Not long ago, I watched a documentary about Amy Winehouse that you’ve probably already seen. It’s called Amy and came out in 2015. I’d wanted to watch it for awhile, but never get around it. It carries a really sad message that we are all too familiar with. Some of the most fun parts are watching Amy…
Clinical depression is a serious mental health condition that can become chronic and operate in prolonged cycles unless actively treated. Alcohol use issues often occur in conjunction with depression because the substance is used to numb-out psychological pain or ‘put feelings to sleep‘. So does alcohol make depression worse or does depression make alcohol use…
The simple act of posting, liking or sharing on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram triggers the release of an important neurotransmitter, Dopamine in our brains. This neurotransmitter is linked to our internal reward system and is responsible for feelings such as happiness and excitement. Much like a hit of Cocaine, or…
To decide whether you suffer from a trauma-related stress disorder, you should understand the basic differences between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). The basic distinction between PTSD and C-PTSD can be summarised as follows: PTSD can be caused by a single traumatic incident. C-PTSD is usually caused by multiple (or…
As of 18 September 2018, cannabis has been ruled legal to consume and cultivate by the Constitutional Court of South Africa. The Bill of Rights section 4, which stipulates that South Africans are entitled to live a life that’s not interfered with by private or government institutions, the ban on personal use of cannabis was…
Depression affects an estimated 3.8% of the world’s population, including 5.0% of adults and 5.7% of those over 60. Around 280 million people suffer from depression. Depression is distinct from normal mood swings and emotional reactions to everyday life challenges. Colloquially referred to as “depression” or “chronic / severe depression” is formally classified as a…
South Africa’s Top Online Therapy Programme South Africa provides arguably one of the best destinations in the world for high-quality addiction treatment and recovery. The luxury villa styled rehab centres are perfectly poised for international visitors looking for that 5-star treatment while getting into the right frame of mind away from substance use disorders, eating…
Do you pop a pill to calm the nerves before a stressful meeting? Maybe to help you sleep better? Or does it just ease off the day’s worries? The temporary relief that calming pills provide is alluring but the side-effects are dangerous. Feeling spaced out the next day, forgetting things and needing to take more…
Fear, helplessness, sadness, guilt, responsibility, isolation, betrayal, anger, flashbacks. Sexual abuse has severe repercussions which can be extremely difficult to deal with, understand and get help for. Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience that can have long-term consequences for victims. The emotional, psychological, and physical scars left behind can be difficult to heal, but with…
Denial keeps us locked into the behaviour we are trying to change by convincing us that what we’re doing is not that bad, necessary on some level or will change. All these assumptions are wrong. This post poses the questions you need to ask yourself to navigate your way out of denial. Many people use…