Anhedonia is defined as the inability to feel pleasure while partaking in pleasurable activities. Anhedonia is linked to several mental disorders and is considered one of the core features of depression. If you see signs that you or your loved one no longer feels pleasure, even while doing the activities, hobbies, and having the experiences…
Mental health is our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Everyone has mental health, even those who don’t have mental health disorders. It is a broad term to refer to how we think, feel, and relate to others. Mental health can change over time, and a person can experience poor mental health without having a mental…
For some people, winter can be a hard time in recovery. Besides the holidays—which can be stressful—the days getting shorter and darker can be hard. Everything about winter feels slower, so finding motivation to make changes can be a challenge. However, there are a lot of benefits to getting—or just being—sober in the winter. While…
Social skills training is a type of therapy that helps people with mental health and developmental disorders improve social functioning. It helps them build communication and listening skills, as well as work through anxiety about social interactions. In social skills training, the therapist will ask you which social situations you find most challenging, and which…
For many, holidays are an exciting time, full of lots of parties and family traditions. For others, however, these can be moments that evoke stress, trepidation, and social anxiety. While it is normal to feel a bit anxious about meeting new people, feeling uneasy in such everyday situations can indicate a problem. When the thought…
Recovery is not just about physical sobriety. It’s a lifelong process of healing mentally, emotionally, and physically. It means addressing the reasons you drank or used in the first place, and learning how to cope with the ups and downs of life sober. Many of us in recovery find that even when we take away…
At over six years sober, I’ve found that one of the most challenging—and rewarding—parts of recovery is learning to sit with feelings sober. So many of us with addictions get used to numbing or distorting our feelings. During active addiction, we used drugs or alcohol to do this, but even in sobriety we can rely…
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…
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…
If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction or mental health disorders, you probably want to learn more about these topics. Doing so can help you figure out the next steps for yourself, or better support your friend or family member. There is so much content available online, but not all of it…