Americans have made headlines for having the highest number of drug overdose deaths in U.S. history in a single year. In 2016, it is estimated that more than 60,000 people in the U.S. died from drugs — a 19% increase over the country’s 2015 drug-related deaths. In fact, drug overdoses are now the leading cause …
Every year some 4 million women give birth in the United States, and as many as 20% will suffer from some type of maternal mental health disorder during the postpartum period. The American Academy of Pediatricians refers to postpartum depression as “the most common but most underdiagnosed obstetrical complication in the country.” Only 15% of …
Casting Light on America’s Maternal Mental Health Crisis Read More »
“I can’t sleep. I might have to take a couple of Ambien to go to sleep,” actor Heath Ledger told his sister on the phone the night before he died. She knew he had received prescriptions for co-occurring anxiety, depression and insomnia, and warned him not to mix his medications — she understood the dangers. …
In the Danger Zone: Combining Medications for Insomnia, Anxiety & Depression Read More »
It has often been said that if you want to know more about a particular topic, it’s best to go directly to the source, or the horse’s mouth — as it were. But with social anxiety disorder, things aren’t so easy. Ask me about it and the chances are I won’t be able to tell …
What’s It Like to Have Social Anxiety Disorder? Please Don’t Ask. Read More »
After living with depression or anxiety for an extended period of time, it’s hard to remember what it feels like to be happy and full of energy. What in your life is guaranteed to make you happy? If you’re struggling right now with your mental health, that is a tough question to answer. When you …
5 Everyday Things That Give Mentally Healthy People Joy Read More »
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., impacting at least 40 million adults aged 18 and older, or 18% of the population. Depression affects 16.1 million U.S. adults aged 18 or older, or about 6.7% of all U.S. adults. Out of every five people you meet, one of them is likely …
Treating the Anxious or Depressed Parent and the Affected Family Read More »
We all sometimes fall for the myths that our society feeds us. Don’t fall for these myths about addiction. Knowing the truth can save lives. Myth #1: Sheer willpower gets an addict through detox, rehab and long-term recovery. Yeah, the way sheer willpower gets a cancer patient into recovery… As absurd as we know it …
By Kelsey Harper, PsyD, Clinical Psychologist and Program Director at Promises Malibu Some people can sail through a crisis or upsetting event while others are overwhelmed by mild stress. What’s your coping style? One way we find out is through dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which we use to assess distress tolerance skills, identify the ways …
People start using substances for a variety of reasons, one of the most common being to self-medicate, to numb-out, in order to ease the day’s stress. However, what may begin as a glass or two of wine or a quick hit of marijuana can slip into a full-blown addiction in what may seem like the …
By Gregory Skipper, MD, Medical Director, Promises Professionals Treatment Program Why do we physicians become addicted? And, once addicted, why are we likely to deny a problem exists and unlikely to seek help … until colleagues or the medical board step in? The answers to these questions are important because they are directly related to …
Length of Addiction Treatment for Physicians: How Much Is Enough? Read More »