How to Explain Depression to Someone That Doesn’t Understand It
Updated on 09/12/23 Content reviewed by Nicholas G. Glines Data from the CDC’s 2019 National Health Interview Survey shows that nearly five percent of adults aged 18 and over experienced regular feelings of depression in their daily lives. As depression affects thousands of people daily, it is important to understand the condition and how it […]
Defining Co-Occurring Conditions
Updated on 02/19/24 Content reviewed by Christian Losch, LCSW, LCADC Co-occurring disorders refer to the presence of both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder. Mental health disorders can be a contributing factor to the development of substance use disorders. Risk factors for developing these disorders overlap, including environmental and genetic factors. Effective […]
High-Functioning Depression and Substance Use Disorder
High-Functioning Depression and Substance Use Disorder Updated on 09/12/23 Content reviewed by Karen Rubenstein, LMFT, Chief Clinical Officer at Cliffside Malibu It may seem easy to spot the signs of depression in one’s self and others, but that is not always the case. A person struggling with depression is often assumed to appear lethargic and […]
Summer Is Over: Is Depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Setting In?
As the colder months begin, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may occur. If you are feeling depression setting in and it’s still warm outside, you might feel more anxious because the end of summer is supposed to be happy and energetic. However, the onset of a depressive disorder could occur at any point throughout the year, […]
Tips to Prevent Post-Therapy Depression
Updated on 4/13/2023 Depression is not uncommon in the days or weeks after you finish addiction treatment. After you’ve lived in an environment that’s structured, have been surrounded by supportive staff and were able to focus on your recovery, it’s normal to be overcome with a negative feeling when you go back to the “real […]
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: How it Relates to Substance Use
Updated on 3/8/2023 April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to open a dialogue and educate the community about sexual assault. This blog discusses the way traumatic events, such as sexual assault, can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol or drug use. It also discusses the psychological effects of sexual assault including anxiety, […]
What is Art Therapy?
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, and that’s especially true for art therapy. This unique form of therapy harnesses the power of creativity to help participants discover inner truths about themselves. It is much more than simply drawing on a piece of paper or playing a piece of music; in fact, there is […]
What Should I Treat First, Depression or My Addiction?
Depression and Addiction Throughout life, everyone has bad days and low moments. We all get into a “funk” or have times when we feel the blues. While this is a normal part of life and reaction to stress or traumatic events, depression is an entirely different thing. According to the American Psychiatry Associaton, Depression is […]
5 Underlying Reasons for Addiction
What Contributes to Addiction? Exploring 5 Root Causes Addiction always stems from a root cause, also known as one of the reasons for addiction. It is extremely important to treat both the root cause of the addiction in addition to treating the physical addiction itself. Staying sober involves much more than just detoxing from drugs […]
Suicide and Addiction
The Link Between Suicide and Addiction Addiction can cause a wide range of health problems. Not only can it deteriorate a person’s body physically, but it can make someone’s mental health much worse. This is because addiction stems from a root cause. Often, this root cause is a co-occurring mental health disorder, such as depression […]