Mental health specialists long suspected there were links between trauma and addiction. Just as traumatic experiences have an impact on other avenues of mental health, addiction can arise as a response to trauma symptoms.  In this article, Cottonwood Tucson examines the connections between trauma and addiction and how trauma-informed substance use disorder treatment is making...Read More

When someone you love is struggling with a mental health disorder, it’s easy to feel powerless. No one wants to watch someone they love in pain or discomfort. Yet, mental health is complex. You may be an adept problem-solver in every other area of your life – but when it comes to your husband’s depression...Read More

Looking after your own mental health is one of the most important forms of self-care. Many of us pay great attention to diet, skincare, and physical fitness — but may fail to invest in our mental health. It’s not always immediately apparent if your mental health isn’t ideal. The truth is that it is far...Read More

The past two decades have been especially challenging for America’s veterans. The War on Terror has meant traumatic combat experience for many of them. Between 2001 and 2022, nearly 3 million military personnel have served in war operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition, there are another 12-15 million veterans alive in the U.S. today....Read More

Trauma affects the brain in many ways, perhaps the most important longer term effect is the creation of triggers and associations towards other stimuli in life that cause a person to unnecessarily experience a fight or flight response. Trauma is an integral part of the human experience. Every one of us has experienced trauma in...Read More

Therapy for trauma can help enable breakthroughs in trauma recovery. EMDR, CBT, DBT, and somatic experiencing are some of the main treatment modalities that are in use today. Unresolved trauma can manifest in a person’s life in a myriad of different ways. Two different people can have very different responses to similar trauma in fact....Read More

America’s veterans have carried the weight of the War on Terror on their shoulders for more than two decades now. Providing the best possible mental health treatment for veterans is a mission we take very seriously at Cottonwood Tucson. In this article, we will discuss some of the unique mental health challenges veterans face and...Read More

We all get a little blue or sad sometimes. But what’s the difference between those emotions and a mood disorder such as depression? The type of symptoms, their intensity, and duration, among other factors. Let’s take a closer look at feeling blue, sad, or depressed and when to seek professional help.  Am I Blue? Some...Read More

Notable author and vagabond Mark Twain once said, “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” But did you...Read More

Many people struggle with body dysmorphia, which the Cleveland Clinic defines as “a mental health condition that disrupts how you see and feel about your own body and appearance.” Unfortunately, this condition is a common symptom among people struggling with eating disorders, although it’s not technically considered in that category. It’s also a problem for...Read More