The DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) describes depression this way: “The essential feature of a Major Depressive Episode is a period of at least 2 weeks during which there is either depressed mood or the loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities.” Seasonal Affective Disorder occurs in climates where there…
Read MorePalmetto is much more than a job to me. I first arrived here on December 5th, 2000. My life was a shambles. I had lost my wife to cancer 3 months earlier. I was threatened with losing my children. I had been using alcohol and drugs for 24 years. I had no emotional maturity to…
Read More– Layne Cook, LMSW Over 5 million Americans suffer from eating disorders (ED), which include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Millions more display ED or disorder eating symptoms without meeting the diagnostic criteria for a full-blown disorder. EDs adversely affect both physical and psychological functioning, are more fatal than any other…
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Stewart Bedillion, MA, LPC King Solomon said, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” Solomon was simply stating something that I observe every day working with patients at Palmetto: people generally become what they believe they are. Society refers to this concept as self-image, self-worth, or self-regard. If it is true…
Read MoreBy Jennifer Garrett, APRN, FNP-C Members of the “helping professions” such as in the healthcare or legal industry are at great risk for substance use and abuse. These professions can create physically and emotionally exhausting stress. With these high-stress careers comes the increased possibility of job burn-out and increased drug and alcohol use and…
Read More5 Sober Things To Do on Halloween Centering celebrations on family – whether it’s the family we were born into or the family we’ve chosen – means that holidays don’t have to include substance use. Sober living is a life-long commitment that doesn’t take a break on Halloween or during special occasions. Follow these tips…
Read MoreHow to Find the Right Sober Living House For many people in recovery, a major obstacle to staying sober comes in the form of a lack of drug-free and stable housing. The risk of relapse is much higher for those who do not have access to long-term support for their recovery–especially if they have a…
Read MoreWhat Happens After I Leave Treatment? Completing your rehab program after battling addiction is a significant accomplishment, and one you should be proud of. But as the day of reentry approaches, every rehab graduate has the same question – “What now?” It’s important to remember that recovery doen’t end when you leave rehab. Sobriety is…
Read MoreBy Aaron Jordan, LPC Trauma can be defined in many ways. We know of the obvious traumas that people undergo such as physical and sexual abuse, rape, neglect, accidents, war, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters. But what about the soul wounds that people endure from abandonment, neglect, emotional and spiritual abuse, grief and loss,…
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The coronavirus pandemic has been a stressful time in many people’s lives. Fear and anxiety about the disease itself as well as the impacts on daily life can be overwhelming. Quarantine and social distancing can make people feel isolated and lonely which increases stress and anxiety. These actions are necessary to reduce the spread of…
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