According to a recent survey, one in five adults experiences a mental health problem; whereas, one in ten young individuals experience a major episode of depression. These are alarming statistics that force us to sit back and reflect.
In an era of consumerism and fast-paced life, especially in metropolitan cities, people are stressed out to an extent that stress seems like a part of life.
Stress has become so common that it often goes unnoticed. Many of us fail to realize that stress too if prolonged, is a problem and needs attention and treatment. Stress, in certain cases, may lead to anxiety, depression, and even physical illness.
A common misconception about mental health is that people believe that mental health therapy is for people that are “crazy” or the ones that are having a meltdown, etc. On the other hand, you also don’t need a psychiatrist for every other problem you face in life.
It is important to know when and ‘when not’ to visit a mental health specialist.
Following are some signs that one should be on a lookout for, not only for yourself but for your loved ones as well:
1. Stressed Out:
One of the most common signs that you should be looking for is always being stressed out. Although being stressed is not always a bad indication as stress can be induced by positive events, such as one can feel stress from recent marriage in the family or a promotion.
However, often being stressed out can have bad effects on your life as stress disturbs our decision-making skills. Chronic stress can have long-term adverse effects on a person and should be treated as soon as possible.
Sometimes reducing responsibility for a while or giving yourself a “me” time can be helpful. If nothing is working, one should visit a mental health counselor.
2. Recent Trauma:
Life is a mix of happiness and sadness and although sadness is a part of life, certain events in our life are so emotionally disturbing that they leave a scar so deep, it doesn’t heal on its own.
Such events can range from the death of a loved one to losing a job or failing a subject. Normally, the sadness from such events or the emotional burden diminishes with time but that’s not always the case.
For some of us, it can be really hard to forget certain events. These events are so emotionally disturbing for us that they stay with us for a long time and they start to affect our daily lives.
Such events hurt some of us to the extent that we start feeling alienated. We cut off from friends and family, skip family gatherings; stop engaging with our lives. However, some of us can take the opposite effect and become hyperactive and start to hang out more than usual.
Simply put, if you are sensing that a certain trauma or event in your life has affected you in a way that you can’t stop thinking about it, and that you are behaving differently than usual, then, maybe, it is time for you to visit a therapist.
3. Physical Ailments
Emotional distress can have physical manifestations.
People fail to realize the extent of the connection between our physical health and mental health. It is proven that mental health problems can manifest themselves physically in the form of frequent headaches or an upset stomach. Other signs include neck pain, intestinal pain, etc.
People visit physicians in hopes to cure their physical ailments only to find out that all the tests come back negative. The physician then asks them to visit a professional mental health counselor.
4. Substance Abuse
Substance abuse can be an indicator of mental health problems. People, who are emotionally and mentally disturbed, seek refuge in drugs. People start smoking frequently or increase alcohol consumption in an attempt to numb the emotional pain.
It is important to note that it is not only drugs that people turn to in case of emotional distress, but some people also start over-eating. Loss of appetite is another indicator that you need mental health therapy.
Turning towards alcohol in order to cope with emotional distress can also be an indicator of compulsive behavior and mental health problem.
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