Mental Health and Addiction - Causes

Can Sunshine Make You Depressed?

Does summertime make you sad? While most people welcome the warm weather, long days, and opportunities for outdoor activities, a small percent of the population feels depressed instead.

Is It OCD or Something Else?

One of the challenges in diagnosing mental health disorders is that symptoms of different diseases tend to overlap. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) are two related conditions that are easy to confuse.

The Truth About Cyber Support Groups

While talking to a trained mental health professional can be invaluable for many patients, nothing compares to talking to others who are going through the same experience. But can the Internet substitute quality interpersonal dialogue?

How to Adjust to Life Without Antidepressants

Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed medication in the country, so mental health experts are trying to understand if, when, and how patients should cease taking them. Here, a guide to the transition to life without depression medication.

How Your Work Schedule Affects Your Mood

Work in the United States has become a 24-hour phenomenon. Working irregular hours may also lead to a condition characterized by insomnia, excessive sleepiness during work, difficulties concentrating, headaches, and lack of energy.

The Facts about the FDA's Painkiller Abuse Strategy

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a new risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) to combat widespread prescription painkiller abuse. How will it impact patients who take prescription medications for chronic pain? Get the facts here.

How Does Stress Affect Your Brain?

You're a smart person. So why, when you're under the most stress, does it seem your brain shuts down and your intelligence disappears?

Could You Be a Hoarder and Not Know It?

The topic of hoarding might make good fodder for TV program ratings and mindless entertainment for viewers. But it's a real problem that affects real people. Is it possible that you're among the 15 million who suffer from it?

Could You Be Too Sensitive?

Being sensitive can be an admirable trait. However, if you're highly affected by other people's moods and actions, you could be too sensitive.

No More Depression Symptoms? Are You in the Clear?

Just because your symptoms are gone, doesn't mean your depression is. In fact, many relapse as soon as six months after treatment. Read on for triggers and preventative measures.

Could You Have Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe and chronic mental health condition that disrupts a person's ability to regulate their emotions. Read on to get the comprehensive information you need to navigate the condition.

4 Avoidable Depression Complications

Mental health disorders such as depression permeate every aspect of your life, and may cause a multitude of other complications, some of which are even life threatening. Most, however, are easily avoided.

Could You Have Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Do you tend to worry too much about everyday things, even when there's no real reason for worry? Do you have trouble relaxing, concentrating, or sleeping? Are you plagued with unexplained aches and pains? If you answered yes, you may be suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

What's to Blame for Your Bad Habits?

If you've struggled with giving up a bad habit, or trying to create a new one, don't be too hard on yourself; it's not a personal weakness or lack of self-control. Turns out, there's a whole science behind habit formation.

I think my partner is addicted to porn. What should I do?

Looking at pornography doesn't have to be a problem, but you do need to worry if it becomes uncontrollable, abusive, or detrimental to your intimate relationship.

7 Ways to Ensure You're Getting the Help You Need

Appropriate treatment not only makes you feel better and improves the quality of your life, it helps prevent a relapse in the future. Read on for 7 tips to guarantee you're receiving the treatment you need.

How to Prevent Lapses in Judgment

Has your unconscious come to surface and forced you into a sticky, embarrassing situation? If so, worry not. There are ways to bounce back.

An Expert Overview on Personality Disorders

Personality is a combination of thoughts and behaviors that are unique to each individual. It is the way everyone views the world and yourself. In general, individuals with personality disorders have different perceptions of life and thought processes.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Are You at Risk?

You may not realize that something as mundane as a car accident could put you at major risk for this disorder.

Polysubstance Dependence

In discussing substance dependence, most individuals focus on the use of only one substance at a time. On the other hand, some individuals do not have a drug of choice and will use any substance in order to achieve intoxication.

Does Anxiety Cause Joint Pain?

Joint pain may seem to naturally result from purely physical ailments such as arthritis, but there's significant evidence that joint pain can be caused or exacerbated by mental distress.

Gender Roles in Pain Medication Abuse

New research has now determined that men and women misuse pain medication differently.

Cocaine's Effect on the Mind

Forensic Psychologist Debra Warner, Psy. D. explores cocaine's effect on the psyche.

Is Addiction Hereditary?

Generally, society harshly judges people who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. We tend to assume these individuals have a character flaw or personality weakness. Addiction, however, is a very real and complex disease, just as heart disease is.

The Truth about Heroin Addiction

Users who inject the substance regularly over a long period of time are at risk for a number of other negative health effects.

Marijuana and Mental Health

While using, marijuana smokers can become irrational and behave erratically. Some users experience feelings of panic, anxiety or paranoia.

The Truth About Binge Eating

You ve probably heard of anorexia and bulimia, two widely recognized eating disorders. However, binge eating disorder is far more prevalent.

Marijuana: Its Effect on Schizophrenia

For several decades, researchers have associated pot (marijuana or cannabis) to an increased risk for developing schizophrenia, a severe and disabling brain disorder.

The Link between the Media and Substance Abuse

Research has demonstrated that substance abuse (illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco) is one of the most serious health problems in the nation. Here, the role the media plays in our understanding of substance abuse.

Will Ecstasy Work for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

You know it as the club drug. However, ecstasy may also play a role in treating a prevalent anxiety disorder called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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