Age, Mental Health & Alcohol Use During COVID-19
Two new surveys by Preventive Medicine (Volume 145, April 2021, 106422), “aimed to examine whether age modified the association of anxiety and depressive symptoms with alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic”. Almost six-thousand people in the U.S. responded to their online questionnaires. Age, Mental Health and Alcohol Use 29% of respondents said they […]
Eating & Substance Use Disorders – Why They Coexist
Did you know that 50% of individuals who struggle with eating disorders also misuse alcohol or other drugs? This is a rate 5 times higher than the general population. Similarly, 35% of individuals who misused or were dependent on alcohol or drugs have also had eating disorders – a rate 11 times higher than […]
Working from Home – A Mental Health Battlefield
It’s almost always an uncomfortable experience to be at the whim of something out of our control. It leaves us feeling vulnerable, hopeful, and stressed all at once. Like most others, I had anticipated this COVID-19 situation would last a few months, maybe more. As we approach the year-mark since the first few cases […]
Mrs. D- From New Zealand with Love
One of the positives from the 2020 social distancing mandates was the development of new technology for making connections. Video conferencing tools made it possible to commune with far flung loved ones. And in the case of Sanford and Lotta Dann (known to many as Mrs. D), Zoom made it possible to “meet in […]
Raising Awareness – Mental Health Disorders in the Workplace
Feeling stress in the workplace since the pandemic began? You are not the only one. A recent Report from The Standard Insurance Company, says half of all workers are struggling with a mental health issue. And more than half say their mental health has been negatively affected during the pandemic. Additionally, work from […]
10 Reasons a Michigan Winter is Good for Your Health!
At the beginning of winter 2020, there is no question what was in the minds of Michiganders far and wide. After almost a year of isolation, distancing and COVID-19, we are heading into the months when we normally sequester. How are we going to handle this? And when the first snow fell in October […]
Breakthrough: Methamphetamine Use Disorder Medication
The New England Journal of Medicine (January 2021) has published the results of a successful clinical trial, using two approved medications for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder. There is currently no approved medication to treat addiction to methamphetamines. Behavioral interventions are the best available treatment at this time. Pharmacotherapy Treatment for […]
Practicing Self-Love – 3 Things I Love About Myself
When I wake up in the morning and take a long hard stare in the mirror I can easily list 3 things I dislike about myself. But when I try to list 3 things I love about myself, it gets a little more difficult. I never realized how often I put myself down or […]
Mixing Medications With Alcohol? Harmful Interactions by NIH
Since April of 2020 we have experienced a unique set of circumstances as relates to our physical and mental health. With the pandemic came physical distancing and isolation: a sense of being on our own to handle our problems. And with isolation came an increase in both the use of telehealth and the purchase […]
The (Sometimes Surprising) Milestones in Recovery
When we have a loved one who begins treatment for a disease, it is normal to want to know what to expect. Can we look forward to a cure or are we just trying to get more quality time? Will it be something they live with forever? How will we assess the effectiveness of […]
