Just like physical health, the absence of mental disease does not signify mental health. However, there are some signs you can look out for to sense mental illness before it strikes. Following are the top seven mental health red flags you can look out for.
Top 7 Mental Health Red Flags
1. Fatigue Or Sleepiness
Fatigue is an indicator of poor mental health conditions. It can imply a lack of sleep, excessive stress, and a lack of self-care. To deal with fatigue, you can take time out to relax and care for your physical and emotional needs.
2. Irritability And Social Withdrawal
Socially isolating oneself or wanting to be away from others are signs of decreasing mental health. It can make the environment more uncomfortable at home and other institutions.
3. Lack of concentration
If you usually do not have issues concentrating for longer durations or can focus very well, lack of concentration suggests tiredness and lack of proper self-care. It can also imply a loss of motivation and feelings of anxiety. Some mental health conditions like ADHD might also involve a lack of concentration as one of their primary symptoms.
Read more: How does anxiety affect concentration, focus, and working memory?
4. Mania
Mania is a period of high energy and excitement. When manic, one can start to believe oneself capable of supernatural feats. It is an emotion recurring in mood disorders, including bipolar disorder.
5. Psychosis
Confusing internal cognitive processes for actual events, in reality, is known as psychosis. It is the most dangerous mental health red flag. In cases of increasing psychosis, delusions, or hallucinations, it is best to consult professional help.
6. Physical aches
In the article The Body Keeps The Score, B.A. van der Kolk explains how trauma and stress(especially in people with PTSD) also have somatic(your body remembers and is affected by the trauma) memory. For instance, it is well known that one symptom of depression is back aching.
7. Change in appetite or sleep patterns
Nutrition and sleep are essential to the human body and mind. Hence, any sudden change within these two is a cause for concern. Often, mental health conditions are also related to and affect sleep quality, sleep duration, attitude toward food, and appetite(emotional eating).
When To Seek Help?
If you notice the aforementioned mental health red flags in yourself or the people around you, it is best to seek professional help. Different treatment forms are available, including online therapy, accessible anytime, anywhere, according to your needs.
Read more: Top five affordable online therapy platforms
Conclusion
Now that you’ve discovered the different types of mental health red flags to identify mental illness better, the next step is strengthening your mental health. Not sure where to start?
To develop a routine that values self-care and mental wellness, you must start small. By making consistent step-by-step changes over time, you will find that things change drastically with little effort. Here are the top 10 short-term mental health goals to help you enhance your mental wellness.
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