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Many of us are aware of red flags in our physical health, but what about mental health warning signs? We tend to prioritize our bodies over our minds, but psychological well-being is equally important. Figures show around 1 in 5 Americans experience some type of mental illness every year. Read on to learn some top mental health warnings you should never ignore.
Prolonged Periods of Unusual or Abnormal Symptoms
It’s often more difficult to detect and diagnose mental illnesses because there are gray areas between natural human emotions and symptoms of mental health disorders. Anxiety, for example, is a natural state when we face something scary or unnerving, but it’s also a mental illness. The differences lie in the duration, nature, and severity of symptoms.
If you feel nervous before a test, for example, this is different from experiencing ongoing anxiety. Enduring symptoms in scenarios and settings that aren’t daunting or overwhelming is a mental health warning sign. If you feel anxious, restless or on edge most of the time, and you’ve been feeling like this for a long time, seek help.
It’s beneficial to reach out if you have unusual or abnormal symptoms for more than a couple of weeks or your symptoms have gotten worse. This relates to any kind of symptoms, not just feeling anxious. Depression, for example, is characterized by episodes of feeling helpless or very low and losing energy. Your enthusiasm and motivation for things you usually find uplifting or enjoyable can be affected.
Turning to Harmful Coping Mechanisms
Coping mechanisms can be helpful, but they can also be harmful. While self-help techniques like exercising and spending time outdoors are beneficial, turning to drink or drugs can be incredibly damaging. If you take prescription or recreational drugs to cope with difficult days, or you’re drinking far more than usual to numb emotional pain, it’s important to take action.
There are treatments and strategies, such as rehab, group support, and counseling. These are available for alcohol or drug addiction as well as therapies to help individuals deal with challenges or trauma. It can be hard to acknowledge addiction or needing help, but taking this first step is crucial.
Suicide Ideation
According to the CDC, it is estimated that over 13 million adults contemplated ending their lives in 2022. This is the most serious and stark of the mental health warning signs. If you have suicidal thoughts, it’s vital to get help and support. If you feel alone, know that there are people to help you.
Medical professionals and charities can help as well as networks of friends and family members. If you or don’t feel able to talk to people you know, contact charities or arrange an urgent appointment with your doctor. There are ways to recover and rebuild even if you feel as though you’ve hit rock bottom. Treatments range from medication and intensive rehabilitation to talking therapies and individual and group support. Dialing 988 0r reaching out to the suicide prevention hotline is also an immediate option.
Mental health is as important as physical health. We can all take steps to protect our minds, but it’s not always possible to avoid mental illness or overcome challenges, addiction or trauma without help. If you notice warning signs including prolonged periods of unusual symptoms, symptoms that get worse, suicidal thoughts and turning to harmful coping mechanisms, don’t hesitate to seek advice and get help and support.
**** This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Women’s lifelink, its owners, administrators, contributors, affiliates, vendors, authors, and editors do not claim that this information will diagnose, treat, or improve any condition or disease.
