Summary: Anxiety can lead to addiction through a behavior called self-medication, which is when a person uses alcohol or drugs to relieve the painful, unwanted emotions and patterns of thought associated with anxiety disorders. Key Points: 40 million + adults in the U.S. have anxiety. 25 million + adults in the U.S. have an alcohol […]
Monthly Archives: September 2026
Summary: In the early stages of recovery – about a month in, give or take – your mood and outlook may improve dramatically, but there’s a good reason to stay in addiction treatment after you start feeling great: this phase typically doesn’t last long, and leaving treatment may have negative long-term consequences. Key Points: There’s […]
Summary: Mindfulness based cognitive therapy is a form of psychotherapy that combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing and meditation. It’s an effective, evidence-based technique that can help people with mental health disorders, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, or co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders. Key Points: Mindfulness based cognitive therapy […]
Summary: Yes, new research shows using cannabis during adolescence can increase risk of developing mental health disorders by adulthood. Key Points: Recreational cannabis use is illegal for all adolescents in the U.S. Some states allow medical cannabis use for adolescents under strict guidelines Previous research indicates a minor association between adolescent cannabis use and sleep […]
Summary: No – data from the most comprehensive study ever conducted on cannabis for mental health shows that cannabis does not improve treatment for mental health disorders, with exceptions for a small number of symptoms in a limited number of disorders. Key Points: Cannabis and several of its derivatives have received approval for use to […]
Summary: Addiction treatment is really like a lifelong journey from a state of physical, emotional, social, psychological, and spiritual distress and dysfunction to a state of ongoing healing, growth, personal awareness, and overall wellbeing. Key Points: A helpful way to understand what addiction treatment is really like is to reframe it as a recovery journey. […]







