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Generalizing mental health disorders by their symptoms does the specificity of each disorder a grave injustice. Eloquently described by Scientific American contributor Edmund S. Higgins, “the problem is that the brain is exceedingly complex. Behavior, emotions, and cognition are manifestations of networks of cells that are turned on or off at the right time.” Higgins touches on an important fact of treating mental illness- it’s about treating the brain. For mental health disorders like addiction and alcoholism, formally referred to as substance use disorders, there is ongoing research and experimentation being conducted to locate the exact cells in the brain which contribute to cravings and impulsivity. As though there may be a cure hidden within these tiny spots, scientists understand that the overall symptoms of addiction are not greater than some of its parts. Higgins continues to say, “The capacity to affect specific cells in the brain without altering other cells remains a massive challenge.” Continuing to treat mental illness as a whole without looking at specific parts is effective in curing the symptoms, but has thus far contributed little to solving the entire problem.

Living with anxiety that goes unregulated can be unmanageable. Just a few simple habits throughout the day can help reduce the impact of anxiety symptoms and make life easier by improving mental and physical health.

Troubling pictures and videos have gone viral in recent months with the stories of opioid-addicted parents dying and leaving behind their children. One set of photos showed a young boy strapped into his car seat, his parents overdosed and unconscious in the front seats. Stories of mothers dying during childbirth leaving addicted babies alone to face their withdrawals without them. A video of a young boy being confronted by tearful family members showed the confusion and pain of finding out his mother overdosed and died because of drugs. Recently, one tragic story surfaced of new parents overdosing and leaving their sweet baby uncared for, who then died shortly thereafter of starvation.

Mental illness is not a weakness. It comes with many strengths marked by the label “disability.” On tough days when you’re feeling like you’ve been dealt the losing hand, remember these three things.

Each day is full of opportunities big and small to either harm or support our mental health. Here are a few ways you can give yourself an extra bit of self care.

Trying to manage your own thoughts, feelings, and actions is work enough. You can’t focus on yourself all the time, but trying manage how other people are in relation to you is hard work too. Here are a few simple tips for being closer to other people when you're recovering from a mental illness.

Where do we learn to drink alcohol? Most people had their first taste of alcohol from one of two places: with their parents or with other people. Innocently, parents give alcohol to children so that they can feel included in adult activities. Sometimes parents use certain alcohol types medicinally, to soothe a baby or put a youngster to bed. Rarely do parents use alcohol abusively with children, though it does happen. By teenagehood, friends and peers either of the same age or an older age begin experimenting with alcohol. After not having been given any idea what the substance is like, their curiosity gets the better of them. Some teens experiment recreationally while others experiment more abusively. Recent research reveals that the type of drinking one does correlates with how they were introduced to alcohol. Published in the journal Psychological Medicine, the report found the difference. On the one hand, children who first had alcohol with their parents were more likely to be drinkers by the ages of fifteen and sixteen. Drinking meant to this study that the teenager was consuming full servings of alcohol, not just small samples or sips. On the other hand, children who first had alcohol from their friends were more likely to binge drink. In summary, young alcohol experimentation still leads to full alcohol experimentation in teenagehood, the manner of which, is dependent.

Alcohol is not a liquid which goes into our bodies and then just leaves. People are not commonly mindful of how what they put in their body actually affects their body. Here are some of the ways alcohol abuse can affect the physical body.

Avalon By The Sea is a certified dual diagnosis treatment center, providing primary care for mental health disorders when they are a primary diagnosis as well as a co-occurring disorder. For a confidential assessment and more information on our programs, call 1 888-958-7511.

Having a smartphone, computer, or other technological device to turn to for distraction can feel like both a saving grace and a detriment when you are living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Apps and websites give you a thousand things to do at a time and bounce between as your fleeting attention seems fit. However, part of living with ADHD means learning how to create productivity in your life. Technology can become a distraction when it gets in the way of your ability to stick to normal routines and get things done during the day. You might be struggling with technology distraction if these things happen:

Eating disorders can be life threatening and cause ongoing health complications without recovery. Recovering from an eating disorder is tedious because it involves something that every human needs to survive- food. Most of the world struggles with insecurities about food and body image. It is easy to project that onto someone who is struggling with an eating disorder. Here is a quick guide of what not to say, even when you might be thinking it:

Therapy usually comes with a negative connotation for people. Spending money on time reserved for talking about your feelings or difficult things in the past sounds unappealing. However, immense healing can occur in therapy, helping someone to feel more free in their life.