Mental Health and Addiction By Tasha Jennings, DNP/ARNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC Behavioral Health Nurse Practitioner at Osceola Regional Health Center   Mental Health is an important part of a person's well-being. Everyone can probably think of a family member, friend or coworker that has endured some type of mental health crisis or situation whether it be grief, anxiousness or low mood. And at times these diagnoses are coupled with secondary diagnosis of addiction.  Addiction is becoming more known when it comes to mental health treatment because it is often used as a coping mechanism. The addiction can be some more well-known things like drugs and alcohol and then some less talked about things like pornography and gambling. Regardless of what the addiction is, it is important to know addiction is a disease just as much as high blood pressure. It's hard for some people to understand addiction because the thought is to “just stop.” However, addiction ends up being a part of a person's life, much like breathing. When a person does something that makes them feel good such as completing a task, dopamine is released. This is the "feel good" neurotransmitter. It helps us repeat an activity because it feels good. Like eating when we [...]