Many adults struggle with mental illness in the workplace but are not sure how to share this with their bosses. Mental health issues still come with stigma and challenges associated with sharing it widely with family and loved ones. When it comes to sharing the struggle, there are some tips to make it a more smooth dialogue with a boss.
A loved one can struggle with both mental health issues and addiction at the same time. This is known as a co-occurring disorder. There are many reasons a loved one will refuse treatment or support. Having bipolar disorder causes depression and mania. Without properly managed psychologically or psychiatric care, they are not likely to trust or be willing to open up to treatment for the condition. Getting help for them can be a challenge, but is not impossible with the right tools.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be a tough diagnosis to have for people who struggle with the symptoms. They often turn to drugs or alcohol as a means of coping. People with BPD have a perceived rejection or failure that triggers lasting states of depression, anger, or anxiety. They may be difficult to be around, especially if they struggle with addiction on top of this mental health disorder. It is difficult to notice this in the self or a loved one. The best way to cope is to find support from professionals who understand and can offer guidance on living with the diagnosis and working to become stronger every day.
Panic attacks can be disconcerting when they pop up. They might feel like a person is dying and cannot breathe. To get past this, it takes some positive thinking, strategy, and strong psychotherapy to support a person getting through the irrational thoughts that cause stress. The aim is to prevent excessive up-regulation where the sympathetic nervous system pushes a person into a state of panic. If fully activated, this system can override the sympathetic system and stop it from getting too panicked. Learn more about how to navigate panic attacks and find some support.
Social anxiety threatens people’s sense of self, whether it be their concept of how they see themselves in the world or how they perceive the world around them. It can be classified as social phobia, listened in the DSM for mental health professionals. A person must have ongoing fears of one or more social situations that involve exposure to people they don’t know or possible social judgment. Their anxiety always arises in response to social scenarios, is either avoided with intense distress or avoids situations due to significant functional impairment. Find out what the symptoms of social anxiety disorder are and how to support a loved one who wants to be free of anxiety in social settings.
People who work in hospitality often serve long hours, work almost every day of the week and have to put up with less than ideal working conditions. Finding a way to help release stigma around mental health issues is challenging when it is embedded in an entire culture or way of life. With intentional movement, mental health stigma in the industry can change, but it starts with recognizing the reality of mental health issues among people in hospitality and how to handle this for loved ones struggling.
The reason mental health issues rise up for people is that they only get half the treatment they need. Depression and anxiety disorders are the leading cause of ill health and disability. Service workers in the hospitality and restaurant industry are more susceptible to developing and succumbing to mental illness than workers in salaried industries. Illicit drug use is higher there than any other sector. While the factors leading to these disparities are not clear, the odd hours, scheduling, low wages, lack of benefits, high turnover, and other issues may play a role. Many people are having trouble getting benefits and full-time hours. People are living more on the margins and struggling with making ends meet with a string of part-time jobs.
The industry is working towards ending silence on mental health issues in the industry. There are programs that are developing standards to identify signs of mental health distress while at work for people in hospitality. Peer mentors are identifiable in the restaurants they work in for one program so people can check-in with them and support their journey of healing. Mental health issues left unchecked can lead to tragic circumstances. This includes addictive behaviors, among other things. Some of the things they are fighting for to make this work more sustainable:
Leaders are encouraged in the industry to take a deeper look at why this is occurring so frequently and how to make a culture shift. The other thing is that families and friends of loved ones can step in to help those in need so they can find support. It is hard to find healing without community support. The more loved ones surround people with kindness, the better off they are. In addition, they can offer to find them helpful in the form of treatment for addiction and recovery. When treatment is offered, it can often make a huge difference in how and when they heal from addiction.
A Step in the Right Direction provides quality care for clients seeking support for addiction recovery. We support people in the restaurant and hospitality industries who may be struggling with addiction. For more information sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702
When fear and anxiety partner up, they can be challenging to deal with. Even though symptoms may overlap, a person will experience the symptoms differently. Fear is thinking about a threat that may be real or perceived. Anxiety revolves around an unknown or undefined threat. Fear and anxiety produce a response in the body called fight or flight. Find out how the two are different, how they are treated, and ways to find support when they pop up in recovery.
Anxiety is an unpleasant sense of apprehension it is often a response to an unknown threat. It may make a person feel uneasy and produce some butterflies in the stomach. This sensation is caused by anxiety related to a thought that someone may jump out from behind a bush or approach you in some way. The anxiety is not a result of a known threat. It comes from the mind’s interpretation of danger. Anxiety is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. Most of the common physical symptoms include:
Fear is an emotional response to a threat that may be defined. When walking down a street, someone may point a gun. If the experience is real and defined, it can be stressful. There is a clear, present fear. When faced with fear, most people will experience the physical reactions described under anxiety. The subtle distinction is having a better understanding of symptoms that may be important for treatment.
When seeking help for fear or anxiety (or a combination of both), there is help from qualified treatment professionals. The key is to think about finding those who understand addiction and addictive behaviors. This can drive anxiety and fear, or anxiety and fear may be driven by a need to calm them using substances. Either way requires additional support to find healing. Finding the right space to get help for this requires taking time to admit help is needed and seeking that out in the right places. It can be hard to do when emotions are mobile, shifting around, and not certain. With the right diagnosis, it is possible to start a treatment plan that can support the reduction of fears and anxiety.
A Step in the Right Direction provides quality care for clients seeking support for addiction recovery. We provide space to learn how to navigate fear and anxiety with hope. You are not alone in dealing with your fears and anxieties, worries and frustrations. For more information about sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702
People with drug or alcohol addictions consider themselves better off after they give them up, but recovery is a long game. It is not something that just happens. It takes years of dedicated effort to focus on sober living. It all starts with detox, which is basically the withdrawal of the body from substances. Within a day of stopping alcohol consumption, the brain and body will respond with some symptoms that may be challenging for some to cope with, which is why it is safer to detox in a rehab facility where medical staff can oversee the process. Find out what happens to a person’s mood during withdrawal and how to cope with the changes.
Depression during withdrawal is described as sadness, but not overwhelmingly so. It is not so bad that, when monitored, a person cannot get through it. People who quit drugs sometimes describe the feeling of being hopeless. It is often accompanied by a lack of energy or enthusiasm for life. If drinking or drugs were central to your life, it can feel a bit scary. People going through withdrawal often have feelings of doom, gloom, and low self-worth. When preparing for this part of withdrawal, it is helpful to be around supportive people who don’t trigger old habits and support the experience with joyful, fun experiences like watching funny movies. It is okay to be reminded of good feelings during this time. Overall, it is helpful to see the process as grief; not unhealthy, but part of the process of becoming stronger in recovery.
Everyone in withdrawal will experience some type of anxiety. This is different than nervous feelings. Anxiety during withdrawal helps a body adjust and people who will have used drugs or alcohol to self-medicate may be afraid of coping with this feeling. Physical symptoms of anxiety, including shortness of breath and feeling like the mind, is playing tricks can be challenging for a time, but it is short-lived. It is a normal part of healing to break through to the other side.
People going through withdrawal often feel exhausted, like they have no energy, and as if life is not worth living. It is important to remember that life is worth living, even though things may be swinging like a pendulum. The feelings will pass. It is just living through them at the moment that can be tough. When mood swings do not get much better on the way out of withdrawal, psychologists and psychiatrists can help even things out with therapy and medication. Working on underlying causes of addiction will eventually help moods even out as much as possible.
Following the first week, support will shift because the needs change. When seeking treatment options, it will be helpful to sign up for a place where they support the journey with therapy, medication (as needed), and provide a safe space to explore the challenges of addiction. While some people do this on their own, the added support can be helpful since the body will be susceptible to cravings and triggers during this period. Avoiding relapse should be the primary goal during this time.
A Step in the Right Direction provides quality care for clients seeking support for addiction recovery. Focusing on yourself is the first step to healing. Don’t want to get treatment if you need it right now. For more information on sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702
Even though everyone desires happiness, it comes to everyone differently. Recovery is not an easy road by any means. Perceived measures of ‘happiness’ are best left in the past because it is challenging to put that much pressure on an experience. Find some tips on what it means to discover happiness in recovery that sticks around for the long haul.
Gratitude is the top of the heap when it comes to finding happiness. It helps people feel more positive emotions, build strong relationships, and develop good experiences. There are apps, journals, and other ways to practice gratitude, but the goal is to just do it. Every single day there is at least one thing to be thankful for, other than sobriety. Focus on the positive, and put energy into building those things. It might just change recovery.
Exercise is a great endorphin release. This natural high in the body is mimicked by drugs, but it is a healthier way to get the body’s brain going and improve focus. Not only is it easier to concentrate, but it is also better for mood. When reaching certain milestones, you will feel more accomplished, which empowers you to believe that sobriety is not unattainable and there is room to feel joy for the journey.
Holding grudges can hurt the person holding them, but also others for whom forgiveness has not been given. Letting go of pain and resentment toward yourself and others lifts a weight from the mind and body while clearing a pathway for happiness. Forgiveness is a journey of a lifetime, it is never fully complete.
For some, social media is a healthy outlet to check in with online groups, sober friends, and loved ones. For others, it can be a place that brings out negativity, vitriol, and sad news that can take a person’s mental health down. Technology has infiltrated everyone’s lives, permeating their sleep, their relationships, and even becoming its own addiction. It is overwhelming to keep up with everything. Stepping away can actually give people a chance to be present to what comes up and give them a chance to be present to whatever situation they’re in. Taking ‘social media breaks’ can be healthy, or even going on sabbatical from it for a while, if not altogether. It depends on people and how they view its use, but it can be worth trialing this notion if it means gaining more happiness down the road.
Change is hard, but not impossible. Personal change happens one step at a time. Recovery teaches that it is possible to make giant leaps with small steps. To find true happiness, it is about making progress that supports growth, not perfection. The more you grow, the more you connect to that inner space that cultivates happiness and joy.
A Step in the Right Direction helps you embrace vulnerability by providing space for you to show up and be authentically yourself. If you are struggling with finding joy or happiness in recovery, or just need to admit the need to quit drugs, we are here to help you. For more information on sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702
Postpartum depression and addiction are more common than people think. When people think about motherhood, it can seem like it is all roses and cute babies. The truth is, many mothers struggle with anxiety, depression, fears, worries, isolation, and biological factors that change their bodies immensely. Women with postpartum depression are at a higher risk for substance abuse compared with postpartum women without depressive symptoms. Women with a history of substance abuse are more likely to show symptoms of postpartum depression. Find out what women are most at risk and how to support a loved one struggling with postpartum depression and addiction.
Mothers who have babies are often overlooked when it comes to substance abuse issues. They are more likely to drink alcohol or take prescription drugs than others due to many factors. Depression is linked to substance use across the spectrum, especially amongst new mothers. Environmental factors may leave them more vulnerable to substance abuse. It can occur at any time after the baby is born in an effort to boost their mood, self-medicate, increase energy, or myriad other things. Since depression is common for people who abuse substances, the chances of a postpartum mother struggling, as well, are higher.
There are some symptoms to look for when dealing with women who are postpartum. Even though it may look different for every mother, there is a common thread for those who struggle with depression and, also, substance abuse:
Some women who struggle with substance abuse had issues prior to pregnancy which was never resolved. It is also possible to relapse during the postpartum period for women in recovery. The biology of the brain and body shifts, along with needing to spend more attention and time on the new baby. Additional children add to this burden for the mother who struggles and deepens her postpartum mental health crisis. A healthcare provider should be asking how she is doing and what steps she is taking to get extra help for any postpartum issues.
Even though the mother may be at risk with substance abuse issues and postpartum depression, a new baby is also at risk. Other children in the home and others with whom she interacts can be at risk. There is a great threat that substance abuse can wreak on families, particularly the mother, as she struggles to keep going every day with caretaking duties, perhaps work responsibilities, and also household management on top of it all. Healthcare providers suggest addiction intervention comes with a screening of women and new mothers for a history of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues to better support the new mom. Social stigma makes it hard to ask for help. Treatment of postpartum depression and substance abuse as a co-occurring disorder is key to getting women to help. She may need outpatient or inpatient treatment for severe addiction and support from family while she attends therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and individual counseling are proven methods of treating mental health issues, along with family therapy, and medication where needed.
A Step in the Right Direction provides quality care for clients seeking support for addiction recovery. For women who struggle with postpartum issues, co-occurring substance abuse issues and lingering mental health concerns, we have therapeutic support available. We will help you detox, recover, and begin the healing journey together as a family. For more information, sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702
