Something a lot of us don’t realize is that one in five adults in the United States will experience at least one mental illness over the course of their lifetimes. That is quite a high number. Clearly, as a society we need to put more focus on the identification and care for mental health disorders.
They can invade every part of our lives. We might not even realize it. These disorders are defined as impacting our emotional health, our psychological health, and the health of our social lives.
Today, I will discuss some symptoms of them and how you could get treatment. This is something we should all be aware of, and with more technology out there, access to help and guidance is easier than ever.
Identifying the Symptoms and Warning Signs
During this section, please try to remember that some of these symptoms cannot be placed into neat little boxes. Diagnosing mental illnesses is complex and should be left to professionals. You can read some more about them and the criteria on this website: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.
That being said, there are some basic guidelines that I can outline that might indicate you should get help – or, if you are concerned for a friend or loved one, that they should seek treatment. While they are not all indicative of one on their own, when seen in tandem with several others, that is a certain red flag.
Relationships
First, we will discuss some of the issues that could occur in relationships in your life. We can focus first on how it could impact a romantic relationship. Partnerships are built on communication, after all. Not telling them what is wrong could cause significant tension.
If you have frequent mood swings that are causing disruptions or more arguments than usual, you might want to think about why that is happening. Additionally, lying more than usual or other abnormal behaviors should be analyzed. Just remember that there is no shame in sharing your struggles. Your partner should be understanding and empathetic, and willing to support you.
Now, you might experience tensions with your family as well, or your friends. Arguments or anger between you when you normally get along might be a reason to look deeper. After all, a disruption like this could lead to a permanently damaged relationship if not taken care of. Hopefully, if you are honest with them about what is going on, they will at least be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.
Personal Life
Now, let’s talk about the ways they can make you feel and some of the behaviors that could change. Pay attention to significant changes to your routine. One big aspect of this could be your sleep schedule.
Sleeping a lot more than usual or experiencing symptoms of insomnia and being unable to sleep, is fairly disruptive to our lives. We might end up late to important events or functions or be unable to complete work in a timely manner, for example. Sleep is one of the most important things for humans, so regulating this should be a high priority if possible.
Next, our emotions play a big part in this. In particular, if you find that you are experiencing excessive feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or worthlessness, that isn’t a good thing. Worry and paranoia could be another red flag, especially if there is not a significant reason behind them.
Other changes could be in your sex drive or eating patterns. If you find that you are eating a lot more or a lot less, that might be a symptom. Food can serve as a coping mechanism or be utterly unappealing for some experiencing depression or an eating disorder.
Finally, if you find that your performance at school or work has taken a significant hit, you might want to examine why. In conjunction with the other symptoms, it might be indicative of an underlying issue. Overall, just remember that help is out there.
Finding Assistance
Unfortunately, there is a significant stigma surrounding the treatment of mental illnesses. However, this really should not be the case. If you are not sure about where to start, you could consider a self growth app for use at home. These can be used alone or in tandem with other options.
Now, if you are having serious symptoms such as hallucinations (be they visual or auditory), seeking out a psychologist should probably be your first step. These might be a sign of something like psychosis or schizophrenia.
However, for more mild experiences, an application is a great place to begin. They can help you set up a routine for self-care and hold yourself accountable as you progress in your self-discovery journey. Getting a deeper understanding of who you are is highly beneficial in recovering and managing a mental health issue.
If you have difficulty making decisions, they could certainly help with that. This is a common problem for those of us suffering. I know that I find I have decision paralysis quite often. Even easy choices can be almost impossible to make – it feels completely overwhelming.
Obviously, the choices we make are quite vital in our everyday lives. We all make hundreds of decisions each day. Some are as inconsequential as what we have for dinner, and others are life changing. Getting a handle on this process is critical for long-term wellness.
Now, getting therapy is another way that can help you to manage these challenges. Doing this while using an application is a great, multi-pronged approach. After all, because of how destructive mental illnesses can be if allowed to run rampant, finding coping mechanisms is crucial.
You could consider doing something creative to help you cope, if you enjoy that. Even watercolor or finger painting might increase levels of relaxation. Writing about our feelings is another method.
Getting out of the house and spending time with loved ones is also a good idea. Having a good system of support certainly can’t hurt. I wish you the best of luck!
