Self-disclosure Can Be Good – and Good for You
Not long ago, Mehmet Oz – you probably know him as Dr. Oz – asked a great question in his blog: Have you ever noticed how good you feel after venting? It doesn’t matter to whom you vent – a friend, a therapist, even a stranger who was willing to listen. Revealing what you’re feeling actually makes you feel better. Indeed, self-disclosure has an array of health benefits, not the least of which is that it activates the brain’s intrinsic “reward” pathway, which can improve a person’s mood and diminish his or her stress level. This pathway, which was the focus of a May 2012 study cited in Dr. Oz’s blog, produces feelings of reward, desire, and satisfaction. Oh, and when it’s suppressed? That can lead to depression – and even to alcohol and drug addiction. As Dr. Oz notes, we are a very social species. Our need to self-disclose is positive proof of that. By saying what’s on our minds, we strengthen social bonds with others. We elicit feedback from others to attain self-knowledge. We show others that we want to know what they know (“I got this on my exam. What did you get?”). And, sometimes, we find answers to questions that are not just gnawing at us, but tearing us apart. One of the more profound rewards of The Right Step’s Alumni Program is the opportunity clients have to meet others who have learned the answers, through their own experiences, and who are eager to share them. The program, available to graduates of any The Right Step drug or alcohol addiction treatment program, gives those battling drug and alcohol addiction a better chance to recover – by giving them a wonderful chance to share what they’re going through with others who have gone through it themselves. The Right Step’s Alumni Program is social in nature. The alumni group plays softball, goes to meetings, plans picnics, and participates in a variety of events that create and maintain a sense of community. With each activity comes a chance to bond; with each bond comes a chance to talk. And, as Dr. Oz noted, with each talk comes a chance to feel better. To learn more about the Alumni Program, or about The Right Step’s wide range of multi-faceted drug and alcohol dependence treatment measures, please call [phone].
