Educational Resources

As we age, there are many chronic conditions that we become more susceptible to such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and more. What is surprising is that substance abuse is also a fast-growing concern among older adults, though the problem is still largely invisible to the health care industry. From 1997 to 2004, 14.5% of drinkers 60 years of age and older were consuming alcohol above the recommended limit set by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [1]. When factoring in chronic conditions, 53.3% of persons in the U.S. over 65 years of age who consume alcohol are…

The addictive and destructive nature of Adderall is downplayed or dismissed because it is a popular prescription drug. With a high potential for addiction, the nonmedical use and abuse of Adderall is giving rise to a potential new drug abuse crisis, one with disturbing similarities to the current opioid epidemic. What Is Adderall? Adderall is a prescription stimulant drug that has also been increasingly used illegally since its introduction to the market as an orally administered pill in 1996. When prescribed correctly, the drug is intended to treat symptoms of narcolepsy and allow persons with ADHD to increase attention span…

Just as veterans suffered undiagnosed from PTSD before it was recognized as a psychiatric disorder, so now is a new potential diagnosis working its way more into the mainstream – moral injury. Today, both traumas are recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Still, the difficulty in diagnosing moral injury leads it to be categorized among the 8 million adult PTSD cases diagnosed each year in the United States. Understanding the differences between the two, along with the need for treatment, is crucial to the overall health of our society. What Is Moral Injury? The term “moral injury” was coined by Dr….

This year, the main focus of National Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 06 – 12) is to end mental illness stigma. The stigma around mental illness can be described as the negative judgement that people suffering from a mental condition feel from others. This week organizations across the country are working to dispel misconceptions about mental illness and instead open up a dialog with friends and family that creates an environment of empathy and support. What is Mental Illness Stigma?  The stigma around mental illness is knowing that some people, including friends and family, think that anyone suffering from a…

Millions of people lose loved ones to addiction-related suicide every single year. Feelings of depression, hopelessness, and despair can overwhelm a person so intensely that they don’t see a way out. Those feelings can be compounded by certain health conditions, circumstances, and even drug addiction. Addiction-related Suicide Support Groups can be the key to dealing with loss and reclaiming your self. When it comes to drug addiction, the media seems to focus more on the addiction itself, or on accidental overdoses. They rarely discuss drugs and suicide, which can be disheartening for those who have lost a loved one. Feeling…

It’s nearly impossible to find a life in the United States that the opioid epidemic hasn’t touched in some fashion. Sisters and brothers, parents and grandparents, friends and loved ones – the national opioid crisis spans people of all ages, income levels, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Until public health and government officials catch up with practical legislation and effective resources, families and communities need to do everything in their power to protect and assist those around them. The Opioid Epidemic: How Bad is It?  In short, bad. To put the opioid epidemic into perspective, deaths from drug overdoses have surpassed fatalities…

There’s no doubt about it: there will come a time in your life that certain obstacles will break you. A lot of experiences will shake you to your core and make you lose your ground. Meanwhile, these hard times are a common part of life but this doesn’t mean that dealing with them is easy. The unfortunate thing about this is the fact that not all people can cope on their own when they face severe problems. Furthermore, this is especially true to the vulnerable groups in communities such as the homeless, children, and adults with addictions. This fragility is…

We feel a deep responsibility to those who reach out to us as well as those who have graduated from our Behavioral Health Program (now called Integrative Health Services) — so we’ll never leave you where you are or abandon you. Even if we don’t offer the services you need, we’ll get you where you need to go to continue your journey with a warm handoff to the right resource. The bottom line is this: we’ll do everything within our ability to help you move toward living a more productive and purposeful life, driving your own car of life, so…