How Can You Tell If Your Loved Ones Have A Mental Health Issue?
Looking after your mental health is so important, but it can be difficult if you don’t realize that you have a problem. Mental health issues develop slowly over time and people get used to feeling low, or they just put it down to stress. That’s why it’s so important that you look out for your loved ones and learn how to spot mental health issues in other people. If you are able to identify mental health issues in your loved ones, you can help them get the treatment that they need. These are some of the key signs that you should look out for.
Withdrawal
When people are feeling depressed or anxious, they will often withdraw from social situations because they do not find the same enjoyment in them. They may also lose interest in things that they normally find fun. If you notice that someone is withdrawing and turning down all of your invitations to socialize, that’s not a good sign. Isolating yourself makes mental health issues worse, so once they get into this cycle, it’s very hard to get out of it.
Alcohol Abuse
People that are suffering from mental health issues will often use alcohol as a coping mechanism. If you notice that somebody in your life is drinking a lot more than they used to and they are drinking on their own, that’s a sign that they may be struggling with their mental health. If the problem gets particularly bad, you may need to help them find an alcohol addiction rehab center to attend. Before things get to that point, you should mention that you have noticed that their drinking has increased and ask them if everything is ok.
Weight Changes
When people are struggling with their mental health, it is common for their eating habits to change. Some people will use food as a coping mechanism and start comfort eating a lot while other people will stop eating. If you notice that somebody is either gaining a lot of weight or losing a lot of weight, that could be a sign that their mental health is deteriorating. You need to be careful when approaching this subject because if you just come out and say that you have noticed that they are gaining weight, this can knock their confidence and make mental health issues a lot worse. Instead of mentioning their weight, just ask them whether there is anything wrong.
Mood Swings
People often make the mistake of thinking that depression and anxiety make you feel low and worry about things. But in reality, people experience a wide range of emotions and the frustration that comes with mental health issues often comes out as anger. If you notice that somebody close to you is having a lot of mood swings when they are normally quite a calm person, that is a cause for concern.
If you notice any of these symptoms in somebody close to you, it’s important that you speak to them and help them seek the treatment that they need.
2 Comments
Edna Williams
Looking for signs that someone is not coping well is very important! Thanks for sharing!
Tamra Phelps
Right now, with people distancing, it could be hard to pick up on some of these. There are so many people out there on their own and this has to be effecting their mental health.