Mental Health & Psychology

Naltrexone vs. Willpower: Why “Trying Harder” Isn’t Always Enough (And Why That’s OK)

When you decide over breakfast that you'll have one drink at dinner, you're making a deliberate plan. Hours later, you may be making that decision…

I’m Thinking About Taking Naltrexone. Does That Make Me an Alcoholic?

Maybe you drink more than you want to, but the idea of taking medication for it feels like crossing some invisible line. If you're working,…

Does Naltrexone Cause Emotional Blunting? What the Science Says

So, does naltrexone actually cause emotional blunting? The research doesn't give us a simple yes or no. Naltrexone changes the way the brain processes reward,…

Is “Alcoholic” an Outdated Term? Clinically, Yes — Here’s Why That Matters

At some point, you may have wondered whether your drinking is “bad enough” to be a problem. Maybe you’ve counted the drinks, compared your habits…

Can You Take Naltrexone If You Take Antidepressants?

You're thinking about drinking less and considering naltrexone as an option to help. But you've also finally found the right antidepressant for you—whether it's Lexapro…

Why Do I Feel Guilty After Drinking, Even After A Normal Night?

Feeling guilty after drinking doesn't always mean you did something wrong. Alcohol changes brain chemistry, disrupts sleep, and can temporarily increase anxiety and self-criticism the…

Hangxiety 101: The Real Science (And Why It Feels So Bad)

While not everyone experiences anxiety after drinking, many people report feeling more emotionally vulnerable or on edge during a hangover. Not just fatigued or nursing…

Anxiety and Alcohol: Why Drinking Feels Like It Helps, Then Makes Things Worse

The relationship between anxiety and alcohol is more complicated than most people realize. Alcohol can absolutely calm anxiety in the short term. But over time,…

Why You Might Feel So Split Around Drinking

It’s a strange thing, really, how quickly your mind can shift when it comes to your relationship with drinking. One moment you’re fairly clear about…

Why Everyone Else’s Drinking Looks Easier Than Yours

Let's say you’re out somewhere. Drinks are around, people are talking, and for a while you’re just… in it. Then your attention sort of slides…

Why “I Thought I Was Past This” Is Totally Normal

Maybe you’ve started drinking less, taking more alcohol-free days, or perhaps you have decided to stop entirely. And you've felt the initial effects: improved sleep,…

Why Evening Alcohol Cravings Can Hit Harder Than Morning Intentions

A funny thing happens when people start paying attention to their drinking habits. The person making decisions at 7 a.m. and the person standing in…

When Parents Feel the Gut Check Around Drinking

For a lot of parents, concern around drinking shows up as a feeling you can’t quite name—a moment where you pause and think, Something here…

Why Teens Really Start Drinking

For many young people, their first drink isn’t about getting drunk. It’s about feeling like they belong. When you look at early drinking through that…

The Real Reason You Start Wanting A Drink in the Afternoon

It usually doesn’t start at night. It starts earlier — mid-afternoon, when nothing dramatic is happening. You’re answering emails. Wrapping up work. Maybe heading into…

How Alcohol, Trauma, and Awareness Intersect

Marci Hopkins doesn’t describe her early life as dramatic or unusual at the time — it was simply the environment her nervous system adapted to.…

Rejecting The False Binary of Alcohol Use Disorder

For too long, a pervasive misconception has shaped the alcohol treatment landscape: the idea that Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), or “alcoholism” as it’s still too…

Why Hangovers Don’t Stop You From Drinking (And What Does)

Why do so many people swear off drinking in the morning, only to find themselves drinking while hungover, or reaching for a drink days (or…

Why Constant Self-Improvement Can Quietly Wear You Down

Learning, improving, becoming more aware. Those instincts are usually praised—and for good reason. But there’s a version of self-improvement that doesn’t get talked about much.…