What Do You Know About Mental Health?
Mental health is certainly a hot topic these days. In the news, we hear terrifying statistics about our mental health crisis. On social media, we have friends reposting tips and tricks on how to “hack your mental health.” With our family and friends, we are hearing about Rebecca’s sister’s best friend’s mental health issues. But what does ‘mental health’ actually mean?
Like physical health, our mental health is an important part of our overall well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave throughout our entire lives. It helps us handle stress, connect with others, and make choices every day. Just like our physical health helps our bodies literally function, our mental health helps us function emotionally, psychologically, and socially.
Why is Mental Health Important?
Taking care of our mental health helps us have more positive and meaningful lives. When our mental health is stronger, we can think more flexibly, cope with life’s many stresses, have healthier relationships, and make more meaningful choices. When we are struggling with poor mental health, it becomes harder to manage our moods, maintain our relationships in ways that support us, and make good decisions.
Mental Health: Nature or Nurture?
In reality, it’s both! A lot of things can contribute to our mental health, such as:
Biology
Brain chemistry
Life experiences
Family history
Lifestyle
Mental health isn’t static or set in stone, it changes throughout our lives. Over time, we experience life’s many highs and lows which can worsen or improve our mental health. Sometimes this change happens pretty fast, but often it happens slowly over long periods of time.
How Will I Know if I Have a Mental Health Problem?
While it’s normal to go through highs and lows throughout our lives, sometimes we can get stuck in the lows. Some signs that you might be stuck and struggling with a mental health problem include:
Feeling sad, low, or numb
Feeling unusually worried, confused, forgetful, angry, upset or scared
Severe mood swings that others are noticing
Changes in your eating or sleeping habits
Having low or no energy
Disconnecting from people and activities you enjoy
Feeling helpless or hopeless
Acting in ways that are causing problems in your life
Having thoughts or memories that you can’t get to go away
Thinking of harming yourself or other people
Not being able to do your daily tasks, like taking care of yourself or going to work or school
Now, this is not an exhaustive list. You know yourself better than any article or list online. If your mental health feels off to you, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to a professional to talk about it!
So Maybe I Have Mental Health Problem. What Can I Do About It?
There’s plenty you can do to help improve your mental health on your own. Taking care of your physical health (such as eating nutritious food, moving your body, sleeping, going to the doctor, limiting drugs and alcohol), building your support network, taking breaks from work or school, writing in journals, or talking with friends or family are all great examples.
But maybe that seems impossible to do on your own, or you just don’t even know where to start. That’s a good sign that it may be time to reach out to a professional for extra support and guidance. If you would like to work with me to help improve your mental health, you can call me at (305) 900-4350, email me at amandabaquerolmft@gmail.com, or fill out the form here to schedule your free 15-minute consultation.
