An estimated 17 million Americans have an alcohol use disorder. For those who seek treatment, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is often part of their recovery. On June 10, 2014, AA will celebrate its 79th anniversary. 

What are the benefits of sending your son or daughter to camp?  Summer camp is a wonderful opportunity to experience a trial separation from the nest – it gives kids a chance to grow their independence under supervision, develop mastery in areas that interest them, and experiment with developing their own ideas and approaches to socializing outside their customary context.  If we think of home as a secure base – just like we think of moms as secure bases for infants – camp allows kids to experiment with exploring their environment and learning about themselves and their world.

Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness that is characterized by dramatic shifts between high (manic/hypomanic) and low (depressed) moods. It affects men and women equally and the age of onset is typically between the ages of 15 and 25, although it can begin at any age.

1 in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental disorder. Most of these disorders begin by the age of 14, but often treatment isn’t sought until years later. 

It has been said, “there is no health without mental health” because all aspects of our lives are impacted by our mental health. Take time to educate yourself about mental illness and addiction.

Stress, just the word itself is what you would call a stressor. These days, it seems we’re manufacturing stress. Not only do we have job, school, family and money concerns, but technology compounds everything. 

Volunteers are the backbones of our communities and the nonprofit world relies heavily on their time and many talents and now it’s time to honor them; it’s National Volunteer Week!

April is National Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the health and social problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Many people are aware that heavy alcohol use poses dangers, but few realize how widespread the problems are.

Are you having a miserable day? Just laugh! This probably sounds counterintuitive, but research shows laughter has healing powers for the body and mind. When you don’t feel like laughing is probably when you need it most.

A week of beaches, parties and bottomless cocktails. This is a picture of spring break for many college students in the US. Although it’s portrayed in the media as a week of non-stop fun, spring break can quickly turn dangerous. 

The link between how food affects our mood is becoming common knowledge.  There are blockbuster books, recipes and diets can be found on the Internet, and even grocery manufacturers now package perfect snack pairings to you power through that mid-day slump.

A recent report from the CDC suggested that at least 38 million Americans drink too much and that binge drinking is a growing problem. Our Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Eric D. Collins, an addiction psychiatrist, explains what binge drinking is and helps to clarify how to determine when binge drinking crosses the line and becomes an alcohol use disorder.

As we sit and watch the Super Bowl and look forward to the Olympics, it's easy to think our child might be the next sports prodigy. If only they showed some discipline, went to their trainers, worked hard. It may well be your child is a gifted athlete, but pushing them or becoming an over-involved sports parent will not only embarrass them, it creates unnecessary anxiety for them -- at a time when they need it least -- and can be detrimental to their long term development.

What to say and what not to say   Approximately, 61.5 million Americans or 1 in 4 adults, experience a mental illness in any given year, meaning millions more are trying to figure out how to support a friend or family member.

Did you make New Year’s Resolutions? Many who did won't keep them. Our President and Medical Director, Sig Ackerman, MD., shares his thoughts on this tradition.