Similar to physical health, mental health is vital to your overall well-being. And when your mental health gets affected, it becomes difficult to focus. Poor mental health significantly interferes with your ability to function normally at work or school, affecting your quality of life. It happens because mental health is about how you think, feel, and behave. It is a behavioural disorder that may affect anyone, irrespective of age, sex, background, and ethnicity.
And the most common mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders. In fact, one in four people experiences a mental health disorder each year in England.
Mental health also changes mood and affects how you cope with stress. Hence, medications, psychotherapy, and other mental health treatment options help manage the severity of the condition. While many still consider mental health a sensitive topic, starting a conversation with a family member or friends can be of incredible help. It lends all the mental health support you need.
Also, every individual experiences mental health issues differently, but there are a few common signs that you can look for to determine if you or your loved one is experiencing poor mental health. This article will explain six common symptoms of poor mental health and effective treatment strategies.
The 6 Common Signs of Poor Mental Health
If something feels off or you just don’t feel like yourself from the past few days, don’t ignore the feeling, as it could be a sign that you need to take care of yourself. While it may be challenging to pinpoint what precisely poor mental health feels like, the six common signs of mental health disorders mentioned below can help.
1. Disrupted Sleep
Poor or disturbed sleep could be a huge red flag that something is wrong with your mental health. It could be a matter of concern whether you find it challenging to fall asleep or stay asleep, indicating depression or anxiety. Frequent oversleeping may also suggest that mental health disorder, demonstrating that your body is tired to burnout.
2. Lack of Happiness
While having a bad day in life is normal, it shouldn’t be a routine. Hence, if you find yourself devoid of happiness and feel bored in activities you once loved, it could be a sign of mental health illness, such as depression. For example, it may indicate mental health disturbance if you were used to playing guitar or golf but now skip the sessions or make excuses to go out with friends.
3. Low Energy
You may always feel low on energy or lethargic while struggling with a mental health disorder. You may find it harder to concentrate, follow conversations, or think quickly due to fatigue or feeling mentally or physically sluggish. Hence, if you find it difficult to get out of bed or experience a lack of motivation, it is time that you must consult your doctor.
4. Weight or Appetite Changes
There are a variety of ways that mental health disorders can affect how much you eat. While some people don’t feel hungry at all or have the energy to eat, resulting in the loss of appetite, others may find binge eating helpful in keeping the depressive or stressful thoughts and feelings at bay. Hence, if you notice you are suddenly eating too much or too little or observing a shift in your weight over a short period, it could be time to seek mental health support.
5. Emotional Outbursts
When a person struggles with mental health issues, they may feel restless, snappy, frustrated, irritated, or aggressive to an extreme extent. It happens because mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can make it harder to self-regulate the thoughts and feelings of an individual, which may make them more sensitive or reactive than usual.
6. Worsening Physical Symptoms
Most mental health disorders show symptoms such as dizziness, rapid heart rate, headache, mood swings, sweating, and gastrointestinal disturbances, which may indicate declining mental health. Also, if these physical symptoms occur with no other medical cause, you must seek help.
Treatment for Mental Health Disorders
One thing about treatment that is universal is that it is highly individual, which means what works for one person may not benefit another. Hence, multiple strategies are often combined for mental health treatment. Also, for successful results, doctors or mental health professionals need to work with every individual separately to identify their needs and provide appropriate mental health support.
A few treatment options that may help people with poor mental health are mentioned below:
- Medications: Medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, help reduce the symptoms of various mental health illnesses. The appropriate medications change the brain chemistry and help you experience fewer symptoms. Also, you must always follow the prescription and dosage; never stop taking medications until or unless your mental health provider asks you to do it.
- Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy or talk therapy helps people manage mental health disorders by easing their symptoms. Psychotherapy is often carried out in a one-to-one setting in rehab with a group of people or with a healthcare provider personally. It focuses on replacing negative behaviours and thought patterns with positive ones.
- Alternative Therapies: Mental health illnesses like depression may benefit from alternative therapies like acupuncture, yoga, meditation, massage, and herbal remedies. Also, these therapies may affect other medications. Hence, talking to your healthcare provider before taking any supplements or herbal remedies is essential.
- Brain Stimulation Therapies: Not every mental health disorder can improve or treated using psychotherapy or medication. In that case, your healthcare provider will suggest brain stimulation therapies, changing the brain’s chemistry and how it responds to stimuli. Examples of brain stimulation therapies include electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Summary
Mental health disorder refers to the disturbances associated with a person’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioural well-being. Be it depression, anxiety, PTSD, or anything else, mental health disorders vary in severity and affect how people react to stressors, engage with others, and make choices. While most people manage their symptoms by receiving proper mental health treatment and support, others learn new ways to cope with their struggles to gain more control over their lives.
The signs mentioned above can help you determine if you have a mental health issue so that you can take steps to control it. However, if you need professional mental health support, contact your nearby mental health treatment centre to start your recovery today.