Many Americans struggle with alcohol. It’s legal and culturally accepted, often expected at weddings, Super Bowl parties, corporate-sponsored socials, and after-work unwinding at home. Not everyone abuses alcohol, but because it is legal and easily obtained, it can slowly become more prevalent. With increased use comes increased risk, including that of dependency and addiction. Frequent […]

When it comes to virtually any mental or behavioral health condition, people tend to have questions about the cause. Is anxiety genetic? What about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Genetic factors play a role in the development of many of these conditions. “How much” of the development of a condition is attributed to genetics vs. […]

When someone with alcohol dependence suddenly stops drinking, the body does not respond well to that decision. It registers it as a disruption: the central nervous system has adjusted its functioning to the constant presence of alcohol, and its reaction to the absence of that substance can become dangerous within hours. Understanding the alcohol withdrawal […]

People with addiction often wonder what creates the cycle. It’s common to have thoughts like, “How did I get here?” and “Why is it so hard to stop?” Many factors can influence the development of substance use disorders and feed addiction as time goes on. It’s not a matter of willpower. In many cases, low […]

People with ADHD are naturally wired to seek more dopamine. Differences in the brain cause the neurotransmitter not to bind to receptors properly, leading to challenges like trouble sustaining attention and a need for stimulation. Learning how to increase dopamine could help. What Dopamine Does in the Brain Dopamine affects how we think, move, feel, […]

Wet brain is the colloquial name for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a form of brain damage caused by severe thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. It occurs almost exclusively in people with chronic alcohol use disorder and encompasses two distinct but related conditions: Wernicke encephalopathy, an acute neurological emergency, and Korsakoff psychosis, a chronic memory disorder that develops when […]

Maybe you cut your food into smaller pieces than the situation really calls for. Maybe skipping a meal feels something like relief, and not skipping one feels something like guilt. Maybe you eat alone in the car, or in the bathroom, or while waiting for everyone else to fall asleep. And if someone asked how […]

There’s a very specific moment that many parents and patients describe in almost exactly the same way. The doctor, nutritionist, or psychologist says something like, “we should work on gradual food exposure,” and the mind goes blank. Or worse: that blank space fills with a frightening image. A child being forced to eat. Crying. Resistance. […]

Wanting to stop drinking is a genuine decision, and the impulse to do it directly, without intermediaries, can seem logical. If alcohol is the problem, one might think the solution is simply to stop drinking. The sooner, the better. No clinics, no processes, no paperwork. What people often don’t realize is that quitting alcohol cold […]

Delirium Tremens (DTs) comes with very intense mental and physical symptoms. It can be scary to watch. You will know that something’s wrong if you’re around someone with DTs, but you may not know what it is. You might be watching someone have a seizure, sweat more heavily than you’ve ever seen a person sweat […]