If a friend or loved one opens up to you about having suicidal thoughts, it can be a terrifying and upsetting moment. You might not know the best way to react or the right thing to say. It might feel like a lot of pressure, and you may wonder why they decided to talk to you.

Knowing the difference between real support and enabling is crucial if you want to help your loved one start their recovery. There are actionable steps you can take to stop enabling someone with substance use disorder and get them closer to the help they need.

Several risk factors influence the likelihood of misusing or overdosing on opioids. Not everyone is at equal risk, and it’s crucial to understand your chances of developing opioid use disorder when deciding whether to take these medications.

Grief and loss, while not inevitable, are often intertwined with the addiction recovery process. You may need to say goodbye to friends, loved ones, habits, and even parts of your identity to move on fully and live a healthy and happy life in sobriety.

Finding proper mental health care when and where you need it can be challenging. Those challenges increase if you’re a member of a minority group.

Dismantling addiction stigma is a challenging but essential process for improving access to care. It’s a public health issue that drastically affects people with substance use disorder.

Many people delay seeking addiction treatment because they worry it will hurt their careers. Despite this perception, getting help can improve your career, not hinder it.

The barriers that prevent access to mental healthcare disproportionately affect minorities. People of color, low-income households, and LGBTQ+ individuals often go without the treatment they need.

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This effort, spearheaded by Mental Health America, seeks to raise awareness around the mental health experiences of BIPOC communities.

Take these precautions to ensure a successful and enjoyable sober vacation.