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The Link Between Depression and Insomnia

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Medically reviewed by Dr. Mark Hrymoc, M.D.
man experiencing symptoms of depression and insomnia

There is a clear link between depression and insomnia. The Sleep Foundation reports that 80% of people with depression experience insomnia. At the same time, 40% of those with insomnia report having depressive symptoms. The connection between sleep and mental health is undeniable. For example, sleep disturbances are a symptom of depression, or sleep deprivation can trigger the onset of depression.  Other reports on mental health and sleep claim that people with depression who improve their sleep quality also improve their mental health. Information like this makes you question which comes first, depression or insomnia. The answer varies depending on individual risk factors. To learn more about the link between your depression and insomnia, learn as much as possible about each separately. What is Depression? The American Psychiatric Association defines depression as a mood disorder that makes people have persistent sad feelings. Sadness sticks around for two weeks or longer …

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Anger Management Therapy

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anger management

By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is anger? Anger is, at its core, a very normal and human emotion. It is important to distinguish that we all experience anger and that it is okay. Anger can serve as data that something is making us uncomfortable, crossing our boundaries, or impeding on our sense of wellbeing.  Anger can be warranted, but sometimes it clouds our judgment. When we get angry, our nervous system is sent into fight mode as a result of perceived threat. Perceived threat could be an insult thrown our way or a wrongdoing directed towards us. When our nervous system is in fight mode, our amygdala is activated more than our prefrontal cortex; the prefrontal cortex is responsible for calculated decision making, understanding of long term consequences, and judgment (American Addiction Centers, 2022).  When angry, you may “see red” or get “tunnel vision.” You may experience rapid heart rate …

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The Helpful Benefits of Therapy for Addiction Treatment

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therapy for addiction treatment

Medically reviewed by Mark Hrymoc MD Are you struggling to maintain sobriety? If so, you may be interested in exploring the benefits of exploring therapy for addiction treatment. Addiction is a brain disorder for which a person has overwhelming urges to repeat specific actions, even though doing so leads to negative consequences personally, professionally, academically, or socially. Having an addiction means your brain has been altered by alcohol or drug misuse to the point that it cannot function appropriately. Your brain is convinced it needs substances to survive, which keeps you in the cycle of seeking, misusing, and recovering. Currently, over 21 million Americans have a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, less than 15% seek treatment. Therapy is one of the most effective forms of therapy for addiction treatment. What is Therapy for Addiction Treatment? Psychotherapy or therapy for addiction helps you stop misusing alcohol or drugs. It teaches you how …

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Celebrating Black History Month 2023

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anger management

By Ashley Barnes   About Black History Month. Black History Month celebrates and honors Black communities’ contributions to American culture. February is National Black History Month. This year’s theme, “Black Resistance,” focuses on “Black Americans’ efforts to advocate for dignified, self-determined lives within our democratic society, while bringing attention to their achievements” (Postell, 2023). However, we also want to emphasize the importance of celebrating and honoring Black communities daily, not just during the month of February.  Celebrating Black Mental Health Professionals. The following individuals are merely some Black mental health professionals who’ve made profoundly positive impacts on the mental health field: Bebe Moore Campbell – an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who “worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities. She founded NAMI-Inglewood in a predominantly Black neighborhood to create a space that was safe for Black …

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Supporting Transgender Youth Mental Health

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anger management

By Ashley Barnes, M.S.   Transgender identity. Transgender individuals are those whose sex assigned at birth does not completely align with their current gender identity; it is important to note that the identities of transgender and nonbinary are not always mutually exclusive (Price-Feeney et al., 2020). People who identify outside of the gender binary and who may or may not also identify as transgender are non-binary individuals. Non-binary gender identity can include identifying as neither male nor female, both male and female or as different genders at different times. (Richards et al., 2016). Risk Factors. While the LGBTQ+ community is often lumped together as one large unifying group, it incorporates sub-communities and identities with vastly different experiences; one such sub-community with its own unique experience is the trans-community. Though the larger LGBTQ+ community experiences stigmatization and discrimination on social and political levels, research has identified solemn truths about some of …

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