Mill P Writes

Ozempic: The Instant Gratification Miracle or Moderation’s Latest Mirage? Ah, Ozempic , the injectable elixir of the moment. It’s a name that’s been whispered at brunch tables and shouted in gym locker rooms, an alleged magic wand for weight loss and, as this Politico article suggests, perhaps even addiction itself. Yes, according to new research, Ozempic and similar drugs like Mounjaro might just curb alcohol cravings in the same way they curb appetites. But before we roll out the red carpet for this so-called “miracle,” let’s inject a little skepticism (pun intended). First, let me lay my cards on the table. I’ve been through the body image wringer. I’ve had washboard abs so sharp they could julienne a carrot, and I’ve carried a gut so big it looked like I was smuggling a beer keg under my shirt. Alcoholism didn’t just change my brain chemistry; it sculpted my physique, too, and not in a good way. Sobriety, on the other hand, reshaped me in more ways than one—physically, mentally,...

  I’ll be blunt: some days I feel like a deflated balloon—flat, sighing, and so ready to burst back into tears. That cocktail of mental health hell and alcohol addiction? It was my daily hangover, even before I’d taken a swig. But then there was writing. Writing has been my life raft, my defiant middle finger to chaos. When I found the article from West Coast Recovery Centers titled *“Creative Writing Reduces Stress and Improves Mental Health”*, I didn’t just read it—I felt seen. Like someone had crawled inside my skull and taken notes. The article explains, “Creative writing can reduce mood swings and other side effects of substance use disorder by supporting healthy self-reflection and mindfulness.” And they’re not fluffing it up with vague affirmations or woo-woo nonsense. They back it up with real studies, like one from the *Substance Use and Addiction Journal*, which reports that expressive writing “resulted in significant reductions in distress, and improved psychological and...

Primary Care and Suicide Prevention: Captain Obvious Strikes Again, But It’s About Time If ever an article belonged in the Captain Obvious drawer, it’s this one: “Primary care can play key role in suicide prevention,” courtesy of the National Institute of Mental Health. I mean, isn’t that like saying umbrellas can play a key role in staying dry during a rainstorm? Still, sometimes the obvious things need to be shouted from the rooftops, because too often they’re whispered and then forgotten. Let’s unpack this groundbreaking (but not-so-groundbreaking) revelation. According to the article, “Primary care providers are uniquely positioned to identify and address suicide risk.” Why? Because these are the people we see for everything from suspicious moles to suspiciously stubborn colds. The average primary care doctor sees patients from all walks of life, making them the first line of defense in spotting the warning signs of suicide. Here’s the kicker: “About 80% of people who died by s...