You might think that it's not possible to have a mental illness if you're not experiencing symptoms. However, the truth is that many people live with mental illnesses that never get diagnosed. It's important for anyone who thinks they may be struggling with a mental health issue to understand the signs and symptoms so that they can get help.
You don't feel like yourself
You feel like you're not yourself anymore.
Maybe you're depressed, anxious or guilty. Maybe you feel isolated and irritable. Maybe anger has become a regular part of your life; maybe sadness has taken over your days; maybe confusion is overwhelming every waking moment of your existence. Whatever the case may be, if these feelings have become so intense that they interfere with the quality of your life or even just make it hard to get through each day. It's likely time for some professional help from a mental health professional.
Your emotions are all over the place
Emotions are a very important part of mental health. They can be positive or negative, intense or mild, fleeting or lasting and they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Emotions can also be positive and negative at the same time: you might feel happy about something one minute but then sad about it the next.
Your emotions don't always have to make sense; that's okay. As long as they don't prevent you from getting through your day-to-day life, there's nothing wrong with having feelings that seem contradictory at times.
You're having trouble sleeping
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Waking up in the middle of the night
- Waking up early in the morning
- Feeling tired during the day and unable to get enough restful sleep at night, even if you have been getting enough hours of rest. This can also be caused by certain medications or medical conditions, so it's important to talk with your doctor if this becomes an issue.
- Feeling groggy or drowsy during the day, leading to problems concentrating or paying attention on tasks at hand (like driving).
You're feeling extremely irritable or angry
Irritability and anger are symptoms of mental illness, but they can also be caused by stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. If you find yourself feeling irritable or angry more often than usual (or if these feelings don't go away), it's important to talk with your doctor about it.
Irritability and anger can also be caused by physical health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. So it's important to visit the doctor if you think your mood may be linked with something else going on in your body.
Something that used to be fun isn't anymore
If something that used to be fun isn't anymore, this could be a sign of depression. It's important to remember that everyone has their own unique view of what "fun" is and what makes them happy. Try not to compare yourself against others; instead, try changing your routine or finding new activities that bring you joy.
If going out with friends or family isn't working for you right now, there are other ways to stay busy: volunteering at an organization in need; taking up a new hobby like painting or writing; reading books from authors who inspire you; learning new skills like cooking or sewing (or even just watching YouTube tutorials). The key here is finding something that brings meaning into your life and not just passing time until it's time for bed.
You feel depressed, anxious, or guilty without reason
You feel depressed, anxious, or guilty for no reason at all. Depression is a mood disorder that causes feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Anxiety is characterized by nervousness and fear. Guilt can be described as remorse for something you have done or not done--for example, feeling guilty if you skip out on work while sick but still want to play video games instead of being productive at home.
These types of emotions are normal (and even necessary) in certain situations: when someone close to us dies; when we're facing an impending deadline at work; when we make mistakes that affect others negatively, they're all things that require some sort of emotional response from us. But if these feelings persist for longer than two weeks without any real justification behind them, then they may be signs that something deeper is going on inside our minds.
You're avoiding certain people or situations because they're making you feel worse
If you're avoiding certain people or situations because they're making you feel worse, that could be a sign of depression. It's common for people with depression to avoid social activities and other events where they might have to interact with others, but sometimes even being around friends or family can be too much for someone who's struggling with their mental health.
If this sounds like something that applies to you, remember: it doesn't mean that there's something wrong with the person who is making things harder. It's just an effect of their own struggles.
You've gained or lost weight without any changes in your diet or activity level
Weight gain or loss is not a sure sign of mental illness. Weight can fluctuate for many reasons, including stress, medication side effects, changes in diet and activity level, or hormonal changes. Depression and anxiety often cause people to lose weight because they're too fatigued or depressed to eat properly; bipolar disorder can cause people who are depressed to gain weight while they're mania (or hypomania).
If you've gained or lost more than 10 percent of your body weight over a short period of time without making any other lifestyle changes that would explain this change - such as starting an intense exercise routine or changing your diet. You should talk with your doctor about it before assuming it's due solely to depression/anxiety/bipolar disorder.
You have trouble concentrating or remembering things as well as you once did
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks, such as reading or watching movies, or being unable to focus on conversations with friends.
- Inability to focus on what's going on around you (for example, when driving).
- Problems remembering things that happened recently, like where you put your keys or long ago, such as childhood memories. The more severe the memory loss becomes, the more difficult it is for people with this symptom to make sense of their lives and surroundings in a meaningful way. This can lead them into depression because they feel disconnected from others around them; they may also become paranoid about losing their independence due to their inability to remember basic tasks like how much money is in their bank account or where they placed something important like an ID card at work so that coworkers don't think badly about them when these types of situations arise.
You spend more time alone than usual and feel more isolated from other people than before
You might be feeling depressed, anxious, guilty or irritable. You may also be avoiding certain people or situations because they're making you feel worse.
If these are happening to you, it's important that you talk to someone about it so that they can help you get better
- Talk to a trusted friend or family member. Often the best place to start is within your inner circle: if there's something going on in your life that makes it difficult for you to function normally, then someone who knows and loves you will probably be able to notice before anyone else does.
- Talk with a doctor or therapist. If talking with loved ones doesn't work out well for whatever reason (maybe they don't understand what's happening), then seeking professional advice may be necessary and this isn't something anyone should feel embarrassed about doing. Your doctor can provide invaluable information about mental health issues and how best to treat them; similarly, therapists are trained professionals whose job is literally just helping people like us deal with their problems so we can live happier lives again someday soon it doesn't get much better than that! Just remember: no one needs advice more than another person might think; everyone deserves dignity regardless of circumstances and sometimes all we need is just a little bit more patience while things sort themselves out naturally over time.
Conclusion
If these are happening to you, it's important that you talk to someone about it so that they can help you get better.