Selfies of drunken, wasted students are alarming to any parent preparing to send a budding adult off to college. But experts say that those images convey a false idea about many young people’s experiences and that parents influence college drinking more than they may think. If your teen or young adult child is struggling with …
How Parents Can Influence College Students’ Drinking Read More »
If you are working to overcome an addiction to drugs or alcohol, here’s a basic truth: No one can do it for you. But here’s another: Others can help. You’re much more likely to make it to successful recovery if you have a strong safety net in place for preventing relapse. That means establishing connections …
Preventing Relapse: How Strong Is Your Safety Net? Read More »
Tell your doctor you’re depressed and it’s a sure bet you’ll walk out of the office with a prescription for an antidepressant. For some, such medication works miracles, making it possible to again live life to the fullest. Others aren’t so lucky, finding the drugs do little or nothing to help their low mood. Additionally, …
Depression Treatment Beyond Drugs: 10 Things It Can’t Hurt to Try Read More »
For those struggling with trauma, substances such as drugs and alcohol can seem to offer a way to cope with emotional pain. It’s a false promise, of course. The numbing effects of the drink or the drug will eventually wear off, and the pain will return in force. And with it often comes a new …
For many people, admitting that they have depression can be difficult. Some regard it as a sign of weakness, while others think they should be able to simply “pull themselves up by the bootstraps”. Acknowledging this treatable psychiatric disorder is the first step towards getting better. The second step is getting treatment. Traditionally, there are …
If you have a friend or loved one who is depressed, you may feel uncertain as to how to help them. You want to reach out and offer support, but you don’t want to hurt their feelings or offend them if you say the wrong thing. One of the worst things you can do is …
Tips for Helping a Friend or Loved One with Depression Read More »
Exercise is one of the greatest treatments there is for depression. Unfortunately, to the person who is depressed, that’s like saying running is a good treatment for a broken leg! When you are depressed, it’s hard enough to find the motivation just to get out of bed and walk through your house, much less do …
Anxiety comes with the territory in college, and a little is a good thing. After all, it’s what helps spur you to finish that paper, to pay attention to your health and safety, and to show up for class. However, for many people, anxiety takes over your life. Anxiety and the college student don’t have …
When your kids go back to school after the summer break, you want to prepare them in every way possible. Fall clothes? Check. School supplies? Check. But if your child is starting to use drugs or alcohol, all of your hopes for a successful school year could be crushed before classes even begin. If you’ve …
In the U.S., significant numbers of young adults are involved in the abuse of a prescription opioid medication. An increase in this form of drug abuse largely helps explain the current increase in the frequency of opioid overdoses. In a study published in July 2014 in the International Journal of Drug Policy, a team of American …
Do Young-Adult Prescription Opioid Abusers Understand Their Risks? Read More »