Schizophrenia is a serious and chronic mental health disorder that alters how someone thinks and feels in a way that can interfere with normal behavior. The onset of the illness can happen at any age, but the U.S. National Library of Medicine says signs most commonly start showing between the ages of 16 and 30, with men generally developing it in their late teens to early 20s and women in their late 20s to early 30s. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)… Continue Reading
Opiate Addiction: Side Effects and Treatment Options
Opiates come in a variety of types and with a variety of demons associated with abuse. If you suspect a loved one is suffering from opiate abuse, we recommend becoming informed on the treatment options available to them. How Opiate Addiction Destroys Families and Lives Addicts don’t wake up one day and decide to get themselves hooked on a substance that could potentially destroy every good thing they’ve ever had in their lives. For some, the addiction happens by accident,… Continue Reading
How to Help Someone Struggling with Addiction
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an addiction as “a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble).” Watching a friend or loved one struggle with their need to take something you know is detrimental to their life is painful. You love them. And you want to do anything you can to help them. Though our desire to help comes from a place of caring and concern, sometimes it can actually hinder the… Continue Reading
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
When you hear the words “bipolar disorder”, do you understand what they mean? We hear it in passing, usually from people who don’t really know what it is, when describing someone who might act like two different people at times. It seems to be used interchangeably with schizophrenia or having multiple personalities, but the three are not the same thing. Schizophrenia is a condition characterized by delusional thinking and hallucinations. Multiple personality disorder is an illness that makes a person… Continue Reading
The Increased Risk of Alcohol and Drug Abuse among Military Vets
It’s a bit of a Catch 22: being able to “hold your liquor” is the sign of a tough man, but turning to alcohol time and again to drown the pain of battle memories turns you into a shadow of a man. For male and female military personnel and veterans, there is an increased risk of alcohol and drug abuse for multiple reasons, including military culture and stress-related mental health issues such as PTSD. Male vets have always been far… Continue Reading
Depression in the Military
While suffering from depression is not a unique experience for people in any particular career, military personnel and their families are more susceptible to both depression and other issues such as PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and anxiety. The 2010 Medical Surveillance Report from the US Department of Defense reported that over 27% of military personnel who have lived in combat situations report having depression, and that doesn’t count the number of spouses and children of military personnel who also suffer from depression…. Continue Reading
Using Massage to Relieve Depression
Most people have had the blues along the way, but some people suffer from mild to severe depression, which can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain or feelings of hopelessness in the face of a stressful or traumatic situation—or both. When you are depressed, your body responds in many ways, including through a decrease in vitality of your organs and bodily systems as well as your posture. Depressive posture is a structural collapse that can increase with… Continue Reading
6 Ways to Cope With Military Spouse Suffering
One stays behind and the other enters a combat zone. For civilian spouses, the stress and anxiety of watching their military husband or wife or significant other suffer from depression, PTSD, and substance abuse brought on by the horrors of battle or the demands of military life can be overwhelming. You may be asking yourself how you can be supportive and what your role is within the relationship and your family. As the spouse, you could also be watching your… Continue Reading
