The Transition House Blog

Celebrating the holidays can be difficult when you are grieving the loss of a loved one. The influx of grief this time of year is a common reason many people seek the help of a therapist. Grief typically surfaces around Thanksgiving and continues to build throughout the holiday season.

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but if you cope with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social anxiety, the holidays can be particularly stressful. Managing your expectations, celebrating responsibly, knowing your limits, and seeking the support of trusted family and friends are a few of the ways you can manage holiday stress.

Small, healthy habits can have a positive impact on your mental health. A daily practice of expressing gratitude can improve your emotional and physical health, and even positively affect your self-esteem and build resilience.

Consider this: 1 in 5 Americans experience a mental health condition each year. This ranges from common anxiety disorders to more serious conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Depending on the diagnosis, symptoms may be temporary and subside over time. However, a more serious diagnosis may require treatment such as therapy and medication to help manage symptoms. Treatment can last for a few weeks or months, and may even span an entire lifetime.

Seeing a loved one struggling with drug addiction and alcohol dependence is difficult. It’s normal to feel lost, disappointed, or frustrated. However, if you have a healthy family dynamic, having your support can go a long way in the recovery process. Talking about addiction in your family can help address the presence of a substance abuse disorder, potentially lead to treatment, and provide your loved one with much-needed support throughout their recovery.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with substance abuse, what can be done to help? The decision to seek treatment for alcohol or drug addiction is not always easy, but it is the first step towards a healthier life. With the right support and information, you will be better equipped to take the necessary steps to have a better life.

Your college years are an exciting time. For some, this means more independence, new friends, and potentially, a brand new city to explore. A significant life change like graduating high school and attending college can be stressful for any student, and being diagnosed with a mental illness could mean you’ll experience a unique set of challenges. However, managing a mental health condition in college is possible. With support and planning, college students with a mental health diagnosis can thrive. Here are the tools and information to help you do just that.

Mental health is a part of life, just like physical health. As your children get older, they may begin to have questions about mental health, especially if someone in your family has a diagnosis. Having an honest, age-appropriate conversation can help them navigate their curiosity and teach them how to make their own mental health a priority.

Each year, thousands of doe-eyed college freshmen will settle into their dorms anxiously awaiting their first moments of college life. College years are a transformative, exploratory time in a young adult's life. Parental influence is lessened and teens are given the opportunity to spread their wings.

For those suffering from opioid dependence or alcoholism, the road to recovery can be full of challenges. The good news is that you don't have to do it alone. There are addiction treatments that work and achieving recovery is possible. One treatment option  is medication assisted treatment (MAT) with Vivitrol. Vivitrol is a once-monthly medication that has been proven to be effective for treating alcohol and opioid dependence and can help prevent relapse after detox.