Holidays, Relationships, and Alcohol – Best of Excursions
There is a phenomenon that occurs at Sanford Behavioral Health after a holiday: website traffic increases, and phone calls surge. Our most viral articles about holidays, relationships, and alcohol misuse are accessed from the recesses of our blog. Why? The downtime, family time, and festivities around holidays often illuminate problems with drinking and fissures in […]
9 Tips for Recovering Families – Letting Go this Summer
As the 4th of July weekend comes to an end, many of us look forward to enjoying the summer holidays with sun, water fun, and gatherings with loved ones. However, it’s essential to be mindful of the unique challenges that recovering families managing substance use disorders may face during this time. The festivities, which often […]
4 Summer Addiction Triggers to Avoid
Addiction recovery presents challenges and obstacles, especially in the early days and perhaps surprisingly in summer. Anyone who is trying to make a significant life change may experience relapse triggers that arise unexpectedly. A trigger is an emotional, environmental, or social situation that evokes memories of past drug or alcohol use, threatening to weaken one’s […]
Surgeon General’s Warning – Social Media is Hazardous to Mental Health
In a recent New York Times Guest Essay, United States Surgeon General Vivek K. Murthy announced he would call for a warning label on social media platforms. The goal is to increase awareness that social media has not yet been proven to be safe. A surgeon general’s warning label is similar to those on alcohol […]
5 Questions for Sanford Founder Rae Green on Body Acceptance
Body acceptance, body neutrality, body positivity – these phrases are often interchanged but mean different things. Body positivity means loving your body as it is; body neutrality focuses on what the body can do. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), “body acceptance includes body positivity, body neutrality, and body liberation—for all.” Today, we […]
What are the 5 Most Common Eating Disorders?
First, eating disorders are complex conditions that can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or body types. They are marked by a range of unhealthy eating behaviors and attitudes, often stemming from a combination of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors. Sanford Behavioral Health Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (Sanford CTED) provides dedicated […]
What Motivates Someone to Choose a Helping Profession? Limelight Interview
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), helping professions are “jobs or positions that offer health and education services to individuals and the community.” Helping jobs are often motivated by a desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Today in the Limelight Interview, we discuss the role of helping others with Sanford […]
Does Virtual Treatment for Mental Health Conditions Work?
Recently, Sanford Behavioral Health opened its virtual intensive outpatient program for primary mental health conditions. This means individuals with anxiety and depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and other mental health conditions learn coping skills in the privacy of home. Programs are trauma-focused, and we utilize the primary therapeutic intervention for these […]
Do Men and Women Crave Alcohol Differently?
There has long been a complicated relationship between alcohol drinking and stress. On the one hand, alcohol has anxiety-reducing properties and can actually relieve stress. However, alcohol also acts as a stressor, activating the sympathetic (stress response) nervous system. Stress is also associated with poor outcomes or relapse for those in treatment and recovery, […]
5 Summertime Tips for Long-Term Recovery
Like the line from Coleridge’s poem, water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink, summer feels like alcohol, alcohol everywhere. It seems unfair to those in long-term recovery, but summer vacation and boating equal drinking and partying for many. Additionally, Michigan summer fun is fleeting, so there is a sense of urgency. Many of the […]
