Five Signs Your Mental Health is Struggling
Have you ever felt like you are toxic for your own self?! I know it’s good for me to get eight hours of sleep, but I press ‘next episode’ on Netflix at 11:00 pm. I know it’s good for me to socialize - so I make plans with friends and then cancel last minute. We have chosen a show over sleep, got mad too easily, cried about something tiny, or felt antisocial maybe more than you or I care to admit. It’s okay, we are complex mammals - which makes us interesting and sometimes makes us go viral on YouTube or Tik Tok. Life gets crazy and our emotions tend to suffer. Below I have shared five signs that can warn you about your mental health or maybe the mental health of your teenager who doesn’t want to talk to you these days.
1. Poor Sleep
Sleep is one of the four essential human needs for survival. Go without sleep long enough and your body will simply shut down. Lack of good quality sleep causes fatigue, frustration, mood swings, cravings, and so much more. By just tweaking your sleep habits – you can save yourself from a lot of unnecessary physical and emotional symptoms. If you are trying to get good sleep but insomnia keeps you from hitting the z’s – check out our previous blog on how to create a good- nighttime routine to prep yourself for quality sleep.
2. Consistent Sadness
Feeling sadness sometimes is normal. Feeling sadness consistently for long periods of time is troublesome and needs to be addressed. Ask yourself questions such as ‘when was the last time I felt joy?’, ‘can I pinpoint the reason behind my sadness?’ if yes, ‘is this reason something that I can fix or improve?’. If you haven’t felt joy in a long time – find a therapist that you trust - who can help you work towards emotional improvement.
3. Overly Sensitive
It’s important to note that being a sensitive person does not automatically mean that you have poor mental health or a mental illness. Nevertheless, research does show that hypersensitivity is the initial evidence of some mental illnesses such as ADHD. If hypersensitivity is usually not how you face your day-to-day life, and you suddenly find yourself having extreme reactions to small triggers – then this can be a potential flag that something is off in your life and your mental health is maybe not as strong as you thought. Stepping back and looking for the root of this symptom can allow you to resolve the issue and get you back to feeling like you.
4. Fatigue/ Burnout
Do you ever feel like you are constantly swamped with tasks, never-ending to-do lists, and a consistent taste of some sort of caffeine beverage in your mouth? Sometimes our jobs, parenting responsibilities, home-owner responsibilities, friend responsibilities, pet responsibilities, church responsibilities, and so on can make us feel like we are driving through life at illegal speeds. Burnout is very common in the workforce in the US, especially in human services careers. It can feel like you have nothing else to give, have zero capability of further achievements, have zero energy for quality relationships, and so on. Studies have shown that your chances of living longer - without heart disease, and experiencing more feelings of satisfaction rise if you take a vacation!
5. Isolation
It’s totally normal to crave isolation after a busy week of constantly socializing with coworkers, clients, friends, family, etc. As I mentioned before, taking some time for yourself is crucial for your mental health. Nevertheless, isolation can be a manifestation of troubling mental health. Scientifically, as humans, we thrive in communities. If you are noticing that you have lost the desire to be around people and find yourself consistently canceling plans, not responding to texts or calls, and sitting in a room by yourself for long periods of time; this can be a hint that your mental health is not doing so well.
In conclusion, a great sign that you care about your mental health is that you are reading this blog post. These signs are not meant to discourage you but rather provide you with some information to keep you on the right track.
If you have any other tips on how you check on your mental health, fire them off in the comments. We look forward to hearing from you. If you would like to find support or connect with a therapist connect with our team at www.compasscounseling.com. If you would like to schedule an appointment today click here!
Download our Free E-Book 10 Questions to Ask Before Starting Counseling. Learn more at www.compasscounseling.com If you would like to schedule an appointment today visit our website or call/text 270-777-4490.
Here’s the truth, you are overwhelmed, stuck, and know something has got to change, but asking for help is hard. Most people think that their problems are not big enough for counseling and wait 8 years or more to reach out for help. At Compass Counseling we know that we all have mental health and you want to feel good about yourself and your relationships. Over the past 8 years, we have crafted an excellent team of professionals that have served thousands of people in Western KY and we want to help you on your path to change. Our Master's level therapists will support you and teach you skills to learn to manage the overwhelm and overcome your struggle. When you leave your first session, you will feel confident & ready to start on your path of change. Connect with us today at www.compasscouseling.com or schedule an appointment.