Fun Indoor Activities for Fall
With the impending cooler, Fall weather and lack of public indoor places open, it can be hard to think of indoor activities to do with the family or on your own. Carve or decorate pumpkins Whether you choose to visit a pumpkin patch this year or not, you can still have a lot of f
What is Medication Assisted Treatment and Recovery?
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and Recovery (MAR) are common terms in the substance use treatment world. But what are they, really? Medication Assisted Recovery (MAR) At Lifeline Connections, MAR is an umbrella term that offers different levels of care throughout the recover
6 Tips for Telehealth
With the continuation of COVID-19 physical distancing requirements, Lifeline Connections has transitioned all outpatient services to telehealth. This includes assessments, therapy, group sessions and outpatient and problem gambling treatment. What is telehealth? Telehealth is hea
6 Tips to Reduce Stress
Stress is an issue that many of us experience, sometimes daily. Financial obligations, jobs, family responsibilities and the worry that there isn’t enough time in the day can cause us to feel stressed and overwhelmed. Over time, an overabundance of stress can take a toll on our
National Depression Screening Day
Today is National Depression Screening Day. Many mental health organizations participate to encourage screening, including Mental Health America’s B4Stage4 campaign. Stage 4 is often attributed to the stages of cancer or other terminal physical disease. But it also applies to m
Depression Awareness
This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. Today we would like to bring awareness to one of the most common types of mental health conditions; depression. An estimated 17.3 million adults in the United States have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past twe
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
It’s the first of October, which means summer is almost over. The warm weather and sunny days are quickly transitioning to shorter, rainier ones. The cold and rain can make people hibernate, not socialize and stay indoors to avoid the weather. Think about the things fall and wi
Suicide Prevention during COVID-19
Suicide prevention is an important, growing public health concern as COVID-19 continues. In 2018 over 48,000 people died by suicide and during that year, was the 10th leading cause of death. While there isn’t a lot of data compiled over the timeframe that COVID-19 has affected
What is Give More 24?
Give More 24 is Southwest Washington’s largest day of giving. It lasts for 24 hours annually on September 24th. You don’t need anyone to tell you the world is a stressful place right now. Washington’s Department of Health is reporting a surge in substance abuse and mental h
Navigating New Boundaries in Recovery
The longer you are in recovery, the more you learn and rediscover yourself. This includes what you like, don’t like and how you’re willing to be treated – which is why establishing healthy boundaries is so important. What is a boundary? A boundary is a guideline tha
Teens and Substance Use
Whether in the form of drugs or alcohol, substance use is a growing public health concern among teens. What often begins as experimentation or peer pressure can turn into misuse. Once a substance use disorder develops, treatment is often the only option that can help a teen. How
Why Our Treatment is Smoke-Free
For the last few decades a significant amount of time, money and resources have been spent to research and report the benefits of quitting smoking. It’s likely that you have heard that tobacco causes cancer, other health problems and can cause second hand smoking issues. But wh
One Woman’s Journey to Recovery
National Recovery Month takes place in September and is an important time for us to acknowledge the number of people who are suffering from substance use disorders across North America and the rest of the world. There are approximately 20 million people across America suffering f
Health Benefits of Recovery
There are many benefits of recovery with the healthiest being free of substances. However, many people may not look at the long term health benefits of recovery. Substances put such a strain on your body physically and emotionally that it doesn’t take the body long to begin to
Art of Recovery
September is National Recovery Month and we are celebrating through art. We are asking people in the recovery community to showcase their artistic expression. Art is a beautiful form of expression that helps reduce anxiety, build self-esteem and can help manage behaviors associat
What is Detox?
Substance use can be very harmful emotionally, physically and to relationships. At least $600 billion is spent annually on healthcare, lost productivity and crime due to the misuse of drugs and alcohol. However, statistics have shown a positive trend with substance use treatment.
Understanding Substance Use Disorder
Substance Use Disorder is a disease that affects a person’s behavior and brain and leads to the inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug, medication or alcohol. Statistics According to a 2018 survey reported by SAMHSA, over 60% of those 12 or older used a substan
Three Tips to Reduce Anxiety & Stress during Distance Learning
School is quickly approaching. Most districts will begin with an improved version of distance learning compared to last Spring when the COVID-19 pandemic began. For some it comes as a relief but for others an increase in stress and anxiety for parents, teachers and more so the ki
Men’s Residential Substance Use Treatment
These past months were challenging for everyone and continue to be. We know that behavioral health conditions are on the rise. What many people and referring agencies need to know is that our Men’s Residential Substance Use Treatment is open. We are here and we want to help
How to Help During a Mental Health Crisis
Chances are you know someone who has been through a mental health crisis. Perhaps you weren’t there when things got rough, but there is a very high possibility that one day you will be around and you will need to know what to do. Think of this as a course in mental CPR. You may
Exploring Anxiety Disorders
People may know what anxiety feels like but it isn’t easy to understand the variety of anxiety disorders and how they are classified. All of them have one thing in common: An excessive or persistent worry that may not be applicable to a situation. Similarly, these anxieties
5 Tips for Setting Goals
The year is almost halfway over. Do you have goals you would still like to achieve? If you still have a personal changes or improvements it’s never too late to start. Take these tips and start. The journey may seem long, but with each accomplishment you will build confidenc
Crisis Wellness Center Opening Soon
We are proud to announce that our Crisis Wellness Center’s Triage and Stabilization Program will open soon. This is a voluntary program that will provide a safe, supportive alternative to hospital emergency departments or incarceration for those experiencing an acute behavi
Asian American & Pacific Islander Mental Health
In the United States almost three million people identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander. That is over six percent. Of those, almost fifteen percent report having a mental health condition in the last year. Comparatively, that is more than the number of dentists, post-seco
