Category: Addiction News

Police Station Evacuated After Possible Fentanyl Exposure

The substance believed to be fentanyl made its way into the police station after being confiscated from a suspect at See’s Candy.

Sunnyvale, California police headquarters were evacuated this week after fentanyl sent multiple officers to the hospital.

It began with a patrol officer at the Department of Public Safety headquarters. The officer was exposed to what police were told was the deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl, according to a police report on Thursday, reported The Sacramento Bee.

The report noted that the officer immediately felt “severe respiratory distress,” according to The San Jose Mercury News. The respiratory distress happened very quickly, according to Sunnyvale police spokesman Jim Choi.

Police officers are aware of the risk of an accidental overdose due to fentanyl exposure, now more than ever. The Drug Enforcement Administration issued an officer safety alert (that included all first responders) warning of the possibility of such an overdose, the symptoms, and how to respond. Fentanyl is 30 to 50 times more potent than another deadly drug, heroin.

Police officers can, according to some experts, have a dramatic and overdose-mimicking experience after contact with fentanyl that is essentially a placebo effect. Scottie Wightman, a Kentucky emergency medical technician, went unresponsive after one call. He was treated with naloxone, but a drug test later showed there were no drugs in his system.

As a precaution, six officers from Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety were hospitalized and evaluated for possible fentanyl exposure. All of the officers have since gone home and the evacuation was lifted on the evening of the incident.

However, Choi said the building was still under a “Level A” quarantine the next morning while crews processed police headquarters for hazardous materials, reported KTVU.

After the headquarters were completely evacuated, a hazmat team entered to retrieve the suspected fentanyl and “decontaminated the affected areas,” police said.

“The exposure was contained to DPS Headquarters and there is no threat to the community,” police wrote in a news release. “Police, fire and EMS services were not affected during this incident.”

The substance believed to be fentanyl made its way into the police station after an officer responded to a business called See’s Candy. A call had been made that a man was urinating in public, and police eventually arrested the suspect on two outstanding warrants in San Luis Obispo County, according to police. The suspect’s name was not released.

The suspect had a baggie that the police confiscated. The bag was filled with suspected narcotics, and the suspect reported to the police that fentanyl was part of the mix. Results are currently being procured at Santa Clara County’s crime lab, which according to Choi, is likely to take “some time.”

View the original article at thefix.com

21 February 2019
Recovery Housing Program For Rural Areas Launched By USDA, HHS

“The opioid crisis has hit rural communities hard, and we need to leverage all possible partnerships to support these communities,” said an HHS official.

A new federal program will allow nonprofit organizations to purchase homes in rural communities for use as transitional housing for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder.

The initiative is a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and aims to address the national opioid crisis by providing greater access and support to rural areas, which have shouldered a substantial portion of the epidemic’s overdose and death tolls.

USDA Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, Anne Hazlett, said in a press release that the program is part of President Donald Trump’s policy to address opioid dependency, which he declared a national public health emergency in late 2017.

Through coordinated efforts between the USDA’s Rural Development and HHS’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), non-profit organizations will be able to purchase USDA’s Real Estate Owned (REO) single-family housing properties in rural communities at a discounted price for use as housing, treatment, job training and other services for individuals in recovery for substance abuse issues.

The initiative extends the two organizations’ collaborative efforts, which were launched in 2018, when SAMHSA supplemented USDA Cooperative Extension grants to help communities in the fight against opioid abuse.

“We know that the opioid crisis has hit rural communities hard, and we need to leverage all possible partnerships to support these communities,” said Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use. “Housing plays a vital part in the recovery process for those living with opioid use disorders.”

The opioid crisis has cut a particularly devastating path through rural communities in America. As the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) noted, only 20% of the U.S population lives in areas designated as rural communities, but the rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in such locations is 45% higher than in metro counties.

Studies have found that the rate of babies born with opioid withdrawal symptoms and teens who use opioids is much higher in rural communities.

Adding to the problem is a lack of health care facilities—83 rural hospitals have closed since 2010—and access to mental health and substance treatment facilities. According to the NRHA, in 55% of all American counties, most of which are considered rural, there are no psychologists, psychiatrists or social workers.

View the original article at thefix.com

21 February 2019
"Smiling Depression" Explained

Low mood is not the only feature of depression.

Depression is associated with sadness, crying and an inability to get out of bed. However, up to 40% of people who have depression may have “smiling depression” and not exhibit these symptoms.

“It can be very hard to spot people suffering from smiling depression. They may seem like they don’t have a reason to be sad – they have a job, an apartment and maybe even children or a partner. They smile when you greet them and can carry pleasant conversations. In short, they put on a mask to the outside world while leading seemingly normal and active lives,” Olivia Remes, a doctoral candidate at the University of Cambridge, wrote for Science Alert.

Many people are able to “keep up appearances” even while they’re feeling down. Marissa, a 22-year-old from New Jersey, posted a picture of her smiling at an adorable puppy, with the caption, “Sometimes it’s the little things that bring the most joy.”

However, Marissa told Women’s Health how she really felt that day: “I wish I had half of this puppy’s joy. Earlier today I was driving, and looking for objects to crash into. My life feels so overwhelming that I just can’t deal.”

Smiling depression isn’t a medical term, but depression with atypical features is. People who suffer from depression with atypical features might have primary symptoms including weight gain or appetite increase, sleepiness, or social isolation.

However, they can still experience positive reactions to good events, whereas many people with typical depression might not be able to tap into the joy brought by good news or positive occurrence.

This can make it hard for some people to recognize that they’re depressed, Dr. Michelle B. Riba, of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center, told Health.

“Many people will come to their doctor complaining about sleep problems, or headaches, not realizing that it’s a mood disorder because they don’t have low mood. Not all symptoms of depression always occur at once.”

Another woman who spoke with Women’s Health posted a picture of herself in a shirt that said “Be kind always.” However, that didn’t actually fit her mood, she explained.

“I feel so down I almost broke into tears at the grocery store today. I wish I could have extended this kindness to myself,” the 33-year-old said.

The feelings of smiling depression can sneak up and be surprising, said Rebecca, 36, who posted a photo of herself smiling at a friend’s wedding.

“After this, I snuck out of the reception to cry in my hotel because I suddenly felt depressed without knowing why,” she said.

View the original article at thefix.com

21 February 2019
How To Love Yourself the Way You Love Your Addicted Child

Our mission in life became to fix our son, get his life on track, keep him safe, and stop the madness. We became addicted to fixing our addict. In the meantime, my life was circling the proverbial drain and it was all my son’s fault… or was it?

Stories are the cornerstone of living and loving—from oral traditions to New York Times best sellers, tales written by others and those we make up inside our minds. They help us make sense of our existence like nothing else can. Good stories tether us to life and help us transcend into new ways of being.

There is a story rattling around in my head—a story for myself and perhaps for you. It whispers to me with prompts and questions like: What would I say to you? But then I wonder who you even are. Are you my beloved or a friend I’ve yet to meet? Someone I embrace or a ghost from whom I run? Would we pass each other on the street without a second glance or might we sit and chat over coffee for hours on end? What would I tell you if we were one and the same? No separation, no delineation. Not the stranger or the ally. Not the sober one or the drunk, but rather you, me, we. What would I tell us?

We’re All Addicted to Something

Those of us who’ve lived with people who have addictions—oh wait … who am I kidding? We’re all addicted to something. No one is immune. We each have the places we run when we’re feeling vulnerable, scared, or confused. We create our lives so we have our fix of choice within reach at all times. When life feels excessive or news in the broader world is crazed, we grasp at something to ease our rage, sooth our aloneness, and calm the overwhelm. We eat, we shop, we drink, we gamble or easier yet, we try to fix someone else.

We point a finger away from ourselves and toward them. They are the one with the problem. If only he or she would stop drinking, agree with “the right” viewpoint, pay more attention to me then surely I’d feel better.

I can’t begin to tell you the number of hours and ways I’ve spent over the last 30 years trying to improve my husband. Lucky guy, the pressure eased for him when our 13-year-old son turned to drugs and alcohol. Together, our mission in life became to fix our son, get his life on track, keep him safe, and stop the madness. We became addicted to fixing our addict.

We tried inpatient and outpatient treatment, therapeutic boarding school, and a wilderness program. We were all in except, of course, our son, who did his best to skirt the therapy sessions, game the system, and do the bare minimum to figure out how he could get out of our fix and carry on with his agenda. In the meantime, my life was circling the proverbial drain and it was all my son’s fault… or was it?

Hitting Rock Bottom as a Parent

They say that true addicts must hit rock bottom before they’ll change, but what’s the rule of thumb for concerned family members? Do we have to hit rock bottom too? It doesn’t really seem fair.

I recently met a woman who was ensnared in her 40-something-year-old daughter’s cycle. (My son is almost 30 now.) I watched this woman wring her hands and spend precious time trying to figure out how to wire money to her daughter on the other side of the world. I wondered about the difference I felt between us until I realized that that mother hasn’t hit her bottom. Some people never do. They value their child’s life more than their own. That’s what society has told us we should do. Sacrifice for others. Family first. Give to the death.

When I hit my bottom, I began to wonder if there was another way. What if sacrificing for my son wasn’t the solution? Please don’t get me wrong, I adore my son. In fact, he has been my greatest teacher and I am deeply indebted to his role in my personal journey. I would indeed give my life for him, but I was giving him my living. I was disintegrating into my own form of insanity and it was helping no one. Not him, not my husband, not me. We were each in our own way following addiction into the darkness.

What if love others as you love yourself looked different than I’d been taught? What if that’s exactly what I was doing? Loving him as I loved myself which turned out to be not very well at the time.

How to Love Yourself

I don’t recall if it was the third or fifth or nth incident with the police or treatment when I realized I had a choice. I could go into that dark hole of despair and stay there, or I could find a way to bring myself back into the light. If I could continue to love my son without joining him in the madness, then maybe I could shine a beacon for him when or if he chose to return to a healthier way of living. So in service of myself and family, I chose to light my own candle while continuing to literally light candles and offer prayers of love for all of us.

I began to develop a journaling practice. I poured my thoughts, fears, worries, and internal and external stories onto the page every day. I wrote and wrote and wrote until I exhausted the dialogue, covered all of the what ifs, and landed at a moment of rest. Then I got up and did it again and again and again. As my practice deepened, so did my sense of peace and ability to be present to others and the world around me. I started to heal. I learned how to draw appropriate boundaries and managed to send love and light to my son even when we were estranged for months at a time. I developed empathy and compassion, regardless of whether I understood or condoned my son’s choices. And somewhere along the way, the chaos quieted. Our legacy gave way to the promise of a brighter ending.

I remembered that authentic stories untangle us from lies, tether us to truth, and help us transcend into new ways of being.

May it be so for you and yours.

View the original article at thefix.com

21 February 2019
Can Fruits & Veggies Help Your Mental Health?

For a new study, researchers explored the potential link between intake of fruits and veggies and mental well-being.

Eating your fruits and vegetables may be just as important for your mental health as it is for your body, according to CNN’s “The Conversation” column.

The column is written by the authors of a recent study done on the topic: Neel Ocean, research fellow in behavioral economics, and Peter Howley, associate professor of economics at the University of Leeds.

For the recent study, the two drew from a 2016 study done in Australia which found that an increase in fruit and vegetables consumption led to improvements in a person’s psychological well-being.

Howley and Ocean wanted to determine whether the outcome was the same with a larger pool of participants. So, they studied more than 40,000 individuals from the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

“Our analysis showed that increases in the consumption of fruit and vegetables are linked to increases in self-reported mental well-being and life satisfaction in data that spans a five-year period, even after accounting for other determinants of mental well-being such as physical health, income and consumption of other foods,” Ocean and Howley wrote.

According to the researchers, adding just one serving of fruits or vegetables daily may have as many benefits for mental well-being as adding seven to eight walks per month to your physical regimen.

In this case, they define “one serving” as one cup of raw veggies, half a cup of cooked veggies, or one entire piece of fruit.

Howley and Ocean did point out that their research alone is not enough to establish a solid link between eating

fruits and veggies and mental well-being. They also point out what they call the “substitution effect.”

“People can only eat so much in a day, so someone who eats more fruits and vegetables might just have less room in their diet for unhealthy foods,” they wrote. “Although we accounted for bread and dairy in our study, ideally, future research should track all other foods consumed to rule out alternative explanations.”

The two also a highlight a commentary on their findings by the researchers of the 2016 study in Australia.

“The authors show that the number of fruit and vegetable portions eaten in a day can predict whether someone is diagnosed with depression or anxiety two years later,” Howley and Ocean wrote. “But the reverse does not seem to be true. Being diagnosed with depression does not appear to be a strong predictor of fruit and vegetable consumption two years later. This suggests that it is perhaps more likely that eating fruits and vegetables is influencing mood and not the other way around.”

In the end, the two say that while their findings are encouraging, more research on the topic is needed in order to draw definite conclusions.

“We are not suggesting eating fruits and vegetables is a substitute for medical treatment, but a simple way to improve your mental health could be to add a little more fruit and veg to your daily diet,” they wrote.

View the original article at thefix.com

21 February 2019
Drug Court Helped Man Turn Life Around

After struggling with drug addiction, a Missouri man was able to change his life with the help of a drug court program.

A year ago, Casey Barbero was using drugs and getting into fights, a pattern that had defined more than half his life. When an argument with his father turned physical and the police were called, Barbero was ready to surrender.

“I just sat there and waited for the police with the drugs on me. I knew it was the right thing to do. It was the right time,” he told The Missourian. Instead of being sent to jail, Barbero agreed to attend drug court, a program that connects people with treatment and jobs in an attempt to help them stay sober and out of jail.

Nine months later, Barbero is the type of success story that the more than 3,000 drug courts around the country strive toward.

“He made up his mind from the get-go, ‘This is what I want, I want a different path in life.’ And he’s done that,” said Felecia Jackson-Qualls, a recruiter for Job Point, an organization that works with the Missouri drug courts to help people find employment.

Jackson-Qualls said that Barbero’s progress is inspirational and shows what can happen when the justice system opens doors rather than closing them for people who have struggled with substance use disorder.

“It brings tears to my eyes because I’m seeing where he’s coming from. And I see where he’s got to. When you see someone go through those different steps and those hurdles and you see them advancing, then we know we’re doing a good job. That makes all the difference in the world to me,” she said.

Barbero said that he’s eager to not even think about drugs, but for now he has to confront his substance use disorder each week when he reports on his progress in front of the court.

He said, “I pretty much am there now. I am reminded of it because I have to be for drug court. It’s good to remember, but I definitely don’t need to dwell on it.”

Barbero now works in construction, and has dreams of owning a home and starting a family, things that seemed far away when he was in active addiction.

“I want to be in a place where I firmly know what I am, what are my goals for the future and my future plans. Right now, I have a good idea,” he said.

Although some people balk at the strict drug court program, Barbero said that the guidance and work requirements have been helpful.

“It’s better to be doing that than the stuff I was doing. I’m taking all that time I did waste and learning about things I’m interested in doing.”

View the original article at thefix.com

20 February 2019
People With Meth Addiction Are Finding Help Online

“We stay connected online, and we don’t judge anybody on what path they’re on,” says the founder of a Facebook support group for meth addiction.

Fellowship has always been an important part of recovery. Today, online communities help bring people together, including current and former drug users.

“My online support network is huge. I know many people from all over the U.S. and also in other countries,” Jameil White, who has been sober for about three years, told U.S. News and World Reports.

Today, White runs both a Facebook page and a Facebook group for people who are currently struggling or who have struggled with meth addiction. The private group, called Sobriety 101, has nearly 9,000 members who support each other in recovery.

“Some of them are members of (Alcoholics Anonymous), (Narcotics Anonymous). You also have members like myself who no longer go to meetings, but they still need that community and that network, and they reach out through online groups,” White said.

The online groups can supplement local support systems, she added.

“We stay connected online, and we don’t judge anybody on what path they’re on. Whether they’re still in active addiction and they’re struggling, or whether they’re seeking help, we all take the time and volunteer and answer messages and talk to people. We’re their friends—we allow them to call us if they need to. We go so far as trying to find them local meetings or rehab treatment centers, or anything we can to get them the help they need.”

It’s not just people in recovery who are turning to Facebook and other online platforms for support. Loved ones of people with substance use disorder are also connecting online.

Six years ago, Julie Richards started the Mothers Against Meth Alliance. She uses her Facebook page—which has more than 5,000 Likes—to educate people about the signs of meth addiction, especially among Native Americans living on North Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

“Nobody wanted to believe meth was here, but I just kept doing these walks, I kept going everywhere I can to bring this awareness, I just kept it up,” she said. “Now, people are like, ‘What can we do to help you?’—whether it be gas money, or coming out on patrol with us.”

Richards’ daughter is in jail for charges related to her meth addiction. Richards tells other young people that her daughter is one of the lucky ones.

“I tell these kids, ‘There’s only two roads that this meth is going to take you to: one is prison, and the other one is death. It’s up to you. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up in prison.’”

Suzette Schoenfeld, whose son struggled with meth addiction, also runs a group for people with meth addiction and their loved ones.

“There’s a big problem with meth in this country, a big white wave,” she said. “People need help, and they’re not getting the help they need. A lot of people reach out for love and understanding, and we’re all learning about this together. I’m hoping that we’re helping each other through this.”

View the original article at thefix.com

20 February 2019
Inside Elizabeth Warren's Plan To Address The Opioid Epidemic

Warren is one of the few 2020 presidential candidates to have discussed a plan to confront the opioid epidemic.

As more names are being thrown into the hat for the 2020 presidential race, only one has spoken up about her plans to address the opioid epidemic.

Elizabeth Warren has made some strides to combat the opioid crisis during her time as a U.S. Senator, according to Vox, and plans to continue to do so during her run for presidency.

In her time in Congress, she has made a push for additional research into alternatives to opioids. She has also voiced her opinions about President Donald Trump’s response to the epidemic, calling it “pathetic.”

In 2018, Warren and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) introduced the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act to Congress. If put into play, the bill would spread $100 billion to various states and organizations to fight the crisis over a 10-year period.

“Our communities are on the front lines of the epidemic, and they’re working hard to fight back,” Warren tells Vox. “But they can’t do it alone. They can’t keep nibbling around the edges.”

Warren is one of the few 2020 presidential candidates to have discussed a plan to confront the opioid epidemic. This could be because her state of Massachusetts has been hit particularly hard by the crisis with its drug overdose deaths at 31.8 per 100,000 in 2017, compared to the national average of 21.7.

The CARE Act, according to some experts, is one of the only plans presented with potential to make a difference in the epidemic. Keith Humphreys, a drug policy expert at Stanford University, tells Vox that Warren’s bill “is the only one that really grasps the nettle of how big the problem is.”

“Whatever else people might say about it, this is the first thing that really recognizes that [the opioid crisis] is a massive public health problem, like AIDS, and is not going to be solved by a tweak here, a tweak there,” he adds.

The $100 billion involved in the CARE Act would be used in various ways, according to Vox. Some would be given to local government and nonprofits and some would be spread to numerous states, territories and tribal governments.

This could be determined by overdose levels in certain areas, but some funding would also be given through a competitive grant process. Remaining funding would be dedicated to treatment, research, training and more access to overdose antidote naloxone.

Despite the support of some experts, Warren and Cumming’s bill has not made great progress in Congress. In the House, according to Vox, it received only 81 cosponsors, and in the Senate, it got none. Still, the two plan to reintroduce the bill in coming months.

Warren hasn’t hesitated to point out President Trump’s failure to deliver on his promises. In 2016, Trump said he would “spend the money” to confront the opioid epidemic.

“The Trump administration has treated this crisis like a photo op,” Warren tells Vox. “They talk a good game and produce nothing.”

Although the CARE Act likely would not be able to address the entire epidemic on its own, it would be a start, Warren says.

“Resources make a difference,” Warren tells Vox. “Not strong words. Not photo ops. But real money. Without real resources, the opioid crisis will continue to grow.”

View the original article at thefix.com

20 February 2019
Walmart Unfairly Fired Employee For Medical Marijuana Use, Judge Says

The judge’s ruling is reportedly the first of its kind in Arizona and may positively impact similar cases in the future.

A former Walmart employee and medical marijuana patient who was fired after testing positive for THC after a workplace injury has won a wrongful termination suit against the mega-retailer.

An Arizona judge ruled in favor of Carol Whitmire, who in 2016 was injured while on the job at Walmart. Company policy requires that employees who visit urgent care must submit to a drug test, and Whitmire – who used medical marijuana for shoulder pain and sleep issues – tested positive for cannabis metabolites.

When Walmart fired Whitmire, she brought a wrongful termination suit against the company, claiming that it had discriminated against her in violation of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA).

As High Times noted, the judge’s ruling could have a positive impact on similar cases in the future.

Whitmire had been a Walmart employee at two Arizona locations for about eight years prior to her injury. According to the lawsuit, a bag of ice fell on Whitmire’s wrist in 2016, prompting a visit to urgent care.

Per Walmart’s policy, Whitmire also underwent a drug test, and informed Walmart’s human resources department that she had been a registered medical marijuana patient for five years.

As the Phoenix New Times noted, court records showed that Whitmire only used marijuana before bed to treat chronic shoulder pain and as a sleep aid, and never came to work impaired.

Whitmire’s complaint contended that on July 4, 2016, she was suspended from work as a result of the urine test, and eventually fired on July 22. With the help of the Equal Opportunity Commission and the civil rights division of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, she filed a discrimination charge against Walmart, and followed it with a wrongful termination charge which, as the New Times noted, alleged violation of the AMMA, Arizona Civil Rights Act, and the state’s worker compensation law.

In his ruling, Arizona US District Judge James A. Teilborg granted partial summary judgment to Whitmire in regard to the discrimination claim under the AMMA. The Act notes that it is illegal for an employer to hire or fire based on a “positive drug test for marijuana components or metabolites, unless the patient used, possessed or was impaired by marijuana on the premises of the place of employment or during the hours of employment.” Teilborg denied the claims of discrimination under the civil rights act or worker’s compensation laws.

Teilborg also addressed Walmart’s statement about the legality of the charges under the state’s Drug Testing of Employees Act by noting that the testing could not prove that Whitmire was impaired at work or that the presence of metabolites the urine sample could “sufficiently” establish impairment.

In a statement to the Phoenix New Times, the company wrote that they were “pleased the Court dismissed several of the claims, and we will continue to prepare our case.”

Whitmire’s lawyer, Joshua Carden, described the ruling as “the first of its kind in Arizona,” and added that the court will decide on damages or possible reinstatement for Whitmire in May 2019.

View the original article at thefix.com

20 February 2019
Riverdale's Lili Reinhart Opens Up About Depression, Getting Treatment

“We are all human. And we all struggle. Don’t suffer in silence. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help,” Reinhart noted on Instagram.

Riverdale actress Lili Reinhart used Instagram to announce through her Instagram story that she is again seeking help for anxiety and depression.

The 22-year-old actress is best known for her Riverdale character, Betty—the part that launched her into stardom. By then, Reinhart had already experienced a profound bout with depression, at 18 when she came to Hollywood.

She became physically sick from depression and moved home to North Carolina for help. After six months of working on her mental and emotional health, she returned to Hollywood, eventually landing the starring role that would make her a household name.

Reinhart has been public about her mental health struggles, but not without concerns about the level of transparency she’s chosen. She told Teen Vogue, “It’s very much a constant balance of what do I share? What do I not share? I want to be authentic, but I also don’t want to give everyone parts of myself that they don’t need to know about.”

Still, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the show’s creator and showrunner, told Teen Vogue of Reinhart, “She has a lot of contradictions, but the big thing is there’s nothing we can’t write for Lili that she cannot do. She’s sort of fearless.”

This week Reinhart spoke about her depression and anxiety on Instagram, directly addressing those reading her words and encouraging anyone experiencing similar difficulties to speak out and get help if they’re feeling overwhelmed.

“Friendly reminder for anyone who needs to hear it,” Reinhart wrote, “Therapy is never something to feel ashamed of. Everyone can benefit from seeing a therapist. Doesn’t matter how old or ‘proud’ you’re trying to be.”

The actress then added, “We are all human. And we all struggle. Don’t suffer in silence. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help. I’m 22. I have anxiety and depression And today I started therapy again.”

Reinhart shared that her “journey of self-love” included therapy and medication.

Selena Gomez is another young star who has been open about her mental health issues, which has included mental health facility stays and the therapeutic practice, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. DBT teaches skills such as emotional regulation, improving communication, and incorporating mindfulness practices.

Gomez told Vogue, “I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, we’re taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl who’s down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart.”

Reinhart told Ocean Drive magazine a year ago, “I know so many other young people have [struggles with mental health], and I didn’t have someone who was talking about it. I remember being in middle and high school and hearing Demi Lovato speak up about her mental illness and that was comforting. But I wanted more people to stand up. I needed more people to relate to. I was like, all these people can’t be so happy, can they?”

View the original article at thefix.com

20 February 2019