This is a big question for patients. It speaks to individual and societal expectations that we collectively heap onto medications. We see advertisements with happier faces after taking a specific drug, that we should “Talk to your doctor about.” We know of people who are taking antianxiety and antidepressant medications for mental health symptoms ranging…
Part 2: Observations from the therapy office In my last video and blog post, I discussed why the pandemic might be affecting teens’ mental health in unique ways. Here, I’d like to share some observations from working with teens’ during the pandemic – from the days of scrubbing groceries with Clorox wipes, to googling: “how…
Addiction affects the person with or recovering from a substance use disorder and the people in their lives. Family and friends want what is best for their loved ones, and it hurts them to see someone they care about struggle with addiction. It’s not always easy to figure out the best course of action when…
Part 1: Why is this affecting teens differently? Matt Christian, LCSW We’re now two years (and who knows how many variants) into this pandemic, and it’s been rough on us all. However, just as the risks from Covid itself are different for different age groups, the psychological and social effects have been different as well.…
One of the hardest things to do is stay sober during the pandemic. Addiction is a disease that puts individuals in recovery at a high risk of relapse. While many in addiction recovery already know to steer clear of emotional and physical triggers, the COVID-19 global pandemic has created new twists to maintain sobriety. Fortunately,…
Your mental health is far too valuable for a drive-through experience. For me to even have to say this is a sad sign of our times. Like my patients, I too have experienced the phenomenon of the production-line: prescriptions are rubber stamped with endless refills and the patient emerges from the appointment without feeling heard…
For a lot of people, a new year means a fresh start. Whether the goals are big or small, people everywhere are making new year’s resolutions. A common theme of these resolutions has to do with health. For some, that can mean changing your diet; for others, it can mean exercising more often. In some…