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Have you ever felt incredibly angry, lonely, depressed, or frustrated? Has this feeling ever occurred while you were in the middle of lunch, dinner, or when you were about to have a snack to keep you going throughout the day? If so, do you recall eating too much? Too little? For many people, emotions can certainly affect the way they eat. Similar to the way people abuse substances, food can be used to escape, control or numb uncomfortable emotions.  Previous studies have sought to explore the effect that emotions can have on eating, and they’ve found that many people who are experiencing troubled mental states often struggle simultaneously with disordered eating behaviors. The instant gratification experienced through food offers a sense of immediate comfort to the sufferer. Unfortunately, if left untreated, disordered eating can get significantly worse, severely impacting mental health and quality of life.

Co-occurring disorders, or dual diagnoses, take place when an individual is diagnosed with both a mental illness and a substance use disorder (SUD). Millions of people across the U.S. have co-occurring disorders. If you are struggling with this, know that you are not alone, and you can recover. When seeking treatment for co-occurring disorders, it’s crucial to find treatment centers that specialize in treating both substance use and mental health. Many treatment centers focus only on addiction, resulting in a lack of support for those with a dual diagnosis. Unfortunately, this lack of support often leads to relapse, as untreated mental health issues tend to perpetuate addiction.  At Avalon Malibu, treating both addiction and mental health simultaneously is our top priority. By getting to know our clients and their unique experiences, we can create personalized treatment programs that meet their individual needs.

Mental illness has many stigmas attached to it that often cause people to hide their experience. Words like “crazy”, “psycho”, and “weird” can be offensive and create feelings of shame in those that are silently suffering from a mental health disorder. Unfortunately, society tends to perpetuate these stereotypes and overgeneralizations. Ignorant depictions and inconsiderate language in the media around mental illness can greatly, and often subconsciously, impact the public view and sensitivity on the issue. Consequently, people become quick to judge those suffering from mental health disorders without properly understanding the pain that lies beneath the surface.

Early recovery can feel like a rollercoaster at times. From going through potential withdrawal symptoms during your detoxification to experiencing emotions again after years of feeling numb, the challenges of early recovery can be overwhelming. Despite the ups and downs, you may go through in the beginning, it’s important to remind yourself that it will get better. Recovery is possible, and stability can be achieved with proper treatment. Experiencing peace of mind, body, and spirit is a feeling like no other, especially after spending so much time in survival mode during active addiction. A change like this is not easy, but it is always worth it. If you’re ready to seek stability, here is a guide to help you better understand the process.

Narcissism is a spectrum and we all fall on it to some degree. Interestingly enough, having a bit of narcissism can offer some positive effects, such as promoting success at job interviews and consciously making a good first impression. However, higher levels of narcissism can be detrimental, leading to the development of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Personality disorders like NPD can affect the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves around others and within their daily lives. Nearly 1% of the population in the U.S. has NPD. While it’s something we’re still learning about, there are certainly ways to treat this disorder if you or a loved one is suffering from it. The first step towards recovery lies in understanding the symptoms of the disorder itself.

With mental illness, it’s often incredibly difficult to describe your experience. Finding the right words to describe the pain, loneliness, frustration, guilt, or joy that you feel can seem impossible. However, unique approaches to mental illness and addiction recovery that incorporate creativity as a means of self-discovery have proven to be quite successful.

Life tends to throw curveballs. Navigating these obstacles can be difficult and chances are, you won’t always have all the answers. Having people in your life that you look up to as examples of how to walk through life’s challenges is crucial, especially for those in recovery. Seeing sober individuals who are genuinely happy, living lives that wildly contrast those previously lived during active addiction inspires hope and motivation. Grabbing on to a few people in your recovery community who have what you want can greatly increase your chances of maintaining long-term sobriety. By following in the footsteps of another who has experience living life in recovery, you can increase feelings of community and direction. They will remind you that you are not alone in your struggles while reiterating the fact that you are capable of overcoming them, just as they did.

Addiction takes hold for months and even years, causing so many harmful effects on the mind, body, and spirit. Yet, those seeking recovery often expect to find some magical solution to heal themselves instantly. Nobody looks forward to the inner work and reflection necessary to recover from the aftermath of addiction. However, sustainable recovery takes time and consistent effort. Typically, it requires certain lifestyle changes that are practiced on a daily basis towards consistent personal growth and development. Long-term residential treatment programs are incredibly beneficial, as they offer the time, space, resources, and support necessary towards building healthy habits and a strong foundation in your recovery, promoting long-term sobriety.

For many people in addiction recovery, true growth and understanding take place when they’re able to look within themselves. Deep inward reflection like this creates self-awareness, which in turn provides insight into thoughts and emotions. If you’re ready to see some incredibly positive changes in your recovery, it’s time to sit down and look within.

Watching a loved one battle with addiction is painful, and often baffling. Seeing someone continue to drink and/or use in the face of losing everything worth living for creates confusion and frustration, especially among those who have never experienced addiction personally. If you are struggling with the fear of losing someone you love to addiction, you’re not alone. While the addict may think they are only hurting themselves, the reality is that their addiction impacts everyone who cares about them.  Pain from seeing you’re loved one in active addiction may lead you to wonder if you could have stopped it somehow, or if you can fix it now. Maybe you don’t understand how it could have gotten to this point, and you’re wondering if it will ever get better. Feelings like these are normal. Therapy coupled with support from others who have gone through similar experiences often provides the insight necessary to navigate these emotions healthily. Seeking out your support system and educating yourself on the disease of addiction is the best way to understand and help your addicted loved one.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is experienced by several million people across the United States. Studies report that most people diagnosed with BPD are women, which makes this a vital population of interest in terms of support and treatment. People with BPD often experience varying mood swings, unstable self-image, feelings of worthlessness and insecurity, impaired social relationships, and more. Symptoms of BPD tend to occur early on in life, such as through adolescence and early adulthood, and can greatly impact daily life.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects millions of people around the world. Individuals struggling with OCD typically have a very difficult time pushing certain obsessive thoughts out of mind. Consequently, this leads to compulsive behaviors in an attempt to relieve the stress caused by the obsessions. Unfortunately, compulsions such as cleaning, hoarding, repeatedly checking, counting, and other repetitive behaviors can become incredibly distressing as they get in the way of daily life.