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Has sex taken over your life? We don’t mean in a good way, either. Maybe you can’t stop thinking about it to the point that inappropriate thoughts run rampant even in public. You know certain behaviors aren’t acceptable, but you find yourself constantly pushing the envelope. You feel guilty, out of control, even scared… But […]
Has sex taken over your life? We don’t mean in a good way, either. Maybe you can’t stop thinking about it to the point that inappropriate thoughts run rampant even in public. You know certain behaviors aren’t acceptable, but you find yourself constantly pushing the envelope. You feel guilty, out of control, even scared… But you can’t stop.
Sexual compulsivity is often misunderstood. Many people struggling with compulsive sexual behavior feel isolated, ashamed, or afraid to ask for help, worried they’ll be judged. But sex addictions, like any behavioral health condition, deserve compassionate care. That’s what we’re here for.
It’s not about how often you have sex; it’s about how much control you feel you’ve lost and how much it’s impacting your life. Some signs that it’s become a problem include:
Persistent, intrusive sexual thoughts or urges
Difficulty stopping certain sexual behaviors despite consequences
Using sex to cope with stress, anxiety, or trauma
Feeling guilt, shame, or regret afterward, but repeating the cycle
Relationships, work, or self-worth are being affected
If this sounds familiar, you’re not broken. You just need a little professional support.
Working with a licensed sex therapist provides a safe, judgment-free environment to unpack the emotional drivers behind compulsive behavior. During sessions, we may explore trauma, attachment wounds, relationship patterns, or co-occurring conditions like anxiety or depression. Treatment focuses on developing self-awareness and healthier coping skills. We may also seek to repair damaged relationships.
You don’t have to suffer in silence or feel stuck in these destructive patterns. We understand compulsive sexual behavior, and we want to help you. Reach out today to connect with a sex therapist and get on the road toward self-acceptance and recovery.
Let’s talk about little habits with big impact. While caffeine offers a short-term productivity boost, it often masks an underlying issue, such as burnout, sleep disorders, or poor stress regulation. If you notice problems like: Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns Increased anxiety, restlessness, or irritability Headaches and fatigue when skipping your usual dose Dependence on […]
Let’s talk about little habits with big impact. While caffeine offers a short-term productivity boost, it often masks an underlying issue, such as burnout, sleep disorders, or poor stress regulation. If you notice problems like:
Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns
Increased anxiety, restlessness, or irritability
Headaches and fatigue when skipping your usual dose
Dependence on caffeine to feel “normal”
Mood swings or crashes throughout the day
Then your caffeine habits are affecting your mental health and getting in the way of rest, and it’s time to do something about it.
First, you’ll need to uncover what’s going on underneath the need for more energy. A personal therapist can help you understand the emotional patterns tied to your caffeine dependence and overuse, so this is a good place to start. Together, we’ll work on improving your sleep habits so that you no longer need to self-medicate with external stimulants.
You don’t have to wait for a crash to make a change. If you’re concerned about caffeine dependence, or if you know that your caffeine use is impacting your mental health, contact us to speak with a therapist about healthier rhythms and get support for real energy!
Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect millions of people from all walks of life. However, this isn’t a sign of widespread moral failure. Addiction to alcohol, prescription medications, illicit drugs, or other substances is a complex mental health condition, and the path to healing begins with understanding. If you found this article because you want to […]
Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect millions of people from all walks of life. However, this isn’t a sign of widespread moral failure. Addiction to alcohol, prescription medications, illicit drugs, or other substances is a complex mental health condition, and the path to healing begins with understanding. If you found this article because you want to learn about your addiction or support a loved one, you’re on the right track.
Some think of addiction as weakness, an act of rebellion against society, or attention-seeking behavior. If we want to shift the narrative away from blame, there are 3 things everyone should understand about SUDs:
Repeated substance use changes a person’s brain chemistry, making it harder to stop. Willpower alone is often not enough. Thus, addressing a substance use disorder is not a simple matter.
Many people with substance use disorders are seeking relief from anxiety, depression, or trauma. In these cases, treating the addiction is only a temporary fix—the root issue needs to be addressed as well.
Recovery looks different for everyone. Setbacks or relapses are common; for every two steps forward, you might take one back. But healing is possible with consistent support.
Therapy offers a safe space to begin the work of recovery. We offer professional substance abuse counseling for those battling with personal addiction and their families. If you could use some guidance, reach out today to speak with a therapist who specializes in substance use disorders. Together, we can build a future to be proud of.
Addiction can take many forms—for example, people can become addicted to smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, using drugs, gambling, and shopping. But regardless of the type of addiction in question, many members of the mental health community use the “four Cs” to determine whether someone is an addict: compulsion, craving, control, and consequences. 1. Compulsion As […]
Addiction can take many forms—for example, people can become addicted to smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, using drugs, gambling, and shopping. But regardless of the type of addiction in question, many members of the mental health community use the “four Cs” to determine whether someone is an addict: compulsion, craving, control, and consequences.
As someone becomes addicted to something—whether it be a substance or a behavior—they feel increasingly compelled to fulfill that habit.
The compulsion to use a substance or behave in a certain way eventually becomes so intense that it mimics a physical need (e.g., hunger). This powerful, relentless craving may become all-consuming and cause an addict to feel restless, lose their appetite, or have trouble sleeping.
Many addicts try to avoid the substance or behavior in question. While they may be able to limit usage in the early stages, they eventually lose control over their addiction.
When someone is an addict, they will continue using the substance or performing the behavior in question regardless of the consequences. For example, they will continue fulfilling their addiction despite being aware that doing so could cause them to lose family, friends, their job, or even their freedom.
If you think you might be an addict, it’s important that you reach out to a professional for help. The therapists on our team have extensive experience treating addiction and can provide you with the personalized care you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about our practice and schedule an initial consultation.
We are living through some of the most stressful times in recent history. With the global pandemic raging on, many of us are still worried about our own health and the health of our loved ones, especially our older friends and family members. Many of us have also been hit with financial burdens. Some have […]
We are living through some of the most stressful times in recent history. With the global pandemic raging on, many of us are still worried about our own health and the health of our loved ones, especially our older friends and family members.
Many of us have also been hit with financial burdens. Some have lost jobs and others have had to close their businesses. How will the mortgage and bills get paid?
To make an already bad situation worse, a lot of us are still experiencing lockdown and quarantine. Many are working from home for the first time and still, others are unable to travel and be with loved ones.
This has left a majority of people feeling alone and isolated when they are already feeling they are most vulnerable.
During stressful circumstances, it is a natural tendency for people to turn to drugs and alcohol as a way of coping. A study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology found there was a 25% increase in alcohol consumption in the weeks following 9/11.
The stress and isolation of the current pandemic are putting those people who are prone to addiction at great risk. Virtual cocktail hours are now officially a thing. But how many of those cocktail hours end when the computer is shut off?
Human beings are social creatures. When you take our ability to be social away, it can lead to depression and anxiety. Even people who have no history of addiction are at risk of developing a drinking or drug problem during the pandemic as a way of coping with social isolation.
When coping with stress, it can be hard to self-monitor our behaviors, but it is incredibly important for our overall health and well-being. If you suspect you have been drinking or using any drug more than you should at this time, it’s important to be honest about that.
Ask yourself a few questions:
It’s important that you are honest with yourself at this time. And if you answered yes to one or more of these questions, it’s important that you get some help.
Many treatment centers remain open during this time. You may also want to think about speaking with a mental health counselor. If in-person sessions are not available, find a provider who offers telehealth solutions. This means you can receive treatment online.
Times are tough for everyone right now. You are not alone. If you are turning to drugs and alcohol to deal with the stress and isolation, please get the help you need.
SOURCES:
Have you been feeling a bit low lately, but you can’t quite put your finger on why? It may have something to do with your social media habits. According to a recent study, social media use can increase depression and loneliness. For years people have suspected that social media use might have an ability to […]
Have you been feeling a bit low lately, but you can’t quite put your finger on why? It may have something to do with your social media habits. According to a recent study, social media use can increase depression and loneliness.
For years people have suspected that social media use might have an ability to negatively impact our mental well-being. After all, it’s hard not to feel inadequate or jealous when looking at photos of people whose lives seem so much more perfect than ours. But now research is actually making a definitive link between spending time on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and a sense of loneliness and isolation.
I encourage my clients to take a social media detox every now and then to gain a more positive sense of reality. They often report back to me that the detox offered some amazing and unexpected benefits such as:
When you take a break from comparing yourself to other people, you can start to look at how great you and your own life really are.
When you spend less time trying to get that social approval in the form of ‘likes’, ‘retweets’, and ‘upvotes’, you suddenly find you have a lot of time on your hands for other things.
Trading in online friendships for real face-to-face ones makes us feel more grounded and connected to people. This can drastically improve our mood and sense of well-being.
Many people are on their mobile phone in bed, checking their social media accounts. The blue light from these devices disrupts our sleep pattern. When we put these devices away, we inevitably sleep better.
I am a big proponent of daily mindfulness. By being present in our lives, we feel an increased sense of peace and joy. That’s priceless.
So how do you perform a social media detox?
Follow these 4 steps:
If you follow these steps and take a break from social media, chances are you will find you feel a whole lot better!
A great many alcoholics are also suffering from major depression. Because alcohol can feed our brain’s serotonin receptors, it can make someone feel good for a short amount of time. But eventually the person crashes and feels even worse than they did before. And this vicious cycle continues and is, unfortunately, very hard to break […]
A great many alcoholics are also suffering from major depression. Because alcohol can feed our brain’s serotonin receptors, it can make someone feel good for a short amount of time. But eventually the person crashes and feels even worse than they did before.
And this vicious cycle continues and is, unfortunately, very hard to break without asking for professional help.
The Chicken or the Egg Theory
Both alcoholism and depression are psychiatric illnesses that cause distress and impair a person’s ability to function. It is not surprising at all that these two diseases are linked, but which tends to come first?
Researchers have found that alcoholism doubled a person’s risk of developing depression. In fact, the analysis indicated that alcoholism was more likely to cause or worsen depression than depression was likely to cause or worsen alcohol use/misuse.
6 Ways That Alcohol Can Worsen Depression
The bottom line is alcohol abuse and depression are a dangerous combination. And unfortunately, this combination can be self-reinforcing and incredibly hard to break. Anyone who is feeling depressed and has a tendency to abuse alcohol should speak with a therapist to get their symptoms under control. A therapist will be able to offer coping strategies as well as refer you to a local addictive treatment center.
If you or a loved one are interested in exploring cognitive behavioral treatment, please be in touch with me. I would be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.
A great many alcoholics are also suffering from major depression. Because alcohol can feed our brain’s serotonin receptors, it can make someone feel good for a short amount of time. But eventually the person crashes and feels even worse than they did before. And this vicious cycle continues and is, unfortunately, very hard to break […]
A great many alcoholics are also suffering from major depression. Because alcohol can feed our brain’s serotonin receptors, it can make someone feel good for a short amount of time. But eventually the person crashes and feels even worse than they did before.
And this vicious cycle continues and is, unfortunately, very hard to break without asking for professional help.
The Chicken or the Egg Theory
Both alcoholism and depression are psychiatric illnesses that cause distress and impair a person’s ability to function. It is not surprising at all that these two diseases are linked, but which tends to come first?
Researchers have found that alcoholism doubled a person’s risk of developing depression. In fact, the analysis indicated that alcoholism was more likely to cause or worsen depression than depression was likely to cause or worsen alcohol use/misuse.
6 Ways That Alcohol Can Worsen Depression
The bottom line is alcohol abuse and depression are a dangerous combination. And unfortunately, this combination can be self-reinforcing and incredibly hard to break. Anyone who is feeling depressed and has a tendency to abuse alcohol should speak with a therapist to get their symptoms under control. A therapist will be able to offer coping strategies as well as refer you to a local addictive treatment center.
If you or a loved one are interested in exploring cognitive behavioral treatment, please be in touch with me. I would be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.