Gooden Center
A residential drug treatment center for men located in Pasadena, CA. The Gooden Center is a proud member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP).

(626) 356-0078
191 North El Molino Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 US

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Archive for the ‘Mental Health’ Category

Tips for Boosting Mental Health

Posted on: June 14th, 2019 by The Gooden Center No Comments

 

Tips for Boosting Mental Health

Self care means taking the time to pay attention not only to your physical well being but also your mental health. There are many small ways that you can quickly boost your mental health if you are feeling down and need to recharge. Developing a routine of focusing on your mental well-being will build up over time and improve your state of mind on a regular basis.

One of the quickest and most effective ways to ease stress is to write down your thoughts. Keeping a journal every day and writing down your personal feelings can be a great way to vent and express things that you might not feel comfortable talking about. Journaling allows you a personal space to cope with the thoughts that may be bringing you down.

Another useful tactic is learning how to counter negative thoughts with positive ones or develop skills in creating a positive spin. Everyone has negative thoughts from time to time or starts to interpret events in a negative light. Bringing in some positive points to counter those thoughts can help prevent you from spiraling and helps you gain some new perspective on a situation.

One of the ways that people can start to produce more positive feelings and thoughts is through a practice of gratitude. Taking time to think about or write down the things that you are grateful for can have a major impact on your mood. We often forget all the good things that we have when we get bogged down in negativity and forget to be grateful.

It is also important to have some “go to” self-care practices that you know will boost your mood. It could be anything from taking a walk, watching your favorite movie, calling a friend or anything you know will help you feel better. Regular self-care can keep your mental health in a better state so that you can stay positive.

Recognizing Different Types of Depression

Posted on: June 12th, 2019 by The Gooden Center No Comments

 

Recognizing Different Types of Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the U.S. and people tend to think of it as one general problem. However, depression can come in many forms and it affects people in different ways depending on their individual experiences and their specific diagnosis. Symptoms of depression can vary greatly and people who have gone through certain types of trauma may have their own form of depression.

The most general type of depression that people are familiar with is major depression which is diagnosed when someone has had depression symptoms for more than six months. People with this form of depression are not experiencing symptoms in relation to specific conditions but are struggling with long term feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Major depression may occur in just one episode or it can return several times during the person’s lifetime.

Another form of depression that is less severe is known as dysthymia which is a low intensity mood disorder. Symptoms may be similar to major depression but are less intense and will often last much longer. People with this disorder may not be completely disabled by their illness but they may still have problems functioning or feeling good.

Depression can also arise under specific circumstances such as in conditions like postpartum depression and seasonal affective disorder. Women with postpartum depression experience their symptoms for a period of time after giving birth. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that occurs only in certain seasons, usually during winter.

Depression is also associated with other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder which can include major bouts of depression as part of their different episodes. It is important for people with depression to get an accurate diagnosis so that they know which kind of depression they are dealing with and can get appropriate treatment.

Depression and Women: Gender Gap in Mental Health

Posted on: May 18th, 2019 by The Gooden Center No Comments
Tips for Boosting Mental Health

Depression is a problem that affects millions of Americans but studies have repeatedly shown that women have much higher rates of the illness. Research that evaluates depression in both genders shows that women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men. They are also three times more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders or attempt suicide.

What causes the gender gap in illnesses like depression? There are many different factors that can contribute to women struggling with mental health problems. Depression treatment that focuses on the specific issues that women face can help them understand what has caused their depression.

One of the reasons that women struggle more with depression has to do with biological and hormonal differences. Women’s mental health is affected by hormonal changes throughout their life that occur during puberty, during their menstrual cycle, throughout pregnancy and postpartum as well as perimenopause and menopause. These shifting hormones can disrupt the serotonin levels in the brain which help control mood.

Other factors which can influence depression for women are life circumstances and cultural pressures. Women are more likely to make less money than men in similar jobs and overall they are more likely to live in poverty. They also tend to have more stress and responsibilities, often balancing work and duties at home as a caregiver.

Women are also more likely to experience some type of physical, emotional or sexual abuse at some point in their life which can increase their likelihood of depression. Although these factors contribute to higher rates of diagnosis, women are also more likely to seek help through depression treatment. Getting professional care can make it possible for more women to recover and get the help that they need to lead healthier lives.

The Philosophy of Second Chances

Posted on: April 15th, 2019 by The Gooden Center No Comments
The Philosophy of Second Chances

When people offend or hurt us, we tend to react differently depending on our beliefs about that person, our feelings of trust and our past experiences. How do we know when it will be a good idea to give a person a second chance and forgive them? Forgiveness can be fundamental for human relationships but it is also important to protect yourself in some cases and simply avoid toxic people.

Everyone needs to draw their own line for themselves when it comes to giving second chances. Even though it can be challenging to forgive someone who has hurt you, the reality is that people feel happier when they share more compassion and empathy rather than anger. People are adaptable and able to learn from their mistakes, so as long as you explain to someone how they hurt you they may be able to change their ways.

Forgiveness and second chances can actually be a useful and practical solution for conflict and can even save emotional energy for everyone involved. It also allows other people to be more forgiving to you in the future if you were to make any mistakes. It can ease your mind knowing that your relationships with other people don’t have to involve so many expectations.

There are some cases where you may feel unable to give someone a second chance. Maybe they have hurt you many times in the past, don’t seem remorseful about what they’ve done or they refuse to acknowledge that they made a mistake. It is always your decision to follow your intuition about forgiveness and choose when to give someone a second chance.

Although it can sometimes be easy to shut someone out of your life, more often you will feel better and open to others when you are able to forgive.

What is Avoidant Personality Disorder?

Posted on: April 13th, 2019 by The Gooden Center No Comments
What is Avoidant Personality Disorder?

Personality disorders are all unique categories of mental health problems that involve a number of complex symptoms. Avoidant personality disorder is an issue that has to do mainly with feelings of social phobia and inadequacy as well as sensitivity to criticism. People with this disorder have trouble feeling normal around others and may avoid social situations because of their intense feelings of insecurity.

People struggling with avoidant personality disorder may cope with their feelings of inadequacy by spending lots of time alone so they can avoid being evaluated by others. Unfortunately they will often start to experience feelings of loneliness and disconnection as they spend too much time in solitude. When they are in social situations, people with this disorder may end up putting on a mask and have trouble being themselves because they fear being criticized.

Symptoms of avoidant personality disorder are often even more severe than those with social anxiety. Issues of self-image can go much deeper with avoidant personality disorder because the individual may have a distorted notion of their identity, viewing themselves as inferior, incompetent and deserving of rejection they anticipate from others. Their fear of rejection and criticism can be so crippling that they choose to have very few social interactions.

This disorder can interfere with daily functioning as the individual may have trouble succeeding at work or even leaving their house to go to the store at times. Treating avoidant personality disorder can be difficult but with cognitive behavioral therapy the patient may begin to change and improve their self-image over time. As they feel better about who they are and start building social skills they will spend more time with others and reduce their feelings of loneliness and rejection.

If you are seeking help, many treatment centers and professional therapists specialize in caring for people with symptoms of avoidant personality disorder.