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With the uprising of the opioid crisis, pain medication is landing front in center as a concern of many Americans. Too many overdoses have occurred due to opioids, and the government is working to enact a plan to educate the communicate on the dangers of misusing these drugs, as well as the importance of either staying away from or highly monitoring prescription medications that are highly addictive. No matter your reason for taking pain relievers, these are the medications you should be most concerned of due to their addictive properties:

It is common knowledge that substances affect men and women differently; while both men and women are just as likely to become addicted, women require less alcohol to become intoxicated than men do. This is caused by the absorption of alcohol and the rate at which the body metabolizes it. However, can certain types of alcohol affect a person differently? Understanding the ways in which various forms of alcohol can affect your body may give you an upper hand on preventing serious side effects, excessive consumption, and development of addiction. Dark liquors such as whiskey, tequila, and dark rum can give you the most intense hangovers. This is because these types of liquor contain more congeners, which are by-products of alcohol fermentation – also responsible for giving these drinks their dark color. Damaris Rohsenow, a professor at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University, stated, “While the alcohol alone is enough to make people feel sick the next day, these natural toxic substances can add to the ill effects as our body reacts to them.” Lighter liquors such as vodka, gin, and light rum can cause just as intense hangovers as darker liquors, but the symptoms will not be as harsh. Many people feel that wine is a safe option, but it can easily take you to intoxication if not approached with caution. For example, red wine – just like dark liquors – has a high number of congeners which can give you the worst hangover. Drinking 1 small glass of wine a day can help lower the rate of heart disease, but drinking a lot of wine can increase the risk of heart disease drastically. Champagne can cause you to become intoxicated quicker due to the elevated levels of carbon dioxide absorbing the alcohol into your bloodstream more efficiently.  What about beer? Beer can make you extra bloated and gassy, as beer is highly carbonated and builds up gas in your intestines, giving you that uncomfortable, bloated feeling. Beer can also give you the common phrase “beer belly”, as when you drink beer, your body’s liver burns the alcohol instead of burning any fat from eating, so you are left with a few extra pounds gained. Always be cautious to the amount of alcohol you consume, as you can see, each type can host different effects on your body.

Whether you have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) or you know of a loved one who has recently been diagnosed, understanding BPD and the symptoms associated with it can help you make more sense of yourself and others. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, BPD is characterized by difficulty regulating emotion. If a person with BPD experiences an emotionally triggering event, it is likely very difficult for them to immediately come back from this event. BPD can lead to individuals feeling impulsive, low regarding self-esteem, difficulty maintaining stable relationships, and feeling intense emotions to triggering situations. The following are common symptoms of BPD:

With many different methods of treatment available, you are sure to find something that will best suit your needs. For some, holistic massage therapy provides a non-intrusive way of healing that is derived from the direct needs of their body. Holistic massage therapy is “an individual treatment that is specifically tailored to each client” and considers their mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing, according to the Massage Training Institute in the UK. The National Holistic Institute claims that holistic modalities of massage can include shiatsu, traditional Chinese medicine, hand and foot reflexology, acupressure, energy work, rocking and shaking, and Thai massage. As you can see, these forms of massage take a more Eastern approach as compared to Western approaches, which include hot stone massage, aromatherapy, prenatal massage, deep tissue massage, and more. Massage therapy has been known to alleviate pain, such as lower back pain, neck and joint pain, headaches, and more. Sore muscles, increased circulation, increased nerve flow, lower blood pressure, improved immune system, ease of depression and anxiety, increased flexibility and mobility, and reduced inflammation are a few other benefits that holistic massage therapy can provide. The following go into more detail about each type of holistic massage therapy:

The over-prescription of opioid painkillers in the United States has pushed us over the edge in nearly every aspect; with so much drug overdose deaths occurring, our life expectancy is lowering. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 63,000 people died in 2016 from a drug overdose – a nearly 21% increase from 2015 and three times the amount of deaths related in 1999. Individuals in the 25-54 age group are most at-risk, as many have been prescribed the medication for injuries or post-surgeries, and many others abusing medication that isn’t theirs. The unfortunate circumstance of America is that our population is dying not just due health reasons such as cancer or old age, but also due to reasons that could have involved more preventative measure. Unintentional injuries such as both vehicle accidents and drug overdoses are becoming the leading cause of death in the United States. Previous declines in life expectancy in the United States were due to health epidemics such as the AIDS virus and fatal influenza rates. Barnett, assistant professor at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School for Public Health, stated in an interview, “If just as bad as anybody could have feared. As a country, we have not reached the peak of this problem.” While several steps from the government has been taken – such as expanded healthcare education to communities and referring medication that is said to be less addictive than others – there is still more work that needs to be done. As a nation, we need to come together and support one another more. We need to broaden our knowledge on ourselves, others, and how various circumstances can impact one another. Many people feel that if someone becomes addicted, it’s not their problem so they shouldn’t worry about it. Essentially, each person contributes to the larger sense of home that we call America and because of this, we need to look further into what we can do as individuals to help our communities thrive more.

Many people who have recently completed long-term, residential treatment programs are unsure of what step they should take next. The right treatment center should provide after-care support to help them decide what plan will best suit their needs, and some may choose to enter a sober living home. Sober living homes are living environments for individuals who want to abstain from alcohol and drugs. Many who seek out sober living homes have been in treatment, but you can also enter one without having recently exited a residential treatment facility. Sober living homes are not housed by the government, and individuals who live there must pay costs just like others in apartments and homes. A 2010 study conducted by researchers from California found that individuals who lived in sober living homes found 12-step meetings and social support to boost their motivation of abstinence within the community. Sober living communities provide an adequate transition for those looking to gain more independence in their sobriety. Often, sober living homes are located in an area that doesn’t promote addictive behaviors or triggers that could lead towards them. With sober living homes, most residents share a sort of “dorm room” with another resident and they have a “house manager”, someone whom they can reach out to should they need any assistance. The sober living home may also offer an opportunity to live in a less restrictive form of housing, such as sharing a house with a roommate. The following are expectations that most sober living homes expect residents to uphold:

Break-ups and divorce can be challenging, especially if you or the other person are still at odds or have some emotional attachments left. While some people break ties, and go their separate ways, others are choosing to remain friends. The reasons for this could vary; some may hold a connection of friendship even if the romantic interest isn’t there – others may hold on because of comfortability, yet others may choose to remain friends for their own benefits. Recent studies are showing that your reasoning behind staying friends with an ex-partner could show signs of psychopathy, and here’s why: A new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences states that staying friends after splitting isn’t a sign of maturity, but rather a sign of psychopathy. First, what is psychopathy? Psychology Today notes that being uncaring or un-empathetic, irresponsible, showing “superficial charm” or outright lying, possessing a “grandiose sense of self-worth”, narrowing of attention, selfishness, inability to plan, and violence are a few key characteristics of psychopathy. The study that was described by Independent, a UK-based news source, found that participants who remained friends with their exes displayed darker personality traits like psychopathy. Many exes are emotionally less supportive, less helpful, less trusting, and less concerned about the other person’s happiness, making their only motivation for selfishness. The results found that individuals may keep their ex around for sex, money, or information, and some individuals exerted “false charm” in order to keep the ex around to continue reaping benefits from them. The article from Independent notes that although many of us exhibit characteristics of selfishness, those with psychopathy are un-empathetic, which is a key difference that makes them lean more towards the mental illness. Does this mean that if you remain friends with your ex, you are a “psychopath”? Absolutely not. Everybody has their own reasons for remaining friends with someone from their past, and you very well may have the best intentions. After all, it’s the intentions that truly underline mental illness and if you can feel empathy for them and do not maintain the friendship for purely selfish reasons, you likely are not experiencing psychopathy. If you are, seeking treatment for this could be very beneficial because you can develop the tools you need to understand your motivations behind this.

Hydrocodone is an opioid medication prescribed to help people manage their pain. Used for short or long term purposes, hydrocodone may also be prescribed to treat other conditions such as chronic cough, pain from cancer, and arthritis. Other brand names that may be marketed as hydrocodone are: Vicodin, Lortab, Norco, Xodol, Zydone, Maxidone, Zamicet, and more. Hydrocodone is classified as a schedule II drug, meaning that it can be highly misused. If you have recently been prescribed hydrocodone, make sure that you have spoken with your doctor regarding proper doses and any symptoms that may be of concern. The United States National Library of Medicine states that hydrocodone is a semisynthetic derivative of codeine or thebaine, alkaloids that are derived from poppy seeds. Hydrocodone is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in healthcare facilities. By attaching to opioid receptors in the brain, hydrocodone reduces pain and creates feelings of euphoria. Side effects of hydrocodone often include anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, dry mouth, and ringing in the ears. Extended or prolonged abuse of hydrocodone can be very dangerous, with serious side effects including bowel obstruction, breathing problems, slowed or irregular heartbeat, severe allergic reaction, trouble urinating, vomiting, and more. Dependency is also a risk factor with hydrocodone, as taking more than prescribed and for longer periods of time can cause the body to become reliant on the medication to feel calm, relaxed, and for feelings of happiness to arise. Mixing hydrocodone with other medications/drugs such as Percocet, can be highly dangerous. Always speak with a doctor before mixing any medications, even if they are “all-natural” supplements. Hydrocodone can be easily misused, so always make sure that you keep close contact with your healthcare team to ensure you don’t become dependent or addicted on the medication.

Whether you’re holding onto your current job for the salary, the comfortability, the location, the position title, or a different reason, the motivating factor behind your position is an important one. How you feel about your job and what propels you to continue working each day gives you some meaning to your life – it’s what we often talk about when we first meet someone, because we spend so much time at work that it, in part, reflects a little bit about who we are and what we’re about. If you are holding onto your job for the wrong reasons, this could be very detrimental to your health. Forbes Magazine states that 20% to 40% of people report hating their job – an alarming statistic, to say the least. Staying in a job that you don’t like raises many concerns, including:

No matter your circumstance, it’s always important to consistently challenge and improve yourself. Recovery is a wonderful time to focus on this, as therapy can provide the tools and support that you need. Forbes Magazine has provided several wonderful ways that you can become a better version of yourself:

Contributor Merylee Sevilla shared her experience with cutting family ties on Elite Daily: “I broke up with my parents and most of my family when I came out as gay. Growing up, I spent years and years unknowingly sacrificing my happiness and my mental and emotional health in the name of family. I believe I had to do anything and everything for them. And that’s because most of us have been trained to believe that turning our backs on family – no matter how bad or abusive they are – is reprehensible. But, that belief is severely flawed.” The idea of family is one that leads us to believe in connection, closeness, respectfulness, people whom we can depend on and trust, and more. If you have family relationships that are based on these premises, you likely have a good support system. While most of us try to uphold these critical components of a relationship, we cannot control the way our family treats us. Some of us may believe that holding onto family no matter what is best, but this is not always the case. A toxic family member can cause danger to our overall sense of well-being, safety, and recovery. There are several cases you should consider for terminating a family member from your life:

According to Psychology Today, gestalt therapy is “a client-centered approach to psychotherapy that helps clients focus on the present and understand what is really happening in their lives right now, rather than what they may perceive to be happening based on past experience.” With gestalt therapy, clients are asked to re-enact or re-experience them rather than simply talk about them in therapy. Therapists who use this form of therapy try to increase their clients’ awareness and expect them to use their own seeing, feeling, sensing, and interpreting through their experiences. The therapist emphasizes self-actualization, and self-respect, self-motivation, and self-growth can be added dimensions to the treatment. Gestalt therapy is process-oriented and client-centered, meaning that all focus is on supporting the client in realizing, learning, growing, making decisions, and more. Gestalt therapy helps to treat depression, anxiety, self-esteem, relationship issues, migraine headaches, back spasms, and more. Science Direct notes that gestalt therapy is holistic and experiential, and allows for increased choice and flexibility in every aspect of daily life. If you participate in gestalt therapy, your therapist may say: