It’s prohibitively difficult to access mental-health services in rural America. That’s because, relative to urban areas, rural counties have so few mental-health professionals. The majority of nonmetropolitan counties in the U.S. don’t have a psychiatrist, and almost half lack a psychologist. The paucity has resulted in a public-health crisis—rural Americans suffering from a psychiatric condition…
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Tips for Protecting Your Sobriety during the Holidays and Preventing Relapse Seven tips for staying sober, preventing relapse and avoiding the holiday blues ‘Tis the season of glad tidings and good cheer, but for people in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction, the holidays can be an especially trying time to stay healthy and sober.Unrealistic…
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Not sure how to celebrate Halloween sober? We’ve got tips on how to make sure your recovery comes first on October 31st. If you’ve been sober, whether for a long period of time or a short while, you’ve likely had to deal with facing a holiday while in recovery. Doing so can feel like an…
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Sean Romin, left, an addiction specialist who’s been clean for 15 years, speaks with Michael Welch in downtown Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) Column: Meth addiction is an epidemic, and it’s complicating the homeless relief effort By STEVE LOPEZ COLUMNIST JUNE 29, 2019 5 AM She was ravaged by drugs, a young…
DetailsHolidays can bring up triggers for addicts and alcoholics, especially those new in recovery. Being around family if you’re really healthy or have long-term recovery can also be challenging. Why? Because it’s often the case that an addict isn’t the only one in the family with our particular DNA, and also there’s an amount of…
Details5 Ways to Get Mentally Healthier for the Holidays by Dr. Benjamin Be friendly…to yourself Remind yourself that other people have the same problems that you do Always remember that you are not defined by your problems Get enough sleep Exercise If you visit your primary care doctor, they will tell you about things that…
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Sept. 21, 2017 “Are all Rehabs the Same?” Wellness in Treatment If you think that all rehabs are the same, then you are mistaken. Some people know this from firsthand experience after being at more than a few treatment centers. However, if you are a first time client, or a loved one looking for the…
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How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System? Methamphetamine is used by over a million Americans every year according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It is a highly addictive stimulant that has grown in popularity in recent decades, and can cause lasting side-effects. Like many other stimulants, meth leaves the body…
DetailsPositivity is crucial to recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. But what is it? First, it’s a quality of hope, that maybe I can live a substance-free life. Maybe I can make it through a day without drinking or drugging. Just entertaining that hope takes a lot of courage. After all, by the…
DetailsUnderstanding Polydrug Use Although we may think of addiction in terms of a single drug or substance like opioids, cocaine, or alcohol, many addicts have what is known as polysubstance dependence. Polydrug use refers to the use of multiple drugs at a time. Especially common among younger populations, taking more than one drug at a…
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