The One-Hour-Per-Week Therapy SessionTherapiesBy PromisesJanuary 10, 2015Therapy has become almost commonplace in the modern era, at least throughout the developed world. As therapy has become run-of-the-mill, the one-hour-per-week therapy session has become standard along with it. Given the dominance of the one-hour weekly session, it is somewhat surprising that there is so little in the way of actual scientific basis for… Details
5 Addictive Fast Food IngredientsEating DisordersBy PromisesJanuary 10, 2015Do you find yourself unable to avoid pulling into a fast food drive-in for lunch? Can you barely resist the urge to get a donut with your coffee? Have you stopped keeping chips in the house because you can’t control how many you eat in one sitting? If you can say yes to these questions,… Details
Trauma: How to Move Beyond Survival ModePTSD & TraumaBy PromisesJanuary 8, 2015Truly traumatic events put our brains and bodies in survival mode. It is an automatic response to something traumatic and life-threatening. The problem is that many people who have experienced trauma continue to live in survival mode. They may think they have overcome the trauma, but the brain is still operating on that base level… Details
Why the Culture of Shaming Must EndMental HealthBy PromisesJanuary 8, 2015Unless you don’t use social media, you have seen the many ‘shaming’ memes and pictures across all social platforms. These are the posts that shame someone doing something considered wrong or someone who has certain unacceptable attributes. Sometimes the shaming is funny and largely innocent, such as when pet owners shame their naughty dogs with… Details
What Is the Overlap Between Eating Disorders and Body Dysmorphic Disorder?Eating DisordersBy PromisesJanuary 8, 2015Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition that causes affected individuals to negatively focus their attention on minor or nonexistent “flaws” in their physical appearance. The American Psychiatric Association classifies the condition as a close relative of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). People affected by eating disorders also commonly have fixations regarding their appearance, but… Details
Internet Addiction Linked to Other Mental Health ProblemsOther AddictionsBy PromisesJanuary 2, 2015Internet addiction is an unofficially defined condition centered on dysfunctional use of the Internet while doing such things as browsing or playing games. The American Psychiatric Association is currently reviewing the evidence required to fully establish the criteria for this condition. Research indicates that substantial numbers of people potentially affected by Internet addiction also have… Details
Facing Fears in Addiction RecoveryRecoveryBy PromisesJanuary 2, 2015Getting sober can be a scary experience. In order to live a life that doesn’t include drugs or alcohol, you have to give up the substances that have been giving you at least some degree of relief from the uncomfortable feelings that often happen in life. You may also have to give up habits, such… Details
Letting Go of Old Ideas in Addiction RecoveryRecoveryBy PromisesJanuary 1, 2015As an alcoholic or addict, you probably know that your own choices and thinking got you in a lot of trouble and, eventually, to the halls of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Recovering from active addiction requires changing the unhealthy thoughts that led you to drink, drug and make other bad choices. It requires that… Details
Post-Traumatic Growth: Healing From PTSDPTSD & TraumaBy PromisesDecember 30, 2014Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been part of the therapeutic lexicon since the 1980s, when PTSD was added to the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a response to the biological, psychological, and social impact of catastrophic events such as war, rape, natural disasters and surviving prisoner-of-war or concentration… Details
Dual Diagnosis: PTSD and Substance AbusePTSD & TraumaBy PromisesDecember 26, 2014After a break-in and assault, a young woman self-medicates with prescription drugs. But not even the increasingly large amounts of narcotics can ease her anxiety. Sidney had been like most of the young women attending her prestigious women’s college; she was wide-eyed, eager and intellectually curious. Her parents described her as someone who “lit up… Details
