The modern rhythm of life and news events bring more and more people to the therapist's office. But not all. Many people live with mental health problems for years without realizing it until something completely out of the ordinary occurs.
To prevent this from happening, you need to pay as much attention to your mental health as you do to your physical well-being, and be aware of some of the most common symptoms of mental overload and emotional stress, such as:
Asthenia
It is possible to determine a mental disturbance by such a symptom as asthenia. It can be manifested by weakness, increased fatigue, irritability and sudden mood swings. A distinctive sign of asthenia – a person suddenly ceases to cope with his usual load, this can apply to different areas of life.
If you feel weak for more than one month, this is an obligatory reason to consult a doctor.
Intrusive thoughts
Intrusive thoughts that make your mind spin in circles can be a sign of mental health issues.
If you are afraid of the same thing, looking for symptoms of deadly diseases in yourself – this can become a problem over time. That's definitely a reason to think about it and visit a mental health professional.
Sleep disturbance
Some people have trouble falling asleep, some are very tired and switch off instantly, but wake up in the night and can't go back to sleep because of anxiety. Some people have the opposite reaction – they sleep longer than usual but do not feel rested…
Sleep disturbances can indicate a dysfunction of the nervous system, which can lead to its overstimulation and, as a result, to an increased risk of mental disorders.
Behavioral changes
For any person there are habitual ways of reacting in various life situations, conditioned by character traits and life experience. Abrupt departure from the usual forms of behavior, sudden change of stable views, lack of obvious connection of such changes with life events can be manifestations of emotional and mental ill-being.
For example, for some reason a person stops enjoying what he or she used to like. Some people even change their taste sensations: salty, spicy, sweet – all products become tasteless.
Desocialization
Another sign of mental health problems can be considered a loss of interest in socializing. Narrowing the sphere of interests and circle of needs to a minimum: it is as if a person puts on blinders not to see the world and people around him. He begins to avoid society, avoiding meetings with acquaintances. If you have been behaving this way since childhood, it is hardly a symptom of any problems, but if you used to love gathering with friends and were the soul of the company, it is time to seriously think about your mental health.
Hoarding
Here we are not talking about collecting. It is important to see when a person starts dragging things into the house that they don't need, putting them away despite the lack of space, and never using them – these are the alarm bells that should already be a reason to contact a specialist.
Stable changes in well-being during the day
This is when a person gets up in the morning broken, tired, anxious and unwilling to do anything, but by the evening gradually comes to normal, feeling better. Or vice versa: wakes up in a cheerful mood, but by the evening anxiety increases, there is fatigue and sleepiness, unpleasant sensations in the body. Two important signs here are regularity and repetition. If a person feels worse at one time of day and better at another for two weeks or longer, this is almost always a symptom of depression.
Mental well-being can only be fully evaluated by a professional. However, the above criteria are sufficient to continually self-assess your condition or that of your family and friends and decide whether to seek help.
Do not hesitate to seek help if you feel that you cannot cope with your emotional problems on your own. There is no shame in asking for help; on the contrary, it is a sign of your awareness and self-care!
Take care of your mental health and the health of your loved ones!