Kid Cudi
The rapper Kid Cudi is candid about his struggles with anxiety and depression. He first opened up about his mental health in 2016, when he wrote a letter to his fans saying he was attending treatment for anxiety and depression. In this letter, he said, “My anxiety and depression have ruled my life for as […]
What are the Links Between Depression and Alcohol Use?
Alcohol use disorder and depression often co-occur. People who are struggling with symptoms of depression may use alcohol to self-medicate. Then, chronic alcohol use can cause or exacerbate symptoms of depression. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, meaning it slows your system down and reduces stimulation. It interacts with—and throws off the balance of—various […]
Can Depression and Anxiety Co-Occur?
Depression and anxiety are separate mental health disorders, but they commonly co-occur. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an estimated 60% of those with anxiety also have depression, and that number is similar for those experiencing depression.[1] Depression and anxiety both also have a high co-occurrence with addiction. Anxiety and depression may […]
National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month. This campaign brings awareness to the need for affordable and accessible screenings for depression and other mental health disorders. All mental health disorders are treatable, but people need to have an accurate diagnosis in order to take steps towards recovery. Depression is common, both in America […]
Recent Review Measures Rates of Depression and Anxiety in Youth During COVID-19
A review published August 9th in JAMA Pediatrics aimed to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health in children and adolescents[1]. It evaluated the results of 29 studies including a total of 80,879 youth from around the world. This review found that 25.2% of youth worldwide (1 in 4) have experienced elevated depression […]
Maria Bamford
For years, comedian Maria Bamford has been making comedy about her mental health struggles. She has a (very funny) song about her compulsions, which are part of OCD. She has a whole YouTube series about living in her parents’ attic after a nervous breakdown.[1] She’s made comedy about her multiple stays in mental health treatment, […]
Coping With Anhedonia in Early Recovery
Drugs and alcohol interact with the brain’s reward circuit, which normally helps you experience pleasure from healthy rewards like eating, socializing, listening to music, or having sex. With chronic substance use, the brain adapts by lowering dopamine receptors and diminishing the reward system’s sensitivity. This is why in early recovery, some people experience anhedonia, the […]
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a drug used by physicians as an anesthetic. It is sometimes misused by people outside of a medical setting in order to get high. Ketamine is a dissociative, meaning that it makes people feel detached from reality. The colloquial phrase for this sense of disconnection is “falling into a k-hole.” This drug also […]
Sober Stories: Doug
What led you to get sober? The Drug Enforcement Administration, basically. I’d been drinking and drugging for about 30 years. The last two years, I was using crystal meth heavily. I had a $500 a day habit, and to keep that going I had to sell a lot of drugs. Eventually the DEA put me […]
What are the Types of Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that affects how you think, feel, and go about daily activities. Some symptoms include intense sadness, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, and lack of energy. There are several types of depression. Persistent depressive disorder is depression that lasts two years or more. Atypical depression, also called depression with atypical features, […]