Mental Health and Mental Illness
Mental health is a person’s emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It plays a large role in the thoughts we have and our behaviors. Mental health determines how we handle stress, relate to other people, and the choices we make. Mental Health and Mental Illness – what’s the difference? It’s important to distinguish the difference between […]
More than Just the Winter Blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is Depression
Yep, it’s that time of year again! No, I was not referring to legging session or that time of year when you gain 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. I was referring to that time of year when you see an increase in SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s this time of year when […]
How We Can Overcome Mental Health Stigma
Over the years, mental health has not been given the same importance as other health care specialties. Although a high level of effort and resources have been expended in an effort to increase the awareness and accessibility of mental health care, it is still inaccessible to many people. For some, mental health care simply isn’t […]
Healthy Recovery During the Holiday Season
For many of us, the holidays are a time in which we surround ourselves with families and friends and enjoy the respite from day-to-day stress related to school or work. For many others, the holidays amplify mental health and emotional issues and as a result, turn to drugs and alcohol in an effort to squelch […]
10 Ways to Prevent Burnout and Improve Health
The daily, grinding stress so often experienced by people in the helping professions is what causes the psychological injury we know as burnout. Burnout is a state of depletion—mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion—that leaves us feeling drained and overwhelmed, unable to meet the constant demands that created the problem in the first place. Like any […]
7 Signs Your Loved One is Addicted to Opioids
Do you think a loved one might be addicted to opioids? Have you experienced behaviors of a loved one that doesn’t add up, or doesn’t seem like “them”? Knowing the signs can help you identify whether a loved one might be using drugs or addicted to a substance. Opioids are a class of drugs […]
What is MATPlus®
Our Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) treatment approach combines behavioral counseling with medication for higher levels of success. Counseling is the main focus of MAT, with a prescription for medication provided under the guidance of a medical doctor. The combination gives our doctors the ability to customize patient treatment plans based on each patient’s unique cravings and […]
Depression and Sadness and Your Recovery
Do you feel extreme sadness despite great accomplishments or disappointments in your life?Depression is a serious mental illness that goes untreated. It’s hard to know how to deal with depression and sadness, alone. Have you ever heard someone say, “If you would get out of the house then you wouldn’t be depressed anymore?” This […]
What Makes Cocaine and Methamphetamine so Dangerous?
Cocaine and methamphetamine will cause an individual to seem extremely alert and have increased energy along with increased heart rate and blood pressure. I remember the first person I encountered as a doctor in the Med ER who was on cocaine. It was the mid-1990s in Memphis, and people came to the ER every night […]
The Most Important Thing for You to Do for Your Sobriety During Tough Times
Keeping Your Sobriety When Life is Tough One of the biggest challenges people face is when things in life get hard. Things like COVID-19, or when family crises arise, when financial hiccups happen, when career and job life is stressful, it can be difficult for people dealing with addiction for several reasons. Stress is a […]
A Brief Lesson in the War on Drugs
Since the war on drugs began almost 50 years ago, we have learned much about the science of addiction. Today, we know that when an adolescent is exposed to substances that produce pleasure chemically, the individual’s brain undergoes permanent changes regarding their balance of pleasure and pain. The typical response to substances that cause the […]
Principle of 5: 5 Things to Do in Recovery Every Day
How to Plan a Successful Recovery When it comes to working with a certified addiction counselor on your recovery, you’ll quickly learn that it’s more than just avoiding alcohol or drugs; it’s about replacing alcohol and drugs with positive things that give your life meaning and help you stay happy and healthy. One of the […]
What Does High-Quality Addiction Treatment Look Like?
The most cost-effective, humane, and efficient way to provide medical care involves providing holistic, evidence-based care to people who need it from the start. It’s vital to view health and address illness from the get-go, rather than to play “catch-up” on the back end after disease processes have become more advanced, more complicated, and more […]
What to look for in an addiction recovery center
Choosing The Right Recovery Center Choosing the best rehabilitation center for you is a difficult but important first step towards getting the treatment you need. Treatment for addiction and dependency is a very personal experience. A treatment center that is successful for one person may not be the right fit for another person. Researching your choices […]
What Is the Cost of Addiction Treatment?
Problematic use of alcohol or other drugs results in adverse health consequences and serious social concerns. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of persons with substance use disorders seek treatment. Addiction treatment costs depend on several factors, and it is critical to know the type and severity of addiction illness in order to access suitable treatment services. Substance use in the US remains widespread, costing the nation over $600 billion every […]