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Once you’ve made the conscious decision to quit using drugs or alcohol, you may decide to begin abstaining right then and there and without outside help. This method of quitting drugs and/or alcohol is commonly referred to as “quitting cold turkey” and is commonly done without the supervision of medical professionals. Before you decide to quit cold turkey, know that it may carry health risks depending on the types of drugs you use, your level of addiction, and the presence of any co-occurring mental health conditions.

Depression has a way of rewiring how a person operates, from their eating and sleeping habits to their activity level and how they communicate with others. Sometimes people struggling with their mental health may be discreet in hiding their depression and conceal their innermost thoughts or feelings, so knowing if a loved one is struggling with depression may be difficult. By looking for certain patterns in their language, you may be able to detect they are struggling. In recent years, there have been breakthroughs in the study of language and depression with researchers developing new computerized text analysis methods to determine the linguistic patterns unique to people struggling with depression.

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After fully diving in and understanding the first three steps in a 12-Step Program, a person in recovery may begin working the fourth and very critical step, “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” Step 4 is one of the key foundational steps in everyone’s recovery journey as this is the step where they make a personal inventory to account for what actions and behaviors of theirs lead them to addiction. This step not just encourages but requires honesty and accountability of a recovering addict to examine their past, so they may finally break the cycle of addiction in their life.

In a world where every time you go shopping you see “Positive Vibes Only” slathered on a t-shirt or coffee mug, toxic positivity is rampant. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing and this is truly the case with toxic positivity. Understanding what toxic positivity means will help you to be aware when you or others are contributing to this mindset that aims to downplay an individual's feelings and experiences.

One of the organs that is most affected by drug and/or alcohol abuse is the liver. After years of excessive drinking or abusing drugs, the liver has had to work relentlessly to rid the body of these toxic substances and may have suffered permanent effects from this abuse. The liver is an incredibly important organ as it helps our bodies metabolize fats, filter the blood from our digestive tract, and is our main detoxifying organ. It is always encouraged to have your doctor check your liver if you have substance use in your past or present to know if you have a form of liver disease. Regardless of the disease state of your liver, you can always include foods in your diet that promote the health of your liver.

If you aren’t yet familiar with the term hygge, then listen up because it can make a difference in your recovery journey or improve your mental health. Hygge is a Danish word that doesn’t have an exact English translation but is meant to evoke sentiments of coziness, well-being, and contentment with life. Understanding how you can bring hygge into your life and home can help just about anyone bring more feelings of comfort and well-being into their life. It can do even more for someone in recovery by making their home environment more conducive to healing and similarly, for those who struggle with poor mental health, it is an effective way to boost mood and overall happiness.

It’s almost been a year since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. When the first lockdown began, it sparked a lot of changes in our lives. Suddenly, we were wearing masks to run our errands, working from home, and fighting over the last roll of toilet paper at the grocery store. Staying in became the norm, and our favorite businesses were closing down, some of them permanently. On top of it all, we were worried about the health of ourselves and our loved ones, with no idea how long this stressful situation would last. With all the worry, fear and uncertainty the coronavirus brought with it, a lot of people started drinking more to try and cope. In fact, this is a pretty common response to catastrophic or traumatic events like a pandemic, war or natural disaster. After 9/11, there was an immediate and lasting increase in alcohol use among Manhattanites, with similar patterns seen in the South after Hurricane Katrina. It’s not surprising, since rises in problematic drinking are associated with increased stress and anxiety, which we are seeing again with COVID-19. But unlike other traumatic events, COVID-19 is still happening. It isn’t a single moment in time that, when it’s over, we can try to process and put behind us — it's this long, drawn-out episode that we still have to deal with on a daily basis. Although lockdown has ended and a vaccine has been developed, most of us are finding that “getting back to normal” is still a long way off. So we’re also seeing increased drinking due to the ongoing effects of social isolation, job insecurity, financial strain and health worries. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Increased drinking and relapse have been common throughout the pandemic, but there are ways you can curb your alcohol consumption and learn how to cope with the stress in a healthier way. The first step is reaching out for help. If you’re already in recovery or part of a 12-step program, connect with your peers to talk about the problems you’re facing. You don’t have to go through this alone, and most programs offer online support groups that you can log in to from the comfort of your home. Or, if you need to get out of the house, check to see if in-person meetings are available in your area — some groups are gathering face-to-face again, following social distancing guidelines and mask-wearing mandates to keep participants safe. If you’re not in a treatment program but want to get help for your drinking, don’t hesitate to reach out and make that first phone call. Treatment centers like Avalon Malibu have remained open with new policies in place to ensure the health and well-being of patients during COVID-19. It’s also important to recognize harmful drinking patterns. Most people are surprised to hear that consuming four or five drinks within two hours constitutes binge drinking. When you’re feeling bored and stuck at home, it’s really easy to hit this threshold. But by learning how much is too much, paying attention to the amount you drink and setting a safe limit for yourself, you can become more conscious of your drinking habits and whether or not you need to cut down. Of course, for those with addiction issues, this is easier said than done. That’s where step one comes in again — reach out for help when you need it, and reinforce healthy coping strategies with guidance from your peers, recovery team and support groups. A relapse doesn’t mean failure, especially during stressful times like the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s essential to regain a foothold in your recovery and utilize the support that’s available to you. Don’t ignore mental health symptoms. You might be feeling more stressed, anxious and depressed than usual during the pandemic, and if ignored, these emotions can trigger a relapse or lead to problematic drinking. Now is the time to prioritize your mental health and address any symptoms you may be feeling, lest they continue to brew beneath the surface and stir up a crisis. To meet the growing need for mental health support, many mental health providers have made their services more accessible than ever with virtual care options and same-day appointments for mental health screening, therapy, counseling, medication management and more. When it comes to maintaining your recovery, this is a crucial step that shouldn’t be overlooked. Your mental, physical and emotional health are all connected, and neglecting one can have a huge impact on your general well-being. Navigating the pandemic has been difficult for all of us, and there’s no shame in reaching out for help when you need it — prioritizing your mental health now will make a difference in the long run.

You can feel helpless watching a loved one struggle with an addiction or poor mental health as they refuse to seek the proper help. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to try to fix their problems yourself instead of letting them realize on their own they have a problem and that they need help properly addressing it. This may be especially hard to stand by when that person seems like they are self-destructing. However, there’s only so much you can do for someone who doesn’t want help, so realize you can not kill yourself in the process of trying to help them. Not knowing what the right steps to take in a situation where someone refuses help can be helped by following these tips.

Resentment may play an important role in fueling an addiction or as a potential trigger for relapse. It may have even been somebody’s resentments towards themselves or another that began their substance abuse as a way of numbing these negative emotions. Healing these deep-seated feelings of resentment is crucial because resentment can sneak up on you, fester and ultimately be a big roadblock to success in long-term sobriety. As difficult as it is to look at the resentment you hold and unpack it with honesty, it is worth the commitment to heal your past and free yourself from the grips of resentment.

Addiction can be an isolating and debilitating experience. However, it still affects the people in one’s life — friends, workplace peers and especially one’s own family.  While a person may want to address their struggle with an addiction to drugs or alcohol in a private setting, addiction will often have ramifications for their family and loved ones. It is important to acknowledge the familial element throughout addiction recovery to create a supportive healing environment, both inside and outside of the treatment facility. Addressing addiction as a family can bring about more in-depth understanding and support. It can also help each member move through their own experiences with addiction, whether they are coping with urges themselves or learning to forgive and support loved ones who are.

To feel a strong sense of health and well-being, you must take good care of both your physical and mental health. For instance, if a person is overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, it could be manifesting in uncomfortable, physical symptoms in the body. This link between mental and physical health goes both ways as one has a profound influence over the other, so if someone’s physical health is poor and they are experiencing chronic pain, then they should carefully examine the state of their mental and emotional health.