7 signs your mental health needs attention
1. Persistent Sadness or Mood Swings:
Feeling down or experiencing frequent mood swings that persist over an extended period can be a sign of underlying mental health issues such as depression or bipolar disorder.
2. Changes in Sleep Patterns:
Significant changes in sleep patterns, such as insomnia or sleeping excessively, can indicate mental health problems. Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early can all be signs of stress, anxiety, or depression.
3. Loss of Interest or Pleasure:
If you find yourself losing interest in activities you once enjoyed or feeling a lack of pleasure in life, it could be a sign of depression or other mental health concerns.
4. Increased Irritability or Anger:
Feeling easily irritated, frustrated, or angry, especially over small matters, can be a sign of underlying stress, anxiety, or mood disorders.
Depression and anxiety can make it harder to self-regulate your thoughts and feelings, which is why you may be more reactive or sensitive than usual.
5. Difficulty Concentrating or Making Decisions:
Mental health issues can affect cognitive functioning, leading to difficulties in concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things. If you find it hard to focus or make choices, it may be a sign of a mental health problem.
6. Withdrawal from Social Activities:
Avoiding social interactions and withdrawing from friends, family, or social activities can be a sign of depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
7. Physical Symptoms without Medical Explanation:
Headaches, stomach aches, or unexplained pains that persist despite medical evaluation may be manifestations of underlying mental health issues like anxiety or somatic symptom disorder.
Here’s an additional one:
8. Change in Appetite:
There are a variety of ways depression and anxiety can affect how much you eat. For some, stress and anxiety may result in a loss of appetite, as they may not feel hungry or have the energy to eat. For others, binge eating comfort food can provide temporary relief from depressing thoughts and feelings. If you notice that you are overeating or undereating to the point where you observe dramatic changes in your weight over a short period of time, it could be time to seek help for your mental health.
How to improve your mental health at home
Not every sign of a mental health concern means that you have a mental health disorder, like anxiety or depression.
But it could mean that you need to change something in your routine before your mental health worsens, or leads to something more serious.
One of the best ways you can care for your mental health is by establishing healthy habits. These may include:
- Aiming for 7-8 hours of sleep per night with no screen time for 30 minutes before bed
- Eating healthy, balanced meals that consist of whole foods
- Exercising for 30 minutes a day, at least five days per week
- Hydrating well with water
- Practicing mindfulness and meditation
- Talking to someone you trust.
- Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.
Reach out to the Wilmington 1st Walk-In team and get started on making your mental health better.