Mental Health Archives – The Gooden Center

Archive for the ‘Mental Health’ Category

What are Mental Health Triggers?

Posted on: November 25th, 2018 by The Gooden Center No Comments

What are Mental Health Triggers?

Someone who suffers from a mental illness may not always experience their symptoms except in certain circumstances. People with mental health problems often have specific triggers that produce their symptoms or worsen them. It is normal for people to react to triggers but it is important to get help and support before the triggers lead to a downward spiral or a mental health episode.

Patients receiving treatment for a mental illness such as anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder will all have certain mental health triggers. During treatment they will need to learn to identify their own personal triggers so that they can prevent an episode or have a plan in place if symptoms do occur. Becoming familiar with triggers can make them more manageable so that they don’t control your mental well being when they come up.

Triggers can differ between each individual but some common triggers include stress, frightening news events, break ups with a significant other, family conflict, anniversary dates of a trauma, financial problems, being judged or teased, spending too much time alone and many others. When someone who has a mental illness experiences one of these triggers they may suddenly become very depressed or anxious and find that they are having trouble coping with their normal daily tasks.

It is crucial to develop a plan for how to deal with these kinds of triggers so that they don’t worsen symptoms too severely. Patients can make a list of actions or activities that help them minimize the effects of triggers such as going for a walk, talking to a friend, practicing relaxation exercises, or writing in a journal. As long as you know certain tactics that can help alleviate some of your symptoms quickly, you can prevent triggers from disrupting your normal routine.

Circadian Rhythm Disturbances Effect on Mental Health

Posted on: November 19th, 2018 by The Gooden Center No Comments

Circadian Rhythm Disturbances Effect on Mental Health

Sleep habits and mental health are often closely connected in a number of different ways. People that have mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder are well-known to struggle with get a regular amount of sleep. The lack of sleep that they experience can often worsen symptoms and cause a vicious cycle of poor mental and physical health.

Studies have shown that patients with bipolar disorder tend to have more problems with circadian rhythm disturbances than healthier individuals. They stay up later at night, wake up in the middle of the night and often suffer from general issues of insomnia. These sleep disturbances can have a devastating effect on mental health and are even linked to higher rates of suicide.

Sleep problems influence a person’s mental health and their state of mental health can also impact their ability to sleep. Since these two problems are intertwined, it is necessary to treat both issues simultaneously so that they can improve the other. A patient with bipolar disorder who receives medication and psychotherapy may over time find it easier to sleep and in turn better sleep habits will improve their symptoms.

There are many techniques that can help repair a person’s circadian rhythm so that they are able to sleep regular hours without any disturbances. Strategies such as exercising regularly, spending time in the sun, improving diet and reducing stress can all have a positive impact on circadian rhythm. Supplements like melatonin can also be useful in balancing the body’s hormones that promote better sleep.

For better sleep habits and good mental health overall it is beneficial to go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day. Avoid staying up too late at night as it can disturb normal sleep patterns. Getting eight straight hours every night is crucial for mental health and overall wellbeing.

Parenting an Adult Addict

Posted on: November 14th, 2018 by The Gooden Center No Comments

Parenting an Adult Addict

The responsibility of being a parent may never completely end, even after children reach adulthood and leave home to lead their own lives. Being a parent means always trying to lead your son or daughter in the right direction especially when they are making very dangerous or unhealthy choices. When your adult child develops an addiction, it is often your responsibility as well as your desire as a parent to try to help them.

Parenting an adult addict can be difficult because you no longer can control their actions or tell them what to do. Some parents may worry too much for their child’s wellbeing and end up enabling them by getting them out of financial problems caused by their addiction. As a parent you need to learn the lines between stepping to help them and enabling them to continue their addictive behavior.

One problem that parents might experience is the feeling of guilt that can go along with having a child who is an addict. Their child might blame them for what they have become and the parent might feel ashamed of mistakes they made while raising them. It is important to understand that once a child reaches adulthood, their decisions are their own and it is not your fault that they have an addiction.

As a parent you need to avoid enabling your child but also be able to offer them love and support while encouraging them to get help. If possible, stage an intervention with other family members and loved ones who are concerned about their addiction. You need to try your best to still remain in their life but also protect yourself and others in the family from their misdeeds.

Having a child who is an addict is never easy, no matter what their age but with the right approach you can help motivate them to become sober.

The Link Between Grief and Anxiety

Posted on: November 4th, 2018 by The Gooden Center No Comments

The Link Between Grief and Anxiety

The loss of a loved one can be one of the most devastating experiences that a person goes through in their life. Grief is very powerful and can affect a person’s physical and mental health if they are not able to process their grief and reach a point of acceptance. One of the most common issues associated with grief are psychological issues such as anxiety.

Grief and anxiety are actually very closely linked in most cases because the vulnerability that a person experiences after a loss often leads to anxiety. When someone passes away people are then faced with questions about mortality and the unpredictability of their existence. People often have difficulty fully processing grief because of the expectation from society to quickly move on and they are then left with more complex problems like anxiety.

After someone passes away people are usually expected to return to work or school fairly quickly. There is a significant stigma around showing emotions such as grief in our culture and people tend to hide or suppress their feelings to appear functional and normal to others. Unfortunately this can complicate grief and cause the individual to feel anxious not only about death but a more general anxiety that they can’t explain.

Experiencing the death of a loved one can be shocking and traumatic in a way that we often can’t fully comprehend. Suppressing feelings and not coping with grief can very negatively affect our emotional life and make it hard to get through daily life. Grief is something that few people are prepared to deal with and it often takes the help and guidance of a professional to get through each stage successfully.

When someone is able to process their grief they can start to minimize their feelings of anxiety and ultimately feel a sense of acceptance about their loss.

Adjustment Disorder – Unable to Cope with Change

Posted on: October 20th, 2018 by The Gooden Center No Comments

Adjustment Disorder - Unable to Cope with Change

Stress and anxiety can lead to different kinds of illnesses with specific issues that need to be addressed. People that have a particularly hard time dealing with major changes such as moving to a new city, starting a new job, switching schools or breaking up with someone may have a problem known as adjustment disorder. Although anyone may feel stressed out about a big change in their life, people with this disorder have persistent symptoms of anxiety that occur after a major life event.

Adjustment disorder can begin once an unexpected change occurs that carries a strong emotional effect. If a child suddenly moves to a new city or state or their parents separate then that type of change can have a major impact on them. It is normal for kids or even adults to feel anxious and upset when they encounter change but if those persist for months and they have trouble moving on then they may have developed symptoms of adjustment disorder.

When someone develops adjustment disorder it means that their environmental stressors have exceeded their resources for coping. Some degree of anxiety is normal when you do something out of your comfort zone but when your reaction becomes disproportionate to the event taking place then it is considered a mental health issue. Adjustment disorder is similar to situational depression which leads to crying spells and waves of anger triggered by certain events.

If you have adjustment disorder it can make it difficult to adapt to new situations and learn to feel more comfortable with changes over time. You might find it difficult to bounce back from your feelings of depression and anxiety that were triggered by a new experience. Talking to a professional about your feelings can help you address the symptoms of adjustment disorder and learn strategies to cope with change.