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There are a variety of reasons why someone may make impulsive decisions; risky choices may be related to theft, drunk driving, violence, sexual promiscuity, vandalism, substance abuse, and more. Actions towards these things can cause a person to lose family, friends, security from a job, housing, health, money, etc. The FBI states that approximately 1,197,704 violent crimes were committed in 2015; another 2015 study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimates that 15.1 million adults age 18 or older have an alcohol use disorder – and these are just a couple of the activities listed above. What, then, factors into someone making impulsive, risky decisions? Much of research has paired the discussion of impulsivity and riskiness with personality – so far there are studies that have explored neuroticism, extraversion, venturesome-ness, and psychoticism. As it comes to personality traits, researchers have theorized several things:

As a woman stated on the NY Daily News, “You wake up tired and you just count the hours until the day is over. And you hope tomorrow’s going to be better.” Ambien is a widely used hypnotic medication that was designed for short-term use to combat insomnia. The prescription drugs work by activating the neurotransmitter GABA and binding it to the GABA receptors in the same location of benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium, according to the Huffington Post. Ambien works very efficiently at causing someone to feel sleepy – typically within 20 minutes of taking it. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that approximately half a million people in the United States are currently using Ambien and other sedatives – but many are probably not aware of the dangers of this prescription medication. For one, the effects can be very harmful when Ambien is paired with other drugs, particularly anti-anxiety medication and pain relievers. A report stated that between 2005 and 2010, emergency room visits from Ambien rose from 6,111 visits to 19,487 visits. Mixing medications is like a science experiment to the body because you don’t know how each medication is going to react to the body and to one another. Ambien also can take longer to leave the body, causing many people to feel impaired while driving or operating machinery. Women take much longer for the medication to leave their system, and the recommended dosage for medications like Ambien has been reduced because of this. Common complaints associated with Ambien and similar hypnotics have included daytime drowsiness, dizziness, hallucinations, agitation, sleep-walking and drowsiness while driving, according to The Atlantic. Does this mean you should not accept this medication if your doctor prescribes it to you? Not exactly. Ambien can be relatively safe if you take the doses recommended and you stay in close contact with your doctor to discuss your symptoms. If any symptoms of concern arise, always seek out medical attention immediately. Stay informed on what you are taking and how much you should be taking, and do not mix Ambien with other medications, especially other depressants.

Whether you’ve just recently started seeing a therapist or have been seeing one for awhile, much of the success that you and your therapist reach in your sessions is based on how open and vulnerable you allow yourself to be with them. Most people do not disclose enough information to their therapist; Common reasons for this are due to feelings of pain and embarrassment surrounding the information, not realizing the importance of telling the information, fear of therapist’s judgment, fear of being reported, not having enough trust with their therapist yet, and more. Honesty is important in the client-therapist relationship because you won’t be able to get anywhere meaningful without it. Being open with your therapist means:

Time Magazine has stated that Americans are angrier now than ever, but why? It seems political debates and news of violence have enraged many, understandably – but are we letting too much get to us? As soon as we become upset about an issue, we set ourselves up to be irritable or agitated more easily than we would be if we felt content. This later translates into fights/arguments with our loved ones, road rage, substance abuse, and more. There are healthier ways to channel this anger, however, and they are healthy because they involve physical movement. Here are some things you can do to channel your anger for a worthy cause (your health):

As stated on "Tell Your Story," an Australian website that allows people to express themselves, a man described his experience with an addiction. Here is an excerpt from his story: “Throughout my twenties and like many others I know, I worked hard during the week at my job, paid my rent and bills, went shopping, dined at restaurants and then on weekends partied with my friends using coke, speed, and amphetamines. I never felt out of control or felt it was an issue…3 years ago I met my partner…on one of these occasions, my partner came home and said his mate didn’t have any [speed] so he gave him some ice instead. He produced a glass pipe and taught me how to smoke it…Needless to say, it wasn’t long before we were both hooked…Our priorities shifted from creating a loving and happy home for the kids, to shoplifting their school lunch snacks to save money for our own needs.” As the above story illustrates, addiction can cause people to neglect the very goals, dreams, and wishes they once had. A 2013 study conducted by researchers from Seattle Pacific University titled “The Experience of Addiction as Told by the Addicted: Incorporating Biological Understandings into Self-Story” found that participants expressed several personal views on addiction, with one perspective being called “Pedal to the Metal”. Participants with this view expressed addiction as a sabotage of the mind – one participant stated, “We forget…we forget even a month ago how bad alcohol had affected us, how we get sick, how we become homeless, how we lose all the money…” This perspective holds some truth, as addiction changes the chemicals in the brain which causes a person to think, perceive, and act in ways that are different from before. When a person abuses substances, the brain receives an influx of dopamine, the “feel good” chemical”, and eventually comes to rely on this large amount of dopamine to feel happy and relaxed on a typical day. A person who experiences this will go to great lengths, even if it sometimes means losing much of what they love, to fulfill what their body “needs”.

Whether you are seeking treatment or are looking for a convenient way to manage your symptoms of stress, anxiety, or a physical/mental illness, phone applications are becoming ever-more popular in the field of health and self-care. The variety of apps available allows you to select one that works best for you – and the convenience provides you with the opportunity to keep track of your progress on your own time. The following are some wonderful (and free!) apps that you should try today:

Personality disorders alter the way a person think, acts, perceives, and relates to others – between 1% and 3% of the U.S. population is said to experience histrionic personality disorder (HPD) throughout their lifetime. Psych Central states that HPD is characterized by “a long-standing pattern of attention seeking behavior and extreme emotionality”. Individuals with this disorder often desire to be the center of attention in any event, and they may feel uncomfortable when not in the spotlight. People with this disorder may be considered “shallow”, “dramatic” and sometimes “provocative”, as some will engage in sexually promiscuous behaviors to gain attention. Individuals with HPD are often hyper-focused on their physical appearance and believe that relationships with others are closer than they truly are. It is only when symptoms of HPD cause significant distress in a person’s life that it is considered a personality disorder. The following celebrities have been assumed to have HPD, based on their symptoms from health resources:

Veterans who have recently left the military are between 2 and 3 times more likely to take their own lives compared to active service duty members, and nearly 20% of all veterans who return from duty experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or depression. USA Today stated that on average, 20 veterans die by suicide each day. These numbers are alarming, devastating, and so tragic for all the military members and families involved. Earlier this year that President Trump signed an executive order to provide more benefits for more veterans transitioning from the military into civilian life. Trump stated, “We want them to get the highest care and the care they so richly deserve.” Many members of service are exposed to horrifying instances like combat, assault, disaster and more – leaving many with anxiety, nightmares, depression, hyperarousal, paranoia, and more. When they come back to civilian life, they face unique challenges. On top of their mental and physical conditions, they must fit into corporate America, which isn’t very easy for them. Veteran Health Services has noted the following challenges for many returning from the military:

A terrible stereotype that many hold about those with addiction is that they have a character flaw, are weak-willed or are immoral. What many don’t realize is that many, if not all, of those with an addiction don’t want to be addicted – they developed a harmful habit that eventually got out of control. Just as someone who eats too much sugar each day may eventually develop diabetes or another condition, someone with an addiction has slipped into it without even realizing it, and it’s often not that simple to quit. USA Today claims that nearly 21 million Americans struggle with substance addictions, equating to 1 in 7 people. As a person begins taking drugs, the “feel good” chemical in the brain, dopamine, is released, connecting feelings of pleasure to the drug and memories are stored of this interaction in the brain’s hippocampus. This causes a person to associate the drug with good feelings, and thus cues a person to want to take the drug again. Individuals who have not yet developed a physical dependence on a drug may consider themselves to use recreationally – this can easily and subtly turn into addiction when the person begins to constantly crave the drug, which leads them to think and act differently than they did before. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that as a person continues using drugs, the brain becomes accustomed to the overflow of dopamine and begins to believe it needs that much to feel happy and relaxed. This is the point at which a person’s recreational use has become out of control, because now their brain chemicals are altered. Long-term use changes brain chemicals that interact with a person’s learning, judgment, decision-making, stress, memory, and behavior. With this change occurring in the brain, a person may begin lying, stealing, experiencing trouble at work or home, become financially unstable, may borrow money from others, and more to fuel the habit their body now requires. This is the point at which the person needs professional help at a treatment center to detox, enter therapy, and join support groups. Time Magazine notes that many drugs are illegal and prohibited because of their propensity for abuse and addiction, yet there are still many Americans who struggle with addiction.

The American Psychological Association claims that 44% of Americans have reported their stress levels going up over the past 5 years, with many in fear of their job, the economy, the political climate, violence and terrorist attacks, and more. These fears are rational, but how are people handling their stress? With the opioid epidemic, it seems many are relying on pain relievers and substances to self-medicate. There are more natural, holistic ways to manage stress, with one effective tool right at the tip of your pen – literally. Writing therapy is an excellent way to jot down thoughts and concerns to give your brain a “clean slate”. In doing this, you are likely to feel more relaxed, and less stressed. A study published in the journal, Psychotherapy Research, found that participants who were told to engage in writing therapy and express their emotions experienced greater reductions in their anxiety and stress compared to participants who did not. There are many benefits of writing therapy:

Here is an excerpt of her story as told by Leigh Stein, author of her book titled “Land of Enchantment”, published on the Washington Post: “I struggled with depression and anxiety since the age of 13, but I was off antidepressants when I met Jason, at an audition for a community college production of ‘Medea’…But over time, my mental health became a weapon in his arsenal. If I cried because he wanted to sleep with other women, it was because I needed to be medicated. If I had anxiety over him losing yet another job, he told me to pop a benzo. When I tried to curb my drinking, he told me he missed how ‘fun’ I used to be.” American society often places so much emphasis on physical abuse that when one encounters emotional abuse, it can be a little more difficult to identity. Nonetheless, emotional abuse is just as damaging as physical abuse – except for the scars of mental games, meanness and manipulation are left on the person’s mindset, often leaving many with a mangled sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. Emotional abuse isn’t breaking up with someone, it is not arguing with someone, it is not being blunt or honest about hurting, and it is not reacting to someone’s wrongdoings by hurting. Reach Out, Australia’s leading mental health organization, has noted the following types of emotional abuse:

Anger is a powerful emotion, and, when used inappropriately, it can damage relationships in significant ways. Whether you are currently single or in a relationship, understanding the impact that anger can have on you and others may give you insight to educating yourself on effective coping strategies and ways to express anger. When it comes to your love life, Psych Central claims that even mundane instances that occur throughout the day can lead up to resentment, which further harbors anger. Here are the following steps that you should try to follow when feeling angry: