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Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is held annually in October to bring advocates together to help end domestic violence. In addition to physical harm, domestic violence also leads to significant mental health issues. Knowing how to identify and prevent domestic violence is important to ensuring the safety of yourself and others. Domestic violence can include (but is not limited to) …

There are many things you can do to reduce the amount of stress you feel and improve overall physical and emotional health. A few suggestions include: Identify the causes Some of the things that cause anxiety are obvious, but other causes might not be so obvious. Is it constant traffic congestion? Hearing upsetting news on television or radio? Being around …

Having a conversation about mental health might be uncomfortable, but it can make all the difference. Regardless of the situation or circumstance, your willingness to start a conversation can help someone.Starting the ConversationBeginning the conversation doesn’t mean you have to dive straight into talking about mental health struggles or have an intense heart-to-heart. Consider instead meeting your friend where they …

Stress and anxiety can be normal aspects of life but can have a negative impact on physical and mental health when not managed effectively. There’s a fine line between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses, but stress is typically caused by an external trigger. The trigger can be short-term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a …

People with a substance abuse addiction are often reluctant to admit they have a problem and initially reluctant to accept help. They may problems say things like, “I can stop drinking or using other drugs any time I want to” — but they don’t. The stigma associated with substance abuse is a barrier that prevents many people from seeking or …

Having a conversation about mental health might be uncomfortable, but it can make all the difference. Regardless of the situation or circumstance, your willingness to start a conversation can help someone.Know the SignsIt doesn’t take an expert to be able to identify the signs that someone could be struggling with their mental health. Be aware of specific actions of behaviors …

Many individuals with substance use disorders believe that in the beginning they can stop using drugs on their own and many try to stop without seeking treatment. However, most of these attempts result in failure to achieve long-term abstinence. Several evidence-based treatment approaches are available for Substance Use Disorder. One size does not fit all, and a treatment approach for …

Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by the craving and use of substances that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. While people can become addicted to a wide variety of behaviors or substances, alcohol and drug addiction are the most prevalent and have the most severe consequences. The initial decision to use alcohol or drugs is often …

By creating hope through action, we can signal to people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there is hope and that we care and want to support them. You can help give someone hope by showing that you care. All of us can play a role, no matter how small. We may never know what we do that makes a difference. We …

Having a conversation about mental health might be uncomfortable, but it can make all the difference. Regardless of the situation or circumstance, your willingness to start a conversation can help someone.Being a good friend or colleague doesn’t require an instruction manual nor do you need to be a professional to know that they might need additional support. Don’t worry about …