Clinical depression is a mood disorder that can affect your ability to complete daily tasks and socialize as you might typically do. It can arise in any developmental period, but it is common to see it establish itself during adulthood. For a doctor to diagnose a patient with depression, the symptoms should be present for…
Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder that alters a person’s perception of themselves, the world around them, and their relationship to it. Disruptions are experienced in thought processes, perceptions, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions. Schizophrenia can also be tricky to diagnose due to its inherent biological complexity, the overlap of symptoms with other disorders, and different evaluation…
Sometimes, people don’t understand why it is so hard for those who use substances to simply stop using. They may assume that the individual has no will power or is apathetic. Family and friends could be struggling with conflicting feelings of care, love, and hope, but also feelings of resentment, mistrust, or guilt. The delicate…
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder whereby the patient experiences unusual and significant mood changes, behaviors, energy, sleep patterns, concentration, and overall ability to meet the day’s tasks. There are three types of bipolar disorder: bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder. It is estimated that approximately 4.4% of adults in the U.S. experience the disorder…
Most illegal substances have unseen physical health effects. Rarely do we consider the potential health risks to our bodies if they are not externally apparent. Nearly every illegal substance negatively affects the heart in both short and long terms ways. Stimulants may be the most dangerous class of drugs for our hearts. Drug abuse and…
Most of us are familiar with ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children. We may have sat next to somebody at school who always appeared disorganized, had problems sitting still, and seemed on a series of constant back and forth trips to the principal’s office. More recent attention has focused on previously undiagnosed adults…
Intensive detoxification and rehabilitation provide multiple ways to address addiction and the reasons behind our behavior. From yoga to mindfulness to therapies that develop new habits, all of these have a place in addiction counseling. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, however, has emerged as a leader in thought-based therapy. Intended to challenge behavior and develop accountability,…
Addiction psychiatry focuses on treating addiction to chemical substances, including alcohol, prescription, and illegal drugs. This is accomplished through psychological therapy and closely monitored medications. Addiction psychiatrists are specialists in the field of addiction. Psychiatrists are physicians specializing and treating psychiatric disorders such as depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and more. What is The History…
The purpose of any rehabilitation program should be to replace unhealthy habits with health-supporting behaviors. This comes from taking advantage of all the appropriate support and rehabilitation stages on offer. Sober living homes provide an additional opportunity to gain the necessary skills needed for long term recovery. Effectively, a practice phase where we reintegrate into…
When we enter treatment or detox for substance use, the need to entirely remove ourselves from daily activities is a vital part of the detox treatment. However, as professional adults with both career and family responsibilities, not being able to contact or be contacted by those within our close circle of professional colleagues and family…