Goals for the New Year

goals for the new year

Setting New Year’s resolutions is a tradition that dates back thousands of years. However, while anyone can create goals, the challenge lies in sticking to them. If you don’t set specific, realistically attainable resolutions, you could be positioning yourself for discouragement a few weeks or months from now. Healthy New Year’s resolutions are especially vital […]

Grief and Loss: Dealing With Sadness in Addiction Recovery

grief and loss

At any stage of your sobriety journey, practicing healthy coping strategies is a must for staying on track with your goals and preventing a relapse. The complexities of grief and loss can be challenging, whether you’ve been sober for a few months or several years. These emotions may be especially painful during the holiday season, […]

The Dangers of Recreational Drug Use

recreational drug use

For thousands of years, humans have used drugs like hallucinogens, alcohol and marijuana to achieve altered states of consciousness. Even today, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports an increase in illicit drug use, with more than 23 million Americans experimenting with recreational drugs every year. While you may assume it’s safe to use drugs […]

Holiday Events in Long Beach

holiday events

Long Beach is a vibrant community all year long, but the holiday season brings opportunities to create new memories while enjoying the company of caring friends and family. After the COVID-19 pandemic caused so many people to cancel or curtail their holiday plans in 2020, many of us are looking forward to participating in beloved […]

Polysubstance Abuse

polysubstance abuse

Addiction is a complicated, chronic illness involving various components, including heredity, environment and the presence of co-occurring mental health disorders. If these factors combine to heighten your risk of developing a substance use disorder, you should also be concerned about the potential for polysubstance abuse. While most people understand the dangers of drugs like opioids […]

Are There Different Types of Depression?

depression

Depression is an illness that can take multiple forms. If you have depression, your symptoms can also wax and wane over time and occur alongside other mental health conditions such as anxiety. While everyone feels down in the dumps sometimes, depression is a lingering, intense sadness that can take the joy out of life and […]

Celebrating World Mental Health Day

celebrating world mental health day

This Sunday, Oct. 10, is World Mental Health Day – an observation of worldwide mental health issues and their effect on people’s overall well-being. Despite the prevalence of disorders like anxiety and depression, we still have a long way to go to fight the stigma associated with these illnesses and educate people about available treatments. […]

Transitional Living: What You Need to Know

transitional living

September is National Recovery Month, an observation of people who are working to achieve lifelong freedom from substance abuse, the cutting-edge therapies that are helping them live their best lives and the treatment professionals who make ongoing progress possible. Transitional living has been a beneficial part of continuing care for many people who complete a […]

How to Overcome Fear

overcoming fear

Fear is a complex emotion that can leave you feeling trapped and limit your life in various ways. For example, if you are afraid of traveling, you might eventually reach a point where you are unwilling to leave your home. Or, a fear of meeting new people could cause you to miss out on job […]