Why Young Adults in Recovery Need a Fresh Start RecoveryBy Promises AustinAugust 3, 2017By Frank Sanchez, PhD, LMFT, Clinical Director, Promises Young Adults Program Maggie knew she needed help with her drug problem and advocated to be in rehab, but she was having extreme difficulty with her family members. There was a toxic relationship with her older sister. Her mother had severe mental health issues. Her father tried…
Anorexia: Are you Literally Dying to Feel in Control or Accepted? Eating DisordersBy Promises AustinJuly 31, 2017What psychology is at play in the eating disorder anorexia nervosa? A new movie called “To the Bone” starring Lily Collins seems to support the theory, somewhat tangentially, that anorexia involves a psychology of wanting to feel in control and accepted. As the anorexic starves herself, she overcomes temptation and achieves rigid control over her…
How to Know If You Have Borderline Personality Disorder & How Treatment Helps Borderline PersonalityBy Promises AustinJuly 28, 2017“I feel like I’m always making new friends or falling in love with a new guy, but then something goes really wrong in the relationship and they push me away. The people in my life are always either getting mad at me, breaking up with me or letting me down and I don’t know what…
What Happens When You Give up Alcohol … and When You Can’t Alcohol AbuseBy Promises AustinJuly 25, 2017When an occasional glass of wine with dinner or a couple of beers over the weekend turn into a few drinks per day or the occasional drinking binge, it may be time to consider giving up alcohol … especially if you have been dealing with too many hangovers and your drinking is starting to affect…
6 Ways Alcohol Ages You Alcohol AbuseBy Promises AustinJuly 24, 2017There are plenty of reasons to cut down on your drinking or give up alcohol — too many hangovers, a potential DUI and the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder loom large. Here is another one. Did you know that drinking alcohol can add years to your face and body? A new research study indicates that alcohol even ages you biologically at the cellular level
8 Early Signs You’re Developing an Alcohol Problem Alcohol AbuseBy Promises AustinJuly 21, 2017Having a drink with friends after work, a glass of wine with dinner or a few beers over the weekend is, for most people, part of “normal” life. Sometimes, though, casual or social drinking can develop into “problematic” drinking where life doesn’t feel right unless alcohol is involved. And, it can be tricky to know…
Books on Addiction: The 5 Best Books to Read Before Rehab Personal ResourcesBy Promises AustinJuly 20, 2017Going to rehab is a vital step to entering recovery and it helps to be prepared with inspiration and information. There are so many books on addiction yet the classics in this field are the ones people always return to for inspiration and understanding. Here are some of the drug addiction books that can help…
5 Ways Being Around Nature and Water Can Improve Your Mood Mental HealthBy Promises AustinJuly 19, 2017By Jody Trager, PhD, Program Director at Promises Malibu Vista I’m lucky to live on the West Coast because every day I can drive to the ocean and watch the waves roll in before beginning my busy day. Studies show it’s healthy to be near the coast. It’s soothing and inspiring and I find it…
How Exercise Helps Treat Body Image Issues Eating DisordersBy Promises AustinJuly 18, 2017“You can never be too rich or too thin” said Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” said Kate Moss, international supermodel. Such statements from iconic and famously slender women have become a kind of mantra for generations of women, who often develop low self-esteem and body image issues if…
Cocaine and the Nervous System CocaineBy Promises AustinJuly 11, 2017Commonly known as “coke,” “blow” and “snow,” cocaine is a drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. It can be used medically as a topical anesthetic, but is most widely used recreationally as a stimulant. When used for recreational purposes, cocaine is typically sold in powdered form, which is snorted or burned and…
