Feeling trapped in darkness? Depression is treatable. Discover 9 science-backed strategies that actually work—from targeted therapies to simple daily habits that can shift your mental health landscape—and break free from what's holding you back.

Porn addiction, like other behavioral addictions, can negatively impact mental health, relationships, and daily life. But how do you know if you have ...

When you stop using drugs and alcohol, it takes time to rewire your brain. The exact timeframe depends on several factors. Certain drugs, for example,...

Not everyone with bipolar will have the same symptoms. The differences are drastic enough for bipolar to have two distinct clinical categories: types ...

Imposter Syndrome is a pervasive issue that impacts professionals across fields. It can lead to debilitating self-doubt, anxiety, and the persistent f...

Barbiturates are sedative-hypnotic drugs primarily used for seizure disorders, anxiety, insomnia, and drug withdrawal symptoms in babies. Using them r...

Panic attacks can feel terrifying, overwhelming, and all-consuming. They arrive suddenly, often without warning, and can make it difficult to feel lik...

Our senses shape how we experience the world—the sights we see, the sounds we hear, the textures we touch, the flavors we taste, and the scents we sme...

Grief is a profound and unapologetic experience that can have an impact on every aspect of a person’s life. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a p...

Caring for the Climate and One Another I’m Muskan Lamba (she/her), a mental health researcher, expert by experience, and facilitator, deeply curious a...

In recent discussions surrounding mental health and substance use treatment, the concept of neuroaffirming care has emerged as an essential paradigm s...

Many see adderall as a “safe” drug because it can be medically prescribed and appears to lack negative side effects; however, adderall is one of the m...

There is a strong relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders. Research indicates that up to 50% ...

Relaxing without alcohol is entirely achievable by exploring healthier and more fulfilling alternatives. From engaging in physical activities like yog...

What may start as harmless shopping can turn dangerous when it becomes compulsive spending. If your shopping feels out of control and you’re spending ...

Adolescence and early adulthood are pivotal periods for navigating life’s challenges and developing a sense of identity, particularly when it comes to...

Addiction often follows a cycle with distinct stages. It’s repetitive in nature since the act of taking addictive drugs releases dopamine, which reinf...

Invalidation takes many forms, from obvious “I don’t believe you”s to more subtle reactions, like not listening or telling you how your experience sho...

If this is a question that you have asked yourself, then you may have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.  Alcohol dependence can appear different...

Do either of these sound like a true addiction, something that has the power to disrupt lives? Cause death, even? “I’m addicted to these chocolates! I...

Dana Sedlak, LCSW, CEDS-C, was a wonderful guest on our recent Recovery.com Podcast episode. We were honored to learn more about her personal and prof...

Have you ever driven home lost in thought, unaware of what you experienced during your drive? Not even sure if all the lights you passed were green? P...

In our recent podcast episode, Recovery.com was thrilled to talk with Dr. Ishant Rana, Clinical Director at Alpha Healing Center. We explored the weig...

Eating disorders are illnesses defined by disturbances in eating patterns1 and food intake. They also include a preoccupation with body image, calorie...

Learning how anxiety affects the body can help you understand mysterious symptoms and the impact untreated mental health conditions can have. Although...

Multiple causes and factors contribute to depression. It can vary between two siblings, and certainly between people all over the world. As clinicians...

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a relatively recent therapeutic approach developed by Richard Schwartz. It describes the psyche as having mul...

Children, young adults, and adults can suffer mind control and complex trauma. Mind control can also be a broad phenomenon experienced by people group...

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is a positive and ongoing inner change after trauma or a highly distressing situation. PTG can occur simultaneously with p...

Stress and addiction can feed into and cause each other. “Stress” could be anything that taxes or exceeds your ability to healthily adapt1. For exampl...

Psychedelic therapy has been gaining traction and creating a reputable name for itself in the recovery community. The curiosity around psychedelic tre...

Schizophrenia is almost always a severe and disabling mental health disorder. Managing this condition is usually a lifelong process; however, with the...

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room. If the person is not currently in crisis, ...

Complex trauma, sometimes called complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), is caused by prolonged exposure to traumatic events and has subseque...

Although drinking is commonly accepted in most cultures, alcohol can damage your brain more than you think. Alcohol affects brain function by interact...

Recognizing the signs of excessive alcohol consumption is crucial because it can significantly impact your health, relationships, and overall well-bei...

It can be hard to trust what you hear about alcohol addiction. And when you’re planning for recovery, you need to know exactly what you’re facing. The...

Binge eating involves recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time. Recognizing the signs of binge eating is important...

Wellbriety is just what it sounds like — wellness and sobriety. The Wellbriety Movement supports Indigenous people in the process of addiction recover...

When you drink more than your body can handle, you might start wondering, “How long does alcohol poisoning last?” The short answer is, it’s different ...

End-stage alcoholism is the result of many years of alcohol addiction. Without treatment, alcohol abuse and alcoholism can cause severe physical and m...

“If recreational drugs were tools, alcohol would be a sledgehammer.” – NCBI article Some hail getting “blackout drunk” as the apex drinking experience...

Fawning as a trauma response is the 4th theorized response to trauma and complex PTSD (c-PTSD). As defined1, “Fawn types seek safety by merging with t...

A “dry drunk” is someone who’s sober but still experiencing some of the emotions and behaviors caused by alcohol use. The term also describes someone ...

Alcohol addiction looks different for different people. Your age, family history, and other mental health issues have a major impact on your drinking ...

Craving alcohol is a normal part of addiction recovery. When you first quit drinking, your cravings might be especially intense. As you heal, you’ll l...

What does cross-addiction mean? In short, it means that you have multiple addictions. But there’s a lot more to it than that. Usually, people with cro...

The terms “addiction” and “dependence” may sound interchangeable, but they mean different things. Dependence is the physical reliance on a drug. Addic...

Both drug and behavioral addictions are extremely common in the United States. And drug addiction is steadily on the rise.  In 2021, the Substance Abu...

How do you know when you need treatment for depression? We all feel sad sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with sitting with your sadness and reflecting...

As a mentor and friend, a sponsor supports every part of your recovery progress, and plays a vital role in guiding your recovery journey. Whether by a...

While there are only 12 official steps in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), you might hear about an unofficial “13th Step.” This term refers to a romantic or...

There’s a strong relationship between substance abuse and domestic violence. Abuse is traumatic, and its effects can follow you even after you end the...

Hangover anxiety, or hangxiety, isn’t a diagnosis, but rather how you feel after a night of drinking alcohol. A hangover has physical symptoms like na...

What does it mean to be “California sober?” This is a relatively new idea in addiction recovery. And while some people swear by it, it’s certainly not...

Even if you’re just starting recovery, you’ve probably heard of the 12 Steps. This philosophy started in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), and has grown in...

One person’s drug use can affect their whole community. That includes family, friends, colleagues, and anyone close to you. Whether you or someone you...

Finding healthy coping skills for drug and alcohol use can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already preoccupied with other stressors. Sometim...

You need more than a quick fix to treat depression. Depression won’t go away overnight, but that’s okay. That’s why therapy is a continual process tha...

If you have a severe addiction, it can affect every part of your life. It might feel like a mental health issue, a behavioral problem, a physical cond...

Alcohol affects everyone a little differently. Some people get drunk easily, while others have a high tolerance that makes it difficult to feel its ef...

Growing up with a parent addicted to alcohol can make for a difficult childhood. And that struggle continues to affect many into adulthood. Some adult...

Nutrition is a foundational element of well-being. Not only can good food provide a sense of pleasure and joy, but eating a nutritious diet helps your...

Disordered eating can be inconsistent. One day you might happily eat dinner with friends, and the next you could feel like it’s a struggle to make toa...

When you start addiction recovery, sobriety might be your primary goal. But getting there isn’t easy—and staying sober can be even harder. It’s common...

You might call it molly, ecstasy, E, X, or MDMA. By any name, this drug is extremely popular and easy to find. But that doesn’t make it safe. And beca...

Has your shopping gone from casual to compulsive? Shopping is such a common way to cope, some people call it “retail therapy.” But it can get out of h...

The term ‘narcissist’ gets thrown around a lot. And it’s often misused or used too casually. Narcissism is more than selfishness. And for survivors of...

Depression can be either a cause or symptom of addiction. Some people try to self-medicate their symptoms, which leads to addiction. Others get depres...

Anxiety can be more than a feeling. It also affects your behavior. And if it’s getting in the way of your daily life, it makes sense that you’d look f...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a serious mental health issue. From the name, it’s easy to think this condition is a set of behavio...

Eating disorders can be isolating. And that’s hard enough on a social level, if you’re skipping group activities that include shared meals. But it’s m...

In moderation, video games can be a great way to unwind. But gaming can take over your life. If it goes from a casual hobby to an all-consuming part o...

Domestic violence is more complicated than it sounds. Until you’re in the thick of it, you might imagine the lines are clearly drawn. “If it ever gets...

Feeling sad is normal—even healthy. It’s a natural part of the human experience. But persistent sadness can cross a line. When this emotion becomes a ...

Yes, you can find treatment for a personality disorder. These are serious conditions, but they’re not monsters under the bed. Your personality is not ...

Eating well is a huge part of feeling well. Food doesn’t just support wellness—it can also be a source of joy. When you go to rehab for addiction or m...

If you’re healing from addiction, it makes sense to worry about relapse. This can be a concern at every stage of recovery, whether you’re just startin...

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is hugely stigmatized, and not well understood by the general public. There are many resources for the loved one...

12-Step programs are a popular method for addiction recovery. It’s easy to access free meetings, both online and in person. You can even find rehab ce...

Addiction changes how the brain functions. It especially impacts the brain’s “reward system,” which is largely based on dopamine. This hormone is resp...

When you’re living with an addiction, it can be hard to imagine recovery. Many people get lost in the negative, thinking about life without drugs or a...

You’ve probably heard of the 12 Steps, but what exactly does this approach to recovery entail? The 12 Steps provide a guideline to recovery itself, an...

So you’ve done the hard work of detoxing. But now you’re having trouble remembering details. Or, you’re even more anxious than you were when you first...

Humans naturally seek love and connection. But because relationships are innately complex, it can be hard to tell the difference between an incredible...

Addiction rarely begins on its own. Something often triggers the need to use substances to self-medicate, cope, or forget painful events, even just br...

Eating disorders don’t develop in a vacuum. They often go hand in hand with other mental health conditions, like anxiety. And that can make it hard to...

A lot of life happens online. We rely on online resources for everything from business meetings to yoga classes—and healthcare is no exception. For ma...

Everyone feels angry sometimes. It’s a normal emotion, and it can even be healthy. But anger can also become a problem. Chronic or extreme rage can da...

Codependency is born out of good intentions. It’s easy to miss the signs of this condition, because you might think your behavior is loving. But love ...

Unmanaged obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often debilitating. Its unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors can take over your life. These sym...

Grief is one of the most painful experiences you can go through. If you’re grieving a loss, it can be difficult to imagine moving on. It probably seem...

Burnout is more than exhaustion. This term gets tossed around a lot—so much that you might not realize it’s a serious mental health issue. People with...

Chronic pain can be as emotionally debilitating as it is physically. It can be frustrating to miss out on activities and events you normally love, and...

Alcohol and anxiety are closely related. Many people with social anxiety disorder (SAD) feel like drinking alleviates their symptoms. In the short ter...

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can be extremely serious. Unlike most injuries, they can directly alter brain function, and have a severe impact on yo...

Cocaine addiction can wreak havoc on a person’s life. And once you’re caught in the cycle of substance misuse, healing may seem out of reach. That’s a...

Everyone deals with trauma differently. At times, experiencing traumatic events can develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although this ...

Schizophrenia is a very serious mental illness that can affect how you think, feel, and behave. If you have this diagnosis, you or those around you ma...

Because meth addiction is so highly stigmatized, it can be intimidating to admit you have a problem. And it’s perfectly valid to fear that you’ll be j...

Gambling is often seen as harmless fun, and many people are able to do it from time to time without developing an addiction. This makes it difficult f...

Childhood trauma doesn’t just go away. You may continue to feel its effects throughout your adult life. Some people—although certainly not all—develop...

It’s notoriously difficult to quit smoking, especially since it’s such a habitual part of everyday life. However, the physical and emotional effects o...

If you’re keeping up the appearance of a healthy lifestyle, it can be hard to know whether you have a high-functioning alcohol addiction. However, thi...

Because heroin addiction is so highly stigmatized, it can be difficult to ask for help. And recovery can be overwhelming without the proper support. F...

In our accelerating world, it can be hard to keep up. It’s no wonder that some people turn to prescription stimulants to cope. Drugs like Adderall, Ri...

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has the same symptoms as depression, but with a more complex and challenging recovery process. And those very sym...

While benzodiazepines can effectively treat many conditions, they’re also highly addictive. It’s unfortunately common for patients to begin by taking ...

Bipolar disorder can be overwhelming. Like any mood disorder, this diagnosis can impact your relationships, your work, and your emotional well-being. ...

Sex and love are important aspects of a full life. However, both can be addictive. And it can be hard to distinguish between sustainable and toxic rel...

Detox is one of the first steps in recovery from a substance use disorder. During this process, you’ll stop using the substances in question and allow...

Alcoholism can be devastating. And because drinking is both legal and socially acceptable, it can be difficult to recognize when you have a problem. B...

It’s all too easy to become addicted to opiates. Once you develop a tolerance for painkillers, it can be difficult to imagine life without them. This ...

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be a useful response in certain situations. It alerts us to dangers and helps us prepare and pay attent...

Marijuana addiction can be challenging to manage. If you’ve just arrived at this diagnosis, you probably have a lot of questions about what to do next...

Trauma often changes how you interpret the world—and it’s easy to feel that no one understands. But it’s a rather common human experience: “70% of adu...

Holistic treatment, sometimes called alternative treatment, uses a variety of techniques to approach healing. This philosophy considers each client as...

No one chooses to be addicted to drugs, alcohol, or gambling. So, what happens? Where does drinking cross the line into an alcohol problem? When does ...

A person may know they have a drug problem if they have become dependent on a drug and feel like the drug is needed for functioning. Another way an in...

Because drinking is socially acceptable, it can be very hard to tell whether you have a problem with alcohol. In certain situations, you may even be p...

Most people think of rehab as a place you go to get treatment for substance use disorders. But did you know that many rehabs also treat mental health ...

Trauma doesn't define you: Discover how specialized rehab programs can help sexual assault survivors heal, address PTSD, rebuild self-esteem, and develop healthy coping skills. Find hope and practical steps toward reclaiming your life after trauma.

Psilocybin is a chemical compound most often associated with “magic mushrooms.” Despite historical stigma, researchers have begun exploring its potent...

Burnout can affect anyone. Even if you love your work, it’s possible to get overwhelmed. And ignoring your exhaustion may just exacerbate your symptom...

Bipolar disorder is a serious diagnosis. Without proper treatment, it can be extremely destabilizing—both for the person who has the condition, and fo...

Eating disorders (EDs) are a serious mental health issue. And while they’re more common than you might think, it’s important to remember that eating d...

The short answer is: it depends on your recovery goals. If you’re going through withdrawal, for instance, you may need short-term medical care. And af...

The process of recovery is different for every person. For some, it includes the use of CBD. However, this is a controversial topic. Many believe that...

Rehab is designed to provide structure as you begin the process of recovery. There are countless ways to heal, and it’s important to choose a framewor...

You are more than your diagnosis. That’s true no matter what, whether you have a substance use disorder or cancer. And the goal of rehab isn’t just to...

Many people hesitate to start rehab because residential treatment programs feel inaccessible. Fortunately, they’re not the only option. More and more ...

Strengths-based treatment empowers clients to direct their own recovery process. This is a departure from many therapeutic modalities, where the focus...

The transition from an addiction treatment program to daily life is a fundamental step in the recovery journey. Many people can feel overwhelmed and i...

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has the same symptoms as depression, but with a more complex recovery process. Because of its effect on energy le...

Trauma can be an isolating experience. When you go through something so painful that it changes you, it’s natural to feel like no one else can underst...

Rehab is just the first step in making long-term changes to your lifestyle. Because many people choose to go to rehab in response to a crisis, it’s ea...

When we think of “alcoholism,” the first thing that comes to mind probably isn’t an accurate reflection of how alcohol addiction really works. Unfortu...

As someone intimately familiar with anxiety, you already know there’s no simple explanation for what causes your anxiety or even why you feel anxious ...

Watching someone you love struggle through depression can make you feel helpless: you want to offer support, but you feel unsure of how to help. With ...

Both ketamine and psychedelics have emerged as popular therapeutic methods in recent years for those who have been resistant to other forms of depress...

If you’re having serious thoughts about suicide or self-harm, immediate help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-...

12-Step programs have been a popular component of addiction recovery for the past 80 years. There are over 123,000 Alcoholics Anonymous chapters aroun...

Gambling addiction is more common than most people realize—it’s a global problem that’s only getting worse. Last year, the World Health Organization (...

Many misperceive eating disorders as a lifestyle choice. You might even believe some of these stereotypes yourself—that you’re vain, self-absorbed, we...

While visiting McLean Borden Cottage as part of our Destinations series, Catherine Milliken, the Program Director gave us an excellent explanation of ...

If you were diagnosed with cancer and you knew that there was a high chance of dying from it, you would probably seek treatment. Would you do the same...