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Understanding Your Mental Health
Mental Health includes our Emotional, Psychological, and Social Well-being and it affects how we think, feel and act. Mental Health is important for overall health because if it is not treated or maintained it can increase the risk of developing other physical health problems such type 2 diabetes and heart disease just to name a few.
2020 was a year where our mental health was tested on a global scale! Covid-19 hit millions of homes hard from being quarantined, working from home with the children homeschooled, lay offs from jobs, and lets not forget the shortage of toilet paper! LOL The most common mental illness that affected people is/was Anxiety. More than 40 million adults in the United States have a diagnosis of anxiety. Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality and life events, and then you throw Covid-19 in the mix, WHEW! When most people think of anxiety they associate it with hyperventilating (panic attacks) or racing back and forth. Some may even confuse Anxiety with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) because the two can share similar symptoms, however, anxiety can show itself in many other ways as well.
Other Ways That Anxiety Can Present Itself
● Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
● Headaches and chronic pain
● Having trouble sleeping
● Sweating
● Feeling weak or tired
● Substance misuse
● Not talking at all
● Social isolation
● Poor quality of life
● Problems functioning at school or work
● Unpredictable bouts of rage or anger
● Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
● Fast-talking, stuttering, stumbling over words
● Sitting rigid, staring into space, "zoning out"
● Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
● Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present issues.
● Nit-pickiness (obsessive behavior, which may be a part of OCD), and even a hypersensitivity to disarray, chaos, or any sort of change.
When to Seek Help
● Are you feeling depressed?
● Are your feelings of fear or worry becoming difficult to control?
● Do you think anxiety could be linked to another physical health problem?
● Are you resorting to alcohol or drug use to alter your uncomfortable feelings?
● Are your feelings affecting other parts of your life such as work or personal relationships?
Do not be afraid to ask questions if you feel you are suffering from any of the above symptoms. Speaking with a professional can ease your mind and help you learn tools for managing your Anxiety symptoms. Always remember that you are not alone!