Addiction Archives - Integrative Psychiatry Online, Ron Parks, MD

Collage of 6 pictures: the concentration camp and the captured, searching for meaning, peace, a solder with PTSD, and spiritual awakening.

Unraveling the Unfathomable: Capturing the Essence of Profound Experiences*

Written by Ron Parks, MD on July 29, 2023. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Depression, Expert Mentor-Guide, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, neuroscience, Personal Growth, PTSD, Spirituality & Health, Uncategorized.

Impactful experiences critically affect a person’s choices, life direction, meaning, and perspective.

Finding the right words to describe the indescribable

Difficulty describing profound and highly impactful events is a challenge for most, as words cannot capture the essence and totality of the happening. There are talented writers, poets, spiritual masters, and philosophers who have come close to conveying the mystery and otherworldliness of personal and profound, unique experiences. Experiences can be momentary, powerful, ecstatic, liberating, and enlightening, or painful, life-threatening, tragic, traumatic, and damaging. The event can occur over time with duress until circumstances change.

Old leather journal on wood plank table with a favorite pen beside.

Journal Keeping for Health and Productivity

Written by Ron Parks, MD on April 26, 2022. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Depression, Getting Things Done, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, PTSD, Recovery, Spirituality & Health, Trauma.

Purpose, Types, Benefits, and Tips

Journaling is one of the most valuable and accessible self-help tools available.

In times of stress and duress, journaling can help work through some of the most difficult life challenges, such as the death of a spouse with the difficulty that follows.

An award-winning author, grief support advocate, and marketing consultant, Linda Donovan,¹ shares a personal piece about the healing power of journaling in her life as an opening to our exploration of a valuable tool anybody can use. Dr. Parks then continues the narrative about the history and purpose of journaling, how his fascination with it developed, journal types, benefits, eight tips for doing journal keeping, and resources.

Storms and Mental Health

Written by Ron Parks, MD on September 26, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Coronavirus, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, PTSD, Public Health Issue, Recovery, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics.

Mary’s Challenges

Mary¹ had a history of mood swings, depression, anxiety, and PTSD from childhood sexual abuse. Her years growing up were in a chaotic and disruptive home, especially after her alcoholic father deserted her and her mother. She had experienced a hard time growing up with parental neglect, physical, and emotional abuse. Her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) returned after the hurricane with a vengeance.

Yoga & Eastern Influence on Holistic Healthcare

Written by Ron Parks, MD on August 16, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, Spirituality & Health, Trauma. 1 Comment

An Awakening Fall

As a nine-year-old boy, while enjoying the warmth of the midday sun, I was easing my way out onto a branch of a wild apple tree. It was in a deserted field with the sweetest green apples I had ever tasted. These weren’t like the shiny red ones you can buy at the local store. The tree’s singular presence in an untamed field of weeds and wildflowers made it an even more tempting challenge to climb.

Lightning in a thunderstorm and natural disaster

Crises, Career, and Mental Health

Written by Ron Parks, MD on April 27, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Bipolarity, Death and Dying, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, Neuroplasticity, PTSD, Public Health Issue, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics.

My journey from crises to a career in medicine and mental health began early in life.

Growing up in the rural countryside, I loved to run and play, in the open fields and woods, with my friends and dog. I became good at swimming and other sports. Even though polio was in the news with pictures of children paralyzed from the untreatable illness—there was no effective treatment or vaccine. I felt invincible and in robust health. But with a turn of fate, the virus found me one summer day.

COVID-19 and Mental Health Crises Book

Written by Ron Parks, MD on February 8, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Coronavirus, Death and Dying, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, Neuroplasticity, PTSD, Public Health Issue, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics. 1 Comment

If a mental health crisis or the pandemic has affected your life, then this book is written for you.

COVID-19/Mental Health Crises: Holistic Understanding & Solutions

In his timely book, now published, Ronald R. Parks, MPH, MD, examines the impact of COVID-19 or other forms of crisis, loss, or tragedy on individual mental health.

Women unattentive to the elephant in the room

Elephant in COVID-19’s Room

Written by Ron Parks, MD on April 13, 2020. Posted in Addiction, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Coronavirus, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Viral Pandemics.

The spin away from the“inconvenient truths” in the current COVID-19 crisis, represents business and politics at their worse.

In business and politics, controlling the narrative towards what will win customers, build a brand, or gain a captive audience of followers, can be the way towards profits or power. People’s awareness and attention, unfortunately, gets diverted away from critical issues that need action. Not attending to these vital issues is a formula for disaster and recurrence of tragedies like the deadly pandemics from COVID-19.

© PaylessImages / 123RF.com - A path and heart in clouds

The Heart Addiction Connection

Written by Ron Parks, MD on April 27, 2019. Posted in Addiction, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Meditation/Mindfulness, Public Health Issue, Trauma. 2 Comments

“This heart will one day find you a sweetheart. This soul will one day take you to the beloved. Seize your pain as a blessing. Your pain will one day lead you to healing.” Rumi

Buddy fell from grace into the heart of darkness – the heartless realm of near oblivion and emptiness.

© Dmytro Sidelnikov/ 123RF.com addict lying alone in dark after taking heroin and pills — © Dmytro Sidelnikov/ 123RF.com, over-dose

I met Buddy when I was working in a West Coast emergency room. He came into the ER looking pale and barely breathing.

Promise of Light on other side of a Wood Bridge of wood bridge in deep forest crossing water stream and glowing light at the end of wooden ways; Copyright: khunaspix / 123RF Stock Photo

Expert Mentoring – A Key to Restoring Mental & Emotional Health

Written by Ron Parks, MD on August 11, 2018. Posted in ADD/ADHD, Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Depression, Expert Mentor-Guide, Integrative Therapies, Mood, PTSD, Trauma. 1 Comment

Escalating mental health, emotional or related health issues may signal the need for mentoring or guidance.

When help is needed, it can be difficult to find the outside expert support you need. Developing your own personal self as a resource can also be a challenge.

A person in distress often recognizes that their customary coping mechanism and level of support are inadequate. The dependence on learned ways of dealing with adverse life events often does not help for an overload of stressors and emotional turmoil. The experience for some is like being entrapped in a swirl of thoughts, painful emotions and images. Before distress reaches too high a level, is the time to reach out to others for help and guidance.

Meditation, mindfulness, happiness - zen garden with massage stones and waterlily

Meditation – Mental Health Essential

Written by Ron Parks, MD on January 16, 2018. Posted in ADD/ADHD, Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Depression, Happiness, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, Neuroplasticity, Spirituality & Health.

Meditation, Mindfulness, or Introspective Practices

have well proven their value in holistic mental health work for mood, anxiety, addiction, and health issues. Meditation can be an essential tool for happiness and mental health. Enhancement of longevity and decrease in brain aging has also been demonstrated as an added benefit. In many other areas, there are proven benefits as in work, school, athletic performance, sleep, and creativity. The mere awareness in meditation – that thoughts and emotion are of a changing and transient nature – is enlightening for those felt imprisoned by harsh negative thoughts and emotions.

Category: Addiction