Simultaneous Occurrence (Comorbidity) of Substance Abuse and Mental IllnessDual DiagnosisBy Promises Behavioral HealthFebruary 8, 2013Comorbidity is a term that doctors use to describe the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or disorders within the same person. In addition to merely being present at the same time, these conditions interact significantly, alter each other’s expression within the body, and alter each other’s long-term outcome. Strong comorbidity exists between substance…
Sex and Tech Addiction Expert Robert Weiss Speaks at 8th International Trauma and Addiction Symposium in ScottsdaleUncategorizedBy Promises Behavioral HealthFebruary 5, 2013On Valentine’s Day, renowned author, speaker and founder of the Sexual Recovery Institute Robert Weiss, LCSW, CSAT-S, will speak at the 8th Annual Symposium of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals.
Promises Treatment Centers Celebrates 25 Years of Creating Extraordinary LivesFeaturedBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 30, 2013On February 1, 2013, Promises Treatment Centers will host a gala in honor of the individuals who have made it possible to deliver superior addiction and mental health treatment for the past 25 years.
Treating an Eating Disorder with MedicationEating DisordersBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 28, 2013There are several common treatments for bulimia and anorexia. Some find cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helpful, while others require nutritional counseling. Many patients are also being prescribed medication to help them cope with the obsessive thoughts, anxiety, and depression that comes along with disordered eating. Antidepressants are commonly known to treat symptoms of depression. Doctors…
Contemplating the Controversies of Dissociative Identity DisorderMental HealthBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 26, 2013Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), the new-ish name for an old label, multiple personality disorder, still has its armies of detractors. Despite reams of controversy littered through the pages of the upcoming revision of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders slated for May of 2013, DID is still likely to…
Teens Taking ADHD Medications to Improve AcademicsDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 25, 2013Using stimulants to get ahead is not a new idea. Drugs that give you energy, even just caffeine have been used and abused for decades by people who need more energy, who need to stay awake, and who need to focus to get something done. However, we may be facing a new epidemic among young…
Underage Drinking: A Primer for ParentsAdolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 24, 2013In 2007 in upstate New York, an “after party” for the local high school’s senior prom at which the adult homeowner served alcohol to underage drinkers ended up with one teen dead and another imprisoned for vehicular manslaughter. A life was lost and other lives were forever changed by this terrible event: instead of attending…
Tips for Coming off AntidepressantsMood DisordersBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 23, 2013If you are taking antidepressants, there may come a time that you want to stop using them. Your decision might be due to uncomfortable side effects, the expense, weight gain, fear of dependence, interactions with other medications, or because you just feel ready.
The Legal Drinking Age: 18, 21, or 25?Adolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 22, 2013Debates over the age of legal drinking in the U.S. are a common occurrence, especially at times of the year when it comes into the spotlight, like during spring break and around graduation. Many people think our Puritanical ways are responsible for a drinking age that is higher than in European countries and that this…
StimulantsDrug AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthJanuary 16, 2013Stimulants push the human body beyond its ordinary limits. Dance all night; have marathon sex that lasts for days; lose weight without trying; meet a deadline at work without losing focus or catching any shut-eye – all while feeling invincible and uninhibited. It’s easy to understand the appeal, but like all things that sound too…
