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Journaling isn’t all about the “dear diary” and recording our every thought and whimsy throughout the day. For loved ones in recovery, journaling is an important practice for mental health. Research has found that spending just twenty minutes of writing for three days in a row two weeks before a medical procedure healed fully within eleven days. Comparatively, those in the same group experiencing a medical procedure who did not spend anytime journaling did not recover fully. Conclusively, the study found, journaling is healing. Specifically, journaling about thoughts, feelings, or distressing events is is healing. The researchers found that one hour of writing can help someone make sense of what is going on in their lives and reduce the effect of distress.

Holidays tend to involve a lot of eating. For those in recovery from an eating disorder, the holidays can be especially difficult. Here are some tips and suggestions to make the holiday season manageable while recovering from an eating disorder.

Treatment for substance use disorder and mental health disorders at Avalon follows the sanctuary model, allowing for complete healing. Fully embracing what treatment has to offer can require avoiding certain temptations and adhering to rules more strictly.

There are prices to pay in adulthood for alcoholism in youth. Even if one seeks treatment and becomes sober at a young age, the drinking done in earlier years will prove to be problematic later on. Compared to non-drinkers, drinkers, even those who got sober at a young age, have two to three more medical problems, according to new research published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs.

Author Tennessee Williams in his iconic work, The Glass Menagerie, eloquently and simply stated that “Time is the longest distance between two places.” Much of philosophical inquiry and scientific research of various disciplines has sought to define, manipulate, or even stop time. At once time is permanent and time is elusive. Time can be incredibly long and intolerable to endure or time can fly by without a chance of keeping up. A currency of life, time determines so much of what we do and how we do it. We are often told not to take time for granted and to make the most out of every moment.

Unfortunately, once we go to treatment to enter recovery from an alcohol addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, not everyone joins us. Though we take some time to heal and work on ourselves, the world outside continues on as it does. For those of us who come from social circles revolving around drinking activities, the prospect of returning can be daunting. Will we be able to stay friends with our friends, join them in outings, and partake in the festivities? The experience is different for each person, but here are some general and shared thoughts.

Sixty percent of people in relationships are not satisfied. Typical problems contribute: finances, stress, lackluster sex life, children, and smartphones. A decade ago, smartphones weren’t part of anyone’s problem. Since smartphones became an integrated part of life, study has been conducted to understand how deeply that integration goes. Various studies have revealed that smartphone interaction changes our brain chemistry, causes insomnia, contributes to depression, and can make us feel more isolated from the world.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, otherwise known as the “DSM” is in its fifth edition. The most recent edition of the DSM still does include a diagnosis for sex addiction or hypersexuality specifically. Hypersexuality is a common symptom of other mental disorders including bipolar, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder. Sex is not an external chemical substance that can cause substance abuse or chemical dependency. However, sex and sexual activity does produce chemicals in the brain which are the same as those produced by external chemicals. Dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin are all associated with sexual activity. In a manner similar to substance use and addiction, sex can produce a large amount of dopamine and cause cravings for more, as well as build a tolerance.

Recovery for mental health is a process of empowerment, self-actualization, and growth. Taking on the huge task of treatment and recovery is no small feat! Help yourself feel empowered in your journey with these simple practices.

Change is harder for some to cope with than others. There are some changes in the world which seem completely out of our control. When change happens beyond our permission or control, we can find ourselves getting anxious, depressed, or even angry. Have you ever noticed a change in mood when the seasons change from summer to fall or winter to spring? Inexplicably you have a hard time going with the flow of seasons in life. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood disorder that impacts up to twenty percent of the population each year.

12 months in a year. 12 steps in the 12 step program. Coincidence? In the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous, meetings were held for newcomers to the program called “beginners meetings”. The point of the beginner’s meetings was to get the newcomers through the 12 step program as quickly and efficiently as possible. In a matter of just 5 weeks, the beginners meetings took new participants through all of the steps. After completing taking the steps, they received a card. Once upon a time there was such a thing as being a card carrying member of AA. Beginner’s meetings were helpful in helping someone have the necessary psychic change through a spiritual awakening advocated through the steps. Having had this spiritual awakening, they were ready to join other alcoholics in recovery at regular meetings. Completing the steps was critical to the development of the alcoholic in recovery.

Psychological, psychiatric, and substance use disorders can make us feel like we’ve been shut off from the world. In fact, many of us have put a lot of effort into making sure nobody can get in. From trauma and abuse in our past, we learned early on that letting people, places, and things in usually led to hurt, pain, more abuse, and disappointment. To keep ourselves safe we made the sacrifice of shutting down entirely. Recovery teaches us that we don’t have to hide anymore. Over time we can learn to open ourselves up to many wondrous things in the world, embracing all that life has to offer. We are given a way to live life fully.