Do you often feel like your thoughts or emotions are out of control? Do you regularly experience feelings of depression, anxiety, anger, and guilt? If so, then you may suffer from a mental health issue. Mental health has become a topic of discussion in the last few years, and for good reasons. Mental health issues can affect anyone at any time in their life. Therefore, it is important to know the warning signs for when an issue may be starting up. In this post, we will discuss some common warning signs of mental health issues, including sadness, obsessive thoughts about the past or future, decreased interest in activities that were once pleasurable, and more.
Potential Triggers of Mental Health Issues
Triggers are external events or circumstances that may induce uncomfortable emotional episodes, such as anxiety, panic, or fear. Triggers are often difficult to predict and can vary from person to person. It is important to note that not all triggers will produce a negative response in the individual. Some examples of common triggers include:
- Anniversary dates of losses or trauma
- Breaking news events
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Family conflict
- End of a long-standing relationship
- Spending too much time alone
- being criticized, teased, or judged
- Physical weakness
- Sexual harassment
- Particular smells, tastes, or noises
Potential Consequences of Unattended Mental Health Issues
Mental health issues do not get better with time if left untreated. The longer the condition persists, the more difficult it will be to treat and improve your deteriorating well-being. For example, untreated anxiety may intensify to severe panic attacks, and overlooking trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, untreated mental illness clouds your judgment, making it extremely difficult to make sound decisions. Sadly, it is estimated that nearly 90 percent of suicides attributed to a mental illness were due to untreated issues. That said, early treatment leads to better results – start your recovery journey while there is still time.
Warning Signs of Mental Deterioration
If you are experiencing several of the following signs, it may be helpful to speak to a mental health professional.
- Drastic Sleep or Appetite Changes- changes or decline in sleep and appetite
- Mood Fluctuations- dramatic shifts in emotional reactions or depressed moods
- Problems Thinking- difficulties with attention, recalling specific memories, or logical thinking and speech
- Heightened Sensitivity- sudden sensitivity to certain sights, sounds, smells, or touch
- Indifference- loss of energy or want to engage in any activity
- A Sense of Disconnection- a dubious feeling of disconnection from oneself or surroundings
- Irrational Thinking – unusual or unrealistic beliefs about personal ability to understand meanings or problem-solving
When to Seek Help?
Experiencing one or two of these symptoms is not enough to call it mental illness. Still, it may help to investigate the matter further. If you are experiencing several of these symptoms and the symptoms affect your ability to be productive or relate to others, you should see a physician or mental health professional or consider trying alternative natural treatments.
