermountain Health, Ascension, Trinity Health, and SSM Health, along with the VA health system. Together, these hospitals total more than 450 hospitals and many other health facilities, according to ABC News. Representative Gerry Connolly entered a conversation with Valeant Interim CEO Howard Schiller regarding the decisions many hospitals have made. He stated, “Given the choice between higher prices and risking the health of their patients…you’re forcing hospitals to choose…almost holding the patients as hostages.” Hospitals are struggling in the United States, and this action is a clear indication of that. The argument is that if hospitals utilize their own generic form of drugs, higher prices could be given to the patients time in the hospital to make up for those costs. We will see as this comes more into fruition how this new company’s actions will change the climate for drug production within the healthcare system.

Celebrities are often in the spotlight not just for their talent, but for the lifestyle they lead and the choices they make. Demi Lovato is no exception; in 2017, she released her documentary, “Simply Complicated” on YouTube for fans to hear the truth behind her career and life. She explained her use with beginning cocaine at the age of 17 and following her father’s footsteps towards addiction – she stated that her father spent more time engaging in addiction than with his family. The inside look of her life reveals some of the struggles that she went through, how she experienced addiction and how she embraces recovery now. USA Today states that her documentary explores “some of her darkest times, including her drug addiction (which ranged from pills to cocaine), eating disorder and even a time she punched one of her back-up dancers.” Demi shared her moments of struggling with mental illness, and she stated for The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m looking at my future and my past, and I want to share that with my fans.” When Demi first appeared in Disney shows around the age of 15, she struggled with immense pressures to get everything she needed done, dress in certain ways, sing songs that others would like, and more. This increased her anxiety and struggled with anger. She experienced depression and had a lot of anger because of the pressures and her use with Adderall. She was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and shortly after treatment she was abusing drugs more. Demi stated, “I wasn’t ready to get sober. I was sneaking it on planes, sneaking it in bathrooms, sneaking it throughout the night – nobody knew.” Demi explained a moment in the documentary where she was asked to give up her cell phone by her managers. At 19, she was battling with addiction and was asked to submerge her phone in water – a phone that had the numbers of drug dealers and other people who would use with her. This was one of the defining moments that led her towards sobriety. Demi now has over 5 years of sobriety. Her documentary, although showing some difficult moments, is a film of success. Demi states that she is still working on being independent, and that she is still struggling with her eating disorder, but that she is proud of her sobriety to drugs and alcohol. Demi is, just like anyone else, a real person going through the ups and downs of recovery. She is still pushing through, and so can you. Don’t give up. Keep pushing.

Everyone falls off the beaten path from time to time, and recovery is no exception. Most of the “down” moments in recovery give you a chance to identify what you need to change and what you need to continue emphasizing in your recovery. Unless there are major concerns that you have about the treatment center you’re in, you’re likely letting your fears get in the way of your success. Consider these common fears:

Recovery is a magnificent process – an exploration of the self, a deeper connection with one’s inner fears and desires, and the rejoining of families and communities are part of what makes recovery so beautiful. At the heart of recovery is the development of healthy coping mechanisms; perhaps you indulged in substance abuse, violence, crime, self-harm, and negative self-talk, thinking you were solving whatever was causing your inner soul turmoil. After time, you may have realized that these were the solution – that recovery was necessary for you to grow and develop towards leading a happy life. Healthy coping is all about finding ways to express yourself, feel your emotions, and manage life’s obstacles without causing yourself or anyone else harm of any kind. Healthy coping is a powerful tool, one that can transform your heart, mind, and soul. It can get you through the most challenging of situations as you develop resiliency. For example, a 2017 study conducted by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECN) found that women who were experiencing adverse life circumstances, such as living in a deprived community, had no anxiety if they had healthy coping skills. Those with depression may find difficulty developing healthy coping skills, as they are more prone to negative thoughts. A 2013 study conducted by researchers from Poland found that compared to others, those with depression more often used strategies of avoidance and denial, and had difficulty finding the positive aspects of stressful events. When this happens, emphasis on treatment and recovery is evermore critical. We are not all born with the innate ability to utilize healthy coping, and if we were raised in an environment where this was not shown, we may not be aware of how to employ such techniques. Psych Central notes several effective coping strategies that you can use for moments when you need it the most:

A woman explained her story with sex addiction on Health.com. Here is an excerpt from her story: “I had long affairs. I wanted sex, but I also wanted somebody’s soul, in this really ego-driven way. My life was a constant juggling act of at least two men, making sure they didn’t find out about each other. I was unfaithful to every boyfriend I ever had.” Addiction affects nearly every aspect of a person’s life; obsessive thoughts and patterns of behavior can lead a person to think, feel, and act in ways that serve only the benefit of their craving. The National Council on Sexual Addiction Compulsivity estimates that 18-24 million people in the United States struggle with sex addiction. The following are common symptoms of this unofficial psychiatric diagnoses: