There are many challenges in modern life, and, being emotional animals, we exhibit a range of responses to these challenges: some logical, some less so; some healthy, some unhealthy. It can be hard to know at times which is which, and to what extent reactions in those we care for represent a healthy, emotional psyche (sadness after a break-up, for instance) and which might be indicative of a deeper-rooted, potentially pathological issue which might benefit from professional psychiatric or medical intervention.
People often report a sort of general feeling that something is not right with a friend, colleague, or loved one, before a more acute breakdown or diagnosis, so do go with your gut instinct on this sort of thing. As a general rule, it is always better to flag something that isn’t there than to ignore something that is, so if possible err on the side of over-sensitivity towards people in your life, especially if you can think of a reason that their mental health might be particularly struggling at the moment.
As a bare minimum, it is widely accepted that if changes in someone’s mental state are concretely affecting that person’s day-to-day life and ability to function, then it is certainly time to step in, or enlist someone who can. To aid you in this, here is a brief (non-exhaustive) summary of some of the most common symptoms of a mental health breakdown.
Mood Changes
These are often difficult to recognize in yourself, let alone in other people, and thus it is important to check in regularly with both yourself (through mindfulness, meditation, and so on), and those you care about and are close to – through conversation, body language, and picking up on often subtle cues that there has been an out of character and persistent change to their mood. A prolonged period of sadness, anger, or irritability – especially if there seems to be no obvious cause for such a mood shift – is often indicative of an underlying mental health issue, for example. In a similar vein, rapidly changing mood (particularly from euphoric highs, or mania, to lethargic lows, often indicative of depressive tendencies) are another typical indicator that something is neurochemically wrong.
Behavioral Changes
Much easier to observe, and often reflective of underlying mood changes, are the sometimes radical changes in behavior that are exhibited sometimes by people struggling with their mental health. Often, this is “acting out” in some way: substance abuse, unprotected sex, and a general disregard for one’s own safety are often a cry for help in one way or another, especially if out of character. Other ways in which self-destructive tendencies can also manifest themselves are physically – self-harm, and in extreme cases attempted suicide, for instance – and socially, with a person withdrawing from people, relationships, or activities that they would normally cherish or enjoy.
Physical Changes
Mental ill-health can cause disorder in many of the basic physical processes we engage in as healthy mammals. Changes in appetite, sex drive, and ability to sleep (including just a shake-up in sleep patterns) could all be indicative of changes to someone’s mental state, so keep an eye on these indicators. In a more acute sense (indeed, these signs often merit an emergency medical response), mental ill-health can bring on physical symptoms including increased heart rates, dizziness, migraines, sweating, and gastro-intestinal distress.
How to Help Someone Who is Struggling
Just like in cases relating to physical health issues, assistance should always be sought from a medical professional (someone with the requisite BSN to PMHNP online degree, for instance) rather than unqualified sources. While advice from friends can be useful, it is more often than not support that people struggling need, rather than solutions – leave these to those with clinical experience, and access to the most up to date medicine and research.
That is not to say, however, that you should not take an active interest in the mental health of those close to you. Engage with them, if you believe them to be exhibiting any of the symptoms outlined above, and work with them to help find a viable, long-term solution to their issues. Remember to check in regularly, and listen to them, offering compassion, empathy, and respect.
