Nowadays, it’s easy to get used to the messaging around mental health, about the importance of self-care, how we need to check in with ourselves, and so on. A lot of us recognize that life isn’t perfect, by any means, but we try to remain resilient and to carry on as best as possible without bothering anyone. However, there comes a time when this desire to be self-resilient can be harmful, and we can suppress our issues and our pain for too long, until they find an outlet. Here, we’re going to look at the signs that you shouldn’t simply keep it to yourself anymore, and that you should start to treat your mental health as a priority.
Persistent Sadness Or Loss Of Interest In Life
People often think that depression leaves you in a state of inconsolable despair, but you don’t have to spend your days in bed crying to need help. That might be how it manifests for some, but it can just as easily manifest as a persistent, ongoing sadness through your days, or even a lack of enjoyment in the things that you once loved. A persistent low mood signals depression or burnout more often than a temporary mood change. For other people, it might not feel like sadness, but rather a kind of emotional numbness, known as anhedonia, where you might be going through the motions of life while feeling disconnected internally. Both are signs of something deeper beneath the surface that might need some help.
Uncontrolled Or Extreme Mood Shifts
While deeper mental health issues can manifest as a persistent state of being for some, in others, they can also feel like intense mood swings. We all have our ups and downs, but if your emotions feel unpredictable, and you find yourself easily shifting between irritability, anxiety, or sadness, then you need to start paying attention. This is true of anxiety attacks, as well. We can all have one if we’re in a high-stress situation, but if sudden waves of anxiety or stress come out of seemingly nowhere, then there might be a stress disorder at the root that’s worth addressing.
Dangerous Coping Mechanisms Emerge
When we’re in long-term emotional pain, we can begin to turn to sources of relief without even being fully cognizant of it. If you’re starting to take part in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, then you might feel a sense of short-term escape, but the long-term harm it can cause is not worth it. Using drugs or alcohol to numb your feelings or cope with stress is a sign that you might be in need of substance abuse treatment, which often includes steps like a detox, but also treating the mental health problems that might be at the root of the behavior. There’s a lot of support out there that can help you treat both the symptom and the underlying cause.
You Feel Unable To Function
While anhedonia can see us functioning like normal on the surface, while a crisis is developing underneath, for some people, mental health struggles can show up in everyday life before we recognize a change in feelings. This can include things like neglecting basic self-care, such as washing or brushing your teeth less often. You might struggle to get out of bed. You may feel fatigued all throughout the day, even after a night of sleep. If you feel constantly drained or just unmotivated to take care of yourself or your responsibilities in life, it is rarely just laziness. It’s more likely a sign that your mental and emotional resources are drained, and you could use a little help.
Thoughts Of Self-Harm
If you feel even a passive or momentary thought that harming yourself or disappearing might help, then it could be a sign of a true crisis. Emotional pain can take many forms, and sometimes this can leave us feeling like we’re a burden or that things would be better if we weren’t around. It’s important to know that these feelings aren’t rooted in objective fact, although it is difficult to recognize that when you’re in the middle of them. You don’t have to be in an immediate crisis, where you’re actively planning to harm yourself, to take action. You should make use of mental health hotlines whenever these thoughts pass to get yourself back to a more even mindset, and then work towards long-term mental health by finding a therapist to work with.
There is plenty of help available to make it easier to manage your mental health, but you have to be the one to take the first step in addressing it.
