Mental Health

Caregiving for Someone Recovering from Addiction and Mental Illness

Mental Health / Matthew Beck B.A, M.A, LMFT

Just as a person’s substance addiction may impact a family’s everyday life and social relationships, recovery from addiction concerns families and communities. Lack of family support can create a gap in care for recovering individuals. In situations when a relative needs to step in as a caregiver for someone recovering from addiction, they must understand […]

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Self-Discovery During the Arduous Journey of Recovery

Mental Health / Matthew Beck B.A, M.A, LMFT

Recovery from substance addiction is not just hard work; it’s also an arduous and sometimes confusing journey to find out who you are. If you have lived under the influence of drugs and alcohol for years, you may have lost touch with your true self. Entering detox treatment is the beginning of a self-discovery process

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Why Does Emotional Abuse Often Go Undetected?

Mental Health / Matthew Beck B.A, M.A, LMFT

Abuse is a common cause of many mental health problems. It is often a root cause of substance addiction. But we often hear people talking about physical and sexual abuse. Many forms of emotional abuse happen in people’s lives without them being aware of it. Emotional abuse may have long-term effects on one’s body and

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man in gray suit jacket holding white ceramic mug during family dinner

Family Dynamics and Triggers During the Holidays

Mental Health / Matthew Beck B.A, M.A, LMFT

Does the holiday season tend to bring you extra stress rather than joy? Do you fear emotional triggers during family reunions because of some strained relationships? Maybe you find this year’s holiday expectations particularly challenging if you have just entered early sobriety. The holidays might present many festive opportunities for drinking or peer pressures to

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How Do You Communicate Mental Health Needs in the Workplace?

Mental Health / Matthew Beck B.A, M.A, LMFT

Mental health challenges are worsening in workplaces, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Take depression for example. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that depression causes 200 million lost workdays each year, costing employers a total of between 17 and 44 billion dollars. Unfortunately, the prevalence of mental health problems is underrepresented because of

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What is the Wall Stage in Recovery?

Mental Health / Laguna Shores Staff

Scientists and counselors often used a life course paradigm to categorize the entire spectrum of recovery into five stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. However, within the action stage, when you enter into treatment, this part of recovery can also break down into four additional stages: withdrawal, honeymoon, the wall, and adjustment. Among these,

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What Are the 5 Stages of Recovery?

Mental Health / Laguna Shores Staff

Addiction recovery is a long journey. It is certainly not a linear process but rather one with bumps along the way. Based on research and holistic treatments, generally, there are a few distinct stages to address challenges in recovery. They are known as “the stages of recovery.” These stages help highlight the different factors that

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a family walking together holding hands at the sidewalk

Breaking Generational Dysfunction

Mental Health / Laguna Shores Staff

Families are places where loving relationships and trust are meant to flourish. However, in reality, destructive patterns abound in families, and some get passed down from one generation to the next. Tragically, dysfunction in one generation can beget dysfunctions in the next. Unfortunately, the human community continues to produce fractured families. However, this does not

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Emotional Flatness: How to Restore Your Emotions

Mental Health / Laguna Shores Staff

Do you remember a time when life used to feel like a rainbow full of bright colors? Or sometimes it can also feel like a roller coaster ride with emotional ups and downs. Have you noticed that your current emotional life is in a different place than before? Instead of experiencing the natural, exciting waves

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