Mental health is a massive issue that has touched the lives of almost all Australians in some way or another. Whether it was your own mental health condition, or that of friends and family, most people have some experience with it. However, it’s important to be able to identify the signs of mental stress and slipping mental health in yourself and others, so you can find help for yourself, or help others help themselves. We spoke to psychologist Tahnee Schulz, COO and head of clinical at LYSN, to find out what to look out for.
1. Changes in your emotional state
Although it is natural to go through myriad emotions as part of your daily life, Tahnee says that if you notice an uncomfortable emotion is persistent for two weeks or more, it’s time to consider getting help.
“Especially if these feelings start to impact on your life or interfere with daily activities. Emotional changes can include feeling worried or anxious for no reason, or due to the demands of your environment being greater than your resources to address the issue.”
“Feeling generally unhappy or depressed can be a sign of mental health concerns, particularly if it is for days or weeks on end – seek professional help. Low motivation or indecision and a loss of interest in things that you previously enjoyed can also be cause for concern.”
2. Changes in your behaviour
Tahnee says that the key warning sign is the ‘change’ to how you normally behave.
“This includes how you might react differently to certain situations, such as crying when it’s not necessarily the reaction you might normally have, or dramatic changes in emotional outbursts.”
“Sleeping problems such as insomnia, needing more sleep or being unable to get out of bed or even night terrors can be a sign of mental stress, as can withdrawing from personal relationships and being absent from work. If withdrawn behaviour starts to impact your connections or financial security – seeking help is important.”
3. Changes in your physical wellbeing
The mind and body is connected and we often disregard physical symptoms that may be an outcome of mental health concerns, explains Tahnee.
“Persistent tiredness or fatigue could be a sign that adrenal glands have been over worked or we are experiencing long period of low mood, stress of anxiousness, this can impact your energy levels and ability to do the day to day things you need the energy to do,” says Tahnee.
“Changes in appetite and weight loss or weight gain can be a sign that your mental health needs attention. Many research studies have also found a link between poor mental health and pain. In particular, the British Journal of Psychiatry and the Journal of Advances in Behavioural Research Therapy found that aches and pains, reflux and heart burn can be warning sign that your body is under stress and the inflammation and this stress can cause physical sensations and symptoms.”
4. Changes in your mental wellbeing
Tahnee explains that your mental state is your thoughts and self-talk, which have a fundamental impact on how you think, feel and behave. Having trouble focusing, a mind that constantly races, finding it difficult to be present or to concentrate, and having intrusive negative or worrying thoughts can make you overwhelmed, exhausted or make you miss important information or make silly mistake,s says Tahnee.
“Over time, this can have a major impact on our confidence and self-esteem. Take the time to listen to your thought patterns. It can be helpful to keep a thought diary to keep an objective record of how you are thinking and talking to yourself,” says Tahnee. “Negative self-talk that can be destructive includes thoughts such as: ‘I’m worthless, It’s all my fault, I ruin everything, things will never get better, I don’t want to live anymore, this will never end’ or ‘people are judging me.’
This advice is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. If you think you could use help with your mental health, be sure to seek out professional help or visit resources such as Beyond Blue or Lifeline.
You might also like:
The benefits of taking a mental health day
Easy little tips for managing mental health
8 signs you may be struggling it high-functioning anxiety
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