Mental illnesses have been marginalized by society for as long as we can remember. Recently, mental health awareness campaigns are spreading the word about its importance and that it's as crucial as physical health. People approve of physical pain because it is visible, but just because we cannot see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. People ridiculed the sufferings of others, which made mentally ill people hide and suffer alone in silence. Fortunately, the stigma around it is being lifted little by little. We should take care of each other, and look out for signs if we notice any changes in a loved one's behavior or even ours.

Seeking Therapy

The first step in any treatment is admitting that you need help. It's a long journey, so if you have any of the symptoms mentioned in the list below, you should seek a psychiatrist as soon as possible to avoid any deterioration in your mental health. If you're not feeling comfortable yet with talking to one face to face, there are always online psychiatrists that provide the same service. It will take time and effort to be cured, but the most important thing is to never give up or listen to the hurtful thoughts inside your head.

Emotional Hurricane

We all get mood swings, with waves of sudden sadness or happiness. But the outbursts that you should look out for are the overreactions to situations that don't require the over-the-top attitude. Extreme emotions such as fury rage or severe distress control the person forcing them into making regrettable decisions.

Excessive Worrying

Some problems we face are worrisome, but being worried 24/7 without a logical reason or explanation is because a person is suffering from anxiety. They have irrational fears and get troubled when they think of the future as it is full of nail-biting unknowns. In severe cases, they may get panic attack episodes, as in trouble breathing, palpitations, and restlessness. Moreover, meeting new people and going on public transportations sound like hell when you have anxiety.

Prolonged Sadness

Life without experiencing sadness is a shell of a life. Apart from crying occasionally, some of us feel blue all the time, even in the times when something good is happening to us; there is a veil between our happiness and our minds. We carry a burden that we cannot even tell why or when did it fall on our shoulders. That's depression, and it's not something temporary that you can ignore, because no one should live in a constant state of burnout.

Self-Loathing

Self-hate is common among mentally ill individuals, they don't get convinced with any good words about themselves. You may not be able to trace when you started to under-appreciate yourself and hate it for simply existing. But if you feel that you're worthless and unlovable, then you're wrong, it's the mental illness talking to you. You succumbed to the feeling of self-hatred, and it shows when you instantly disregard anyone that compliments you.

Sleep Disturbance

We all know that we need from 6-8 hours of sleep to lead a healthy life. If you sleep less than 5 hours or more than 10 hours, you should look for the reasons behind the lack or excessive sleeping. Some sleeping disorders such as sleep paralysis and nightmares might keep you up at night as you fear what you see when you close your eyes. Others excessively sleep as a form of escapism, they hate their reality so much that they cannot stand waking up.

Decreased Productivity and Social Withdrawal

Some days work is too much to handle. Fortunately, you should only be alerted if your productivity is decreasing drastically. If you're not functioning the way you used to even in your personal life, a red flag should be raised.

You may have never been a party animal or an extrovert, but not being able to keep up a conversation and running away from any social event is definitely a sign. Humans need to socialize in order to survive, in your case, socializing causes you anxiety and disturbance, which is, in a way, against our nature.

Unhealthy Relationship with Food

We can develop bad habits as excessive or under-eating when we don't feel like ourselves. Some people stress-eat when they are sad or anxious, which could cause them health problems and lead to obesity. Also, people who view themselves as overweight and suffer from self-hatred will avoid eating and will develop disorders like bulimia, which may be challenging to each person who may experience it.

After reading this, you will be more educated and will be able to figure out when to go to a professional. If any feeling of sadness, anxiety, or anger prolonged, you must realize that there is something wrong before they affect your life tremendously. You shouldn't be alienated just because you're suffering differently.


WRITTEN BY

Daria Brown