Tag: Connection Between Substance Use Disorder and Mental Illness
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Addiction and Suicide: What’s the Link?
By Peg Rosen (Medical Reviewer Stacia Alexander, PhD, LPC-S) Suicide and addiction. Too often, we hear these words in the same breath. At face value, the connection feels logical. Think of celebrities who die by suicide—often there’s the implication, if not outright fact, of a struggle with substance misuse. At the most basic level, “what…
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Recent Drug Addiction Statistics for Boston and Massachusetts
Baystate Recovery Services Massachusetts is ranked #8 in the rate of drug-related deaths that occurred in 2019, reports the CDC. That year, the state had 32.1 drug-related deaths for every 100,000 residents. Heroin is the top illicit drug of use in Boston and the entire state. Plus, it has contributed to thousands of overdose deaths in…
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4 Ways to Say “No” to Alcohol Without Saying It
Sarah Dermody Ph.D. Cutting down on your drinking? Set SMART goals and practice refusing drinks now. It is officially summer! Many of us are finally enjoying some downtime in the sun at cookouts, sporting events, or weekend getaways. Dry January has long come and gone, but you may have decided to cut back or even…
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Narrowing Down The Choices: What Treatment Is Best for Me?
Claire Wilcox M.D. If there’s one consistent truth in behavioral health treatment, it’s that one size does not fit all. Cookie-cutter treatment often doesn’t work, even if an accurate diagnosis has been made and standard-of-care interventions are applied. In the case of major depressive disorder, for example, numerous options are available. In terms of pharmacotherapy,…
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5 Self-Soothing Techniques
Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. Self-soothing is defined as an individual’s efforts or capacity to calm themselves while in a state of emotional distress (Wright, 2009). It is a key aspect of well-being as it helps us stay regulated and calm (take the well-being quiz here to learn more about your well-being). We learn many of our self-soothing patterns…
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This Ad Is Going Viral For Its Important Message on Body Image
Dove released a 3-minute PSA examining the devastating impact social media can have on children as they develop their body image. Written by Rowan Lynam In a stunning 3-minute PSA for the Dove Self-Esteem Project, Dove examines the cost of toxic beauty standards on the mental health of developing minds. The video emphasizes the cascading…
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Alexander Ludwig Celebrates Being 5 Years Sober with Emotional Post: ‘I Had an Issue’
Anna Lazarus Caplan – People.com “I had an issue and a problem that needed to be fixed,” the Heels actor said in a candid video over the weekend Alexander Ludwig is celebrating five years of sobriety. The Heels actor, 30, marked the milestone in a video posted on social media Sunday. “It’s pretty crazy to me that five years ago to the day,…
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The Culture Of Drinking On St. Patrick’s Day And Staying Sober In Recovery
Spring Hill Recovery Center Millions of people drink (namely beer) on St. Patrick’s Day every year, which began as a day to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. People in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction can pursue sobriety by participating in non-alcohol-related activities and getting outside support. St. Patrick’s Day is one…
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Teen Substance Use
Danielle M. Dick, Ph.D. I direct one of the largest addiction research centers in the country, and I study substance use in adolescence. Here’s what every parent needs to know about adolescent substance use: 1. Adolescence is the time when most kids initiate substance use. It’s when they establish regular patterns of use, that many start to experience…
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Generative AI Could Help Solve the U.S. Mental Health Crisis
Ashley Andreou & ChatGPT At ten years old, I considered I, Robot a scary movie. To this day, it lives on as a flashbulb memory in my mind—loss of control and existential threat don’t sit well with me. A similar uneasiness took hold when I recently read the news: ChatGPT can handle questions on the US medical licensing exam…