Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse is defined as when a person continues to use drugs or drink alcohol regardless of social or interpersonal issues, they continue to use drugs and alcohol despite it interfering with their ability to function at work, school, or within the home, or they begin to incur legal problems. Addiction becomes a ‘catch-22’ in that it makes one feel good, but it feels so good the person is willing to sacrifice various parts of their life more and more, and even begin to endure the pain of losing friends, family, and employment in order to continue using. If you have a desire to cut down on your use of drugs or alcohol, require assistance in quitting, and need support, please contact us before you have hit ‘rock bottom’ and lost everything that is important to you.
Disordered Eating
Disordered Eating affects a high number of Canadians, fifteen percent of which are men. It often starts prior to adult life, and often associated with predisposing psychological and social factors, such as lack of self-esteem, high family expectations, high achieving, inability to cope with stress, perfectionism and a controlling nature. Symptoms include criticism of one’s body, avoiding eating in public, wearing baggy clothing, mood swings, repeated concerns about being fat, thinning hair, headaches, change in menstrual cycle, excessive use of laxatives, and trips to the bathroom after a large meal.
Divorce or Breakup
Whether a relationship was good or bad, coping with a divorce or breakup hurts. It is an emotional rollercoaster of intense feelings ranging from sadness to anger to confusion, and you may feel anxious about your future. It may disrupt your home and work routines as well as your relationship with family and friends. You may also feel a loss of identity and self-confidence while grieving the loss of shared hopes and dreams. Keep reminding yourself that you can and will move on, and you don’t have to go through it alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it for a comfortable place to open up about what you are going through.
Grief
Grief is the emotional pain we feel when someone or something is taken away from you. This could be the death of a partner or pet, loss of a job, relationship, friendship, miscarriage, or financial stability. The more momentous the loss, the more intense the grief experienced. Each person’s experience is different with grief and this depends on your personality, coping style, life experiences, and faith. Grief is something that cannot be rushed along and there is no ‘normal’ time period, but there are generally five stages to grieving. They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, but not all five stages are experienced by everyone. Symptoms for grieving include anger, fear, guilt, sadness, shock or disbelief, and physical symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, aches and pains. The first step in coping with grief is getting the support you need, as connecting to others will help you heal and feel less alone, and avoiding the feelings only prolongs the process.
Stress
In the busy lives we lead today, stress has become a way of life. Some stress is good in that it helps to motivate us to get things done, but chronic stress can have a significant effect on you physically and psychologically. Some symptoms include loss of memory, difficulty concentrating, moodiness, irritability, constant worrying, feelings of loneliness, depression, frequent illness, nervous habits, and abusing alcohol or drugs. If you need assistance in managing stress and learning how to relax, contact us for help.
