November is National Adoption Month. Popular culture would have you believe that adoptees are either pitiful orphans or murderous fiends, with little room in between. In reality, people who have been adopted, whether domestically or internationally, are generally very similar to everyone else. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, in Leland, North Carolina, we want to […]
Mental Health and Adoptees Read More »
A lot of people feel a bit bummed out during the winter months. If you struggle particularly hard during the darkest, coldest part of the year, you may be someone who experiences seasonal depressive disorder, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, we treat patients whose mental health disorders, including
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder Read More »
The physical health benefits of exercise are easy to observe since muscle development and fat loss are often apparent to the eye. It can be more difficult to understand how working out helps our minds because we cannot watch our brains change, but researchers have found that our brains benefit just as much from physical
How Exercise Impacts Mental Health Read More »
Change is difficult, even for adults. It can sometimes be even harder for teenagers, whose hormones are through the roof, whose coping skills are still developing, and whose brain is still maturing. Going back to school is a big, anxiety-producing change for a lot of adolescents, and it can trigger mental health struggles. At Carolina
Back to School: Helping Adolescents Manage Mental Health Read More »
You may have heard someone claim they’re “OCD” because they like to keep their workspace tidy or that someone else is “acting bipolar” because they’re experiencing big emotions. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health in Leland, North Carolina, we treat people with OCD, bipolar, and other mental health disorders, and we know how hurtful–and potentially harmful–it
It’s Not Funny to Joke About Mental Health Labels Read More »
We have all had difficult, painful experiences. Ideally, we would have the tools to navigate anything that comes our way, with love and support from caring people we trust. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Many people go through things that are beyond their ability to manage without sufficient help from other people. This might
Why Trauma-Informed Care Matters Read More »
Losing someone to suicide is devastating. People ask themselves if they missed warning signs and what they might have done to prevent the death of the person they lost. National Suicide Prevention Month is observed in September. It is an attempt to raise awareness and save lives. This year, National Suicide Week will be observed
Suicide Prevention Read More »
Sometimes, when a person is dealing with difficult feelings, it can feel like they are stuck in an unending loop of anxiety. Grounding exercises are one way people can manage unpleasant emotions and their body’s reactions to those emotions, in order to return to the present moment. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health in Leland, North
Grounding Exercises to Manage Emotional Distress Read More »
As a parent, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between typical adolescent changes and concerning behaviors that could signal the use of alcohol or other substances. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health in Leland, North Carolina, we treat adolescents who are struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. We know from experience that the
Signs That Your Teen May be Using Drugs Read More »
Addiction is frequently considered a young person’s problem, but rates of substance misuse among adults over 50 are higher than ever, with substance use admissions among seniors doubling between 2000 and 2012. While we may not associate substance use with people who are old enough to be grandparents, it is important to remember that today’s
Signs of Substance Misuse Among Seniors Read More »
