Every year, you’re advised to visit the doctor for screenings, lab work, and other tests to evaluate your physical health. The same is true for the eye doctor for vision and the dentist twice a year for oral hygiene. As important as your emotional wellbeing is, however, most don’t go to a specialist for regular checkups or even evaluate themselves to determine if they need help.
This is a problem because untreated mental health problems can lead to trouble with your physical health and your overall quality of life. Each year millions of people suffer in silence while coping with undiagnosed cases of chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and more. While there are a number of factors that could cause mental illness, recognizing the warning signs within yourself is the first step towards fixing it.
Nothing Wrong with Getting Help
Recognize your own circumstances in any of the signs listed above? If so, the best thing you can do is get help. There used to be a ton of stigmas out there about getting help for mental illness, but they’re far from the truth. Also, there are new innovative ways to treat depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and other mental health problems. From non-invasive procedures and medications to lifestyle changes and talk therapy, there are a lot of routes one suffering from mental health problems can take to get back on track.
Signs Something is Going On
How do you know when your mental health isn’t up to par? Of course, anyone can feel off their game on occasion, but if you start to notice several of these symptoms below, you should probably look into treatment options.
Short-Tempered – Finding it hard to be patient with others lately? Perhaps you’re screaming at your kids for leaving their shoes in the living room or constantly getting into petty fights with your spouse? If this is the case, it could be a sign that you’re mentally unstable.
Extreme Fatigue – Is sleep all you can think about? Are you getting 7 to 8 hours each night but still waking up feeling exhausted? If you’re not on any medications that could cause drowsiness and you haven’t been diagnosed with anything that could impact your sleep then you should explore your mental state.
Social Isolation – Have you started drawing away from your friends, family, and the things you enjoy doing? Were you once very outgoing and full of activity on social media but now you steer clear of it? This is often a sign of depression, especially if it goes on for a while or is accompanied by feelings of extreme sadness or despair.
Feelings of Worthlessness – At times do you feel like you’ve lost the will to live? Like nothing in your life is going right and you’re to blame? Feelings of worthlessness are often a sign of depression which should be discussed with your doctor or therapist.
Appetite Issues – Has food become a comfort for you? Do you often eat unhealthy foods to cope with overwhelming emotions? Or, do you feel so bad lately that you haven’t felt much like eating? Either of these could be the result of mental illness and can lead to obesity or malnutrition, both of which are bad for your physical wellbeing.
Anxious – Are you crippled by fear and worry? Does your mind constantly race as you think about everyday activities? Does it keep you up at night? This could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
Substance Abuse – Some people who suffer from mental health problems end up abusing substances like drugs, alcohol, and prescription meds. Hoping for some relief from their overwhelming emotions the substances provide a temporary high or euphoria, but quickly wears off and exacerbates their negative emotions. The need to feel “good” for just a moment takes over and abuse and addiction develop.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Without a sound mind, your body will essentially shut down as well. You can reduce the chances of mental illness by dieting, exercising, getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep, keeping stress to a minimum, and taking herbal supplements. However, if you’ve experienced any of the above-discussed signs of a mental problem despite your efforts, reach out to a doctor or therapist for further assistance.