
Veteran Suicide: Prevention, Causes, and Resources for Seeking Help
Every day, an average of 16 veterans die by suicide. This is well above the national civilian average and an unmistakable sign that more needs to be done to support the mental health of veterans. Effective veteran suicide prevention, however, requires a multi-faceted approach that takes into account, not just the unique challenges that veterans …

Overcoming Stigma: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic’s Unique Impact on the Black Community
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a significant concern in the United States, affecting people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, races, and nationalities. However, the opioid epidemic has had a disproportionate impact on the black community, making it a crucial topic for discussion and a chance to combat associated stigmas. The opioid crisis has become a true …

Treating Trauma: How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is becoming more and more common in treating a variety of psychological disorders, particularly those with a trauma component, and it’s common for people considering treatment to wonder: How does EMDR work? The simplest way to explain EMDR is that it’s a specialized psychotherapy that utilizes bilateral …

3 Tips for Setting Healthy Boundaries with Family During Holidays
If your big wish this year is to figure out how to set healthy boundaries with family during holidays and seasonal get-togethers, you’re not alone. For many, the holidays come with as much stress as they do joy, especially regarding family. And for those in recovery, family drama or overbearing loved ones may present added …

Know the Warning Signs of Substance Use in Teens this Holiday Season
The signs of substance use in teens can be challenging to spot, especially if it’s an issue you’ve never found yourself facing before. However, while parenting children and teens may come with many unknowns, the more information you can gather, the easier it will be to identify when something isn’t quite right. Substance use disorder …

Mental Health is Not a Costume
by Tanya Ruhl Looking around this past Halloween, we have all seen them, the strait jackets, the masks with the bars over the mouths so you can’t be bitten, even the outfits that say psych ward with a patient number on them. Every year these costumes come out, but that’s not all. We even have …

National Recovery Month: Celebrating Successes in Mental Health & Substance Use Recovery
We spend a lot of time focused on the struggles that come along with mental health and substance use disorders, but during National Recovery Month, we’re taking a different approach and recognizing and honoring those who have come through on the other side. At Retreat, we see firsthand just how difficult it can be to …

Reducing Stigma on International Overdose Awareness Day
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day – a global event dedicated to increasing education on the realities of drug overdoses and reducing the stigma of substance use disorder. It is also the kick-off to National Recovery Month, which takes place every year in September. There were nearly 92,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in …

Back to School Tips for Parents
School and mental health are closely intertwined, yet back-to-school tips for parents and teachers often fail to address the ways that you should monitor and manage mental health conditions that develop in children and teens. Acknowledging these in students is instrumental in providing youth with the support they need to have a healthy and productive …

Why is World Hepatitis C Day Celebrated?
World Hepatitis Day, also World Hepatitis C Day, is a global event celebrated on July 28th. And while the event’s primary goal is to spread awareness about the various forms of the hepatitis virus—including the hepatitis C virus (HCV)—it also marks an occasion to honor the achievements made in hepatitis research and treatment. Nearly 58 …
Welcome to Our Mental Health & Substance Abuse Blog
Our blog is designed to be a resource for patients, families, and the general public to learn more about substance abuse and mental health, including signs & symptoms of addiction, research into these illnesses, and how to build the support network you need to overcome these challenges.
We hope that these posts will help open up the conversation about mental health and addiction recovery, including difficult topics that don’t get discussed nearly enough. If you are suffering from a mental illness, know that you are not alone, and that support and solidarity is out there.
What You’ll Find on Our Substance Abuse, Mental, and Behavioral Health Blog
The substance abuse, mental health, and behavioral health blog is here to help readers understand more about a range of topics related to behavioral and mental health treatment, associations, substance abuse and statistics. From our blogs about addiction to our personal stories and up-to-date news posts, you’ll find a wide variety of articles all aimed at helping spread awareness and lifting the veil on topics that we all should be discussing more. We hope that you find this information helpful.