If you've been recovering from depression, alcoholism, drug abuse or an eating disorders, some of the top disorders and illnesses in the world you know how important great mentor are. Unfortunately it's very difficult, if not impossible, to recover from these ailments alone. A mentor, whether that's a family member, friend or professional, can guide you through the recovery process.

This January is National Mentoring Month. It's a time for people to thank their mentors for being their beacon of light in what can often be a very dark world. In a proclamation, President Obama described how mentors play an important role in young people's lives. Of course, we could extend his narrative to mentors of all ages.

"Whether simply offering a compassionate ear or actively teaching and inspiring curiosity, mentors can play pivotal roles in young peoples' lives," Obama stated. "When given a chance to use their talents and abilities to engage in their communities and contribute to our world, our nation's youth rise to the challenge. They make significant impacts in their communities and shape a brighter future for coming generations."

Organizations all across the nation are not only celebrating the month, but also reaching out to others to do the same. Andrea Maril-Fisher, BBBS Mountain Region CEO showed her support by saying "there is a powerful mentoring effect demonstrated by research and the experiences of young people who are connected to a mentor in real life." She followed up to say that, "Mentoring is linked to improved academic, social and economic prospects for your people, and that ultimately strengthens our community."

For those who need help recovering from a disorder, such as depression, alcoholism, drug abuse or eating disorders, consider Fairwinds Treatment Center. Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders by using a Dual Diagnosis approach. In using this tactic, Dr. El-Yousef and his staff of full-time psychiatrists, nursing professionals and licensed therapists work to first diagnosis the underlying reason behind a person's disorder. Upon understanding the cause, they can then treat the condition and its symptoms.