As much of the world is changing, areas like the gambling landscape go unnoticed by most. But, as someone who has battled the grips of gambling addiction, I see the evolving trends in gambling and addiction patterns.

Gambling addiction can consume every aspect of your life, everything from financial ruin to strained relationships; you remain helpless, at the mercy of a ruthless addiction. As someone who has been through the motions of gambling addiction, I understand how easy it is to go from harmless wagers to a debilitating reliance on gambling to function. As a result, I hope to shed light on the dark side of gambling in hopes that other people can pull themselves out before it’s too late and to empower people to make informed decisions to avoid falling into its treacherous grasp. Gambling addiction prevention might work.

I'm Michaela Jarvis, and I’m excited to join the "Recovering from Mental Illness" blog to share the stories and experiences I’ve faced on my road to mental illness recovery. This road has been bumpy, often embarrassing, guilt-ridden, and isolating, but it has led me to where I am today. Along the way, I've rebuilt my life and have garnered insights and experiences that I believe can help others on similar journeys. My ultimate goal is to share these experiences, honest and raw, to make things less lonely and more bearable for anyone who might be feeling what I've felt and been where I've been.

I’m Kevin Anyango, and I’m very excited to share my gambling addiction recovery journey on the "Recovering from Mental Illness" blog to help myself, and others stay on the straight and narrow. Five years ago, I hit rock bottom; I had no money, no place to stay, no job, and every little I made went to gambling. Alone, starving, and sleeping on the streets, I took a good hard look at myself and decided it was time for a change.

I’m Court Rundell and I’m thrilled to co-author the Recovering from Mental Illness blog at HealthyPlace. From a very early age, I was painfully aware that my internal life was atypical, and I needed to keep it a secret. I had panic attacks and disassociated from my body regularly by seven; I attempted suicide at 11 and started abusing drugs and alcohol by 12.

I have been taking a poetry class at a nearby university -- one I attended when I was struggling in early recovery. In returning this fall I've had to face fears and past failures.

My daughter is only three years old, but I already worry that she might experience some of the same mental health issues I did growing up. There are some signs I want to look for.

It's that time of year where we all try and remember the importance of gratitude, so I want to take a moment to reflect on why I'm so grateful for the recovery progress I've made in the last year. Recovery is never a linear process, which means I've had my share of backslides, but I've also taken several important steps forward, and that should be celebrated.

It might seem pessimistic to plan on having postpartum depression, but if it's something you're nervous about, it's best to be prepared with a postpartum depression support plan.

Do you need some mental health encouragement? Watch this video.