Right now, an estimated 144 Americans are dying every day from opioid overdoses. In June of this year, Middletown, Ohio, with a population of roughly 50,000 people, lost 51 of its residents to opioid overdose deaths. What if in one month, 51 people in your town disappeared? Imagine how much worse that is for a […]
“It’s not the end of the world” is a phrase so often used as words of comfort and reassurance, but sometimes it doesn’t quite work. Sometimes, when someone stops loving you, and you’re sitting on the floor hardly able to breathe, feeling like your life is crumbling around you, it really does feel like the […]
In a bold move last week, Google announced limits on addiction treatment ads citing personal safety. This announcement sheds light on an industry and a disease which unfortunately still carries much stigma in the minds of many. For most, when a loved one is sick, we seek the advice of doctors, family and our network […]
Many people who suffer from eating disorders have what is called a “harm avoidant” personality characterized by shyness, a fear of uncertainty, self-doubt, worry, pessimism, and neuroticism. Think of a time when you needed to be assertive and stand up for yourself. Maybe it was a boss asking you to stay late for the 4th […]
OPG’s Literature Review has an OPG staff member look at relevant and thought-provoking pieces of literature that pertains to Substance Abuse, Mental Health, Eating Disorders, or Autism and provides their opinion and perspective of the work. Today’s book is on the opioid epidemic and is entitled “Dreamland” authored by Sam Quinones. Working in substance use […]
It was a sweltering August day in Washington D.C as I walked through the campus of American University side-by-side with my first child who was embarking on her freshman year of college. I was trying to slow our pace as I knew the inevitable goodbye was about to come. Brewing were the same emotions I […]
I have struggled with sobriety for nearly half of my life. In my late teens and early 20’s, I started drinking just like everyone else was as we started college. I thought that my drinking was normal because I was constantly surrounded by friends and classmates who were partying just as much as I was. […]
Positive Relationships Increase Resilience and Decrease Stress Since we know that the brain can be trained through repetition to do helpful or harmful things, one way to combat stress and improve resilience in adolescents and adults is to maintain a positive relationship. “Good relationships increase optimism, self-esteem, and well being while supporting cognitive and emotional […]
Effective Communication for Change: Recognize Problem. Identify Cause. Dispense Solution. Rinse, lather, and repeat. For a lot of people, myself included at times; this process is automatic for the brain. Someone you love has a problem, you can identify that problem, and you feel the need to fix the problem or tell them how to […]
This is Part 1 of a two-part article on the effects of chronic stress and building resiliency against stress. Part one explores the physiological effects of chronic stress on the body and brain. Part 2 will discuss the role of resiliency in protecting against chronic stress and explore ways to build resiliency. Historical Presentation of […]
