The statistics are sobering and discouraging: about one-quarter of American women will become victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives, while one in eight will suffer from an addiction to drugs or alcohol. But these two problems should not be seen as entirely separate. In reality, the connection between substance abuse and…
Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a relatively rare mental health disorder that appears in some new mothers in the weeks immediately following childbirth. As the name of the disorder strongly implies, affected individuals develop symptoms of the mental state called psychosis, which can include both hallucinations and delusional thinking. Preexisting bipolar disorder is a known risk…
When a witness is asked to give testimony in a court trial, she s asked to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If she fails to do so and her dishonesty is discovered, she could be charged with perjury and be sent to prison herself. Fortunately, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies do…
We’ve all probably heard the expression “being in love with the feeling of being in love.” The feelings that people experience during the early stages of romance are extremely pleasurable. The rush of emotions, the sense of anticipation, racing heartbeat and so forth are practically intoxicating. Those intense feelings don’t last forever though and mature…
Eating disorders are a collection of mental health conditions characterized by a dysfunctional relationship between eating habits, body image and the beauty ideals of mainstream society. Two factors known to contribute to the development of these disorders are a negative attitude toward one’s body shape and size (body dissatisfaction) and an inability to accurately judge…
For some, the burden of caregiving can seem unbearable – whether you’re caring for an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s or parenting a child with cerebral palsy. It is, without question, a challenging way to live: attending to your loved one’s personal hygiene, going back and forth to doctor’s appointments, preparing meals and ensuring he or…
Ready to give rehab a try? Maybe it’s been quite a difficult struggle for you to get to this point. But if you have made the decision that getting clean and sober is definitely on your agenda, this is quite a singular accomplishment. Still, your motivation for recovery is faltering. Now is when the…
Having a baby is usually a joyous occasion. After a safe delivery, maternal instincts begin to grow. Bonding begins as a mother finally gets to hold her child in her arms and continues through each feeding, swaddling, and kiss goodnight. But some women cannot enjoy these wonderful new bonding emotions and, rather, find themselves drifting…
Munchausen syndrome is a mental health disorder characterized by either the exaggeration of existing health problems or the purposeful, false production of new health problems. It represents the most serious form of a group of conditions called factitious disorders. As a rule, people with Munchausen syndrome act out of a deep-seated need to receive attention…
One Alum’s Story of Learning to Live a Healthy Life Suzanne started using substances at the age of 12. That’s not the saddest chapter of her story. By the time she had reached her 20’s, she was drinking alcohol and abusing cocaine and had been in and out of several drug treatment facilities. Again, it…
