With all the stigma and prejudice associated with mental and behavioral health issues, people usually tend to ignore them. Most find it hard to deal with other’s or even their own mental health problems. Running away seems easier than confrontation, but just ignoring the problems won’t simply make them go away. Overlooking someone’s failing behavioral health now can come to bite back later.
Some signs of behavioral health decline are prominent and easily identifiable while others are more subtle and require professional psychiatric evaluation. Listed here are some of the most common ones which are visible early on and can serve as your warning to start looking for help:
Drastic Changes in Everyday Behavior
For humans, most changes in habits and behavior are pretty normal. Afterall, our mental aptitude gradually changes with physical growth. However, if a person’s behavior takes a drastic turn from how they normally behave, something is probably wrong with their mental health, even if they act normal outwardly. Especially if the said person turns from an amicable one to someone mean and angry. They start exhibiting subtle patterns of negative thinking and an overall pessimistic attitude.
Eating and Sleeping Disorders
If someone eats obsessively or starves themselves unnecessarily, chances are they are suffering from mental health decline. Most eating disorders have been shown to be related to some sort of psychological issue. Sleeping disorders on the other hand are pretty common and can be caused by any number of reasons. It’s always better to get a complete psychiatric check-up done in such cases, even when they’re a known side-effect of some chronic condition.
Unexplainable Irritation and Mood Swings
We all get annoyed every now and then, and it’s perfectly normal. What isn’t normal, however, is feeling irritated constantly for seemingly unexplainable reasons. It is indicative of hormonal disbalance and underlying anger issues. Sometimes it’s simply our hormones and changing biology, like in adolescents, elderly, pregnant women, etc. If not any of these, the reason is most likely related to behavioral and physiological issues.
Complete Isolation from Close Relations
Humans are social beings, requiring connections with others to communicate their needs and feelings. Be it introverts or extroverts, every human needs some form of interaction with their environment and peers. If a person actively tries to avoid any form of communication, completely isolating themselves from their surroundings, family and close friends, it could indicate the onset of behavioral health problems. It could either stem from some deep-rooted trauma or extreme sensitivity to environmental stimulus.
Indulgence in Addictions
Developing bad habits and indulging in hazardous addictions commonly signify that the brain is going through emotional turmoil and is seeking comfort. Even when it’s harmful for them, some may still find their addictions more relaxing compared to every other beneficial thing. It’s best to opt for thorough psychiatric therapy and substance abuse treatment in such cases.
Constant Lethargy
Sometimes you may feel a bit lazy, needing a bit of recreation time to get back on your feet. But the constant feeling of lethargy and unwillingness to do anything could either be pointing towards some serious physiological issue, or depression. Our body tries to conserve energy when it’s focusing on only survival, deeming every other work as unnecessary. It may become hard to convince oneself to work and medical intervention may be needed.
Lack of Focus
A little bit of distraction is not much to worry about; people can lose focus for a multitude of reasons. Though a constant and utter lack of focus would mean your brain is not functioning as it’s supposed to. If you start to feel tired too early and have trouble staying on track with work, consult behavioral health professionals for a diagnosis. It could be signs of ADHD, autism, depression or even some serious issue with your nerves.
Depressive Episodes
Feeling down in the dumps all day, every day? You should probably apply for behavioral health services, asap. Sudden long periods of depressive and emotional outbursts are always a glaring warning for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). According to a recent WHO research, an annual approximate of 332 million people around the world today suffer from depression. In fact, most people have been recorded to have experienced at least one depressive episode in their lifetime. These data often just go unnoticed, hence why the number of people with behavioral health disorders are so high.
Poor Personal Hygiene
If you can’t seem to care enough about bathing, washing your clothes or keeping your belongings organized, you are in serious need of some mental health counseling. Maintaining good personal hygiene is paramount to living a healthy lifestyle and societal well-being, without which a person would spiral into destructive tendencies. Selfcare should never be a chore; one should seek behavioral therapy if it starts to feel like one. Staying clean and enforcing good habits will also motivate you to get everything sorted, giving you the courage to overcome your behavioral issues.
Hallucinations and Self-Destruction
One of the most visible and certain signs of psychosis are strong hallucinations and self-destructive behavior. Medically induced hallucinations are rare and not as severe compared to ones brought on by mental health decline. Any kind of self-harm is always related to a troubled mental state. These may indicate conditions like schizophrenia, major depression or anything of the sort, and requires immediate therapeutic attention.
If you’re worrying about your own or someone else’s mental well-being, now you know of all the important signs to look out for when determining whether to avail behavioral health service.
A Few Final Words
Your health always takes priority. Whenever in need of any behavioral health advice or psychotherapy, it’s recommended to reach out to behavioral health care professionals who can help you navigate through all your mental health needs. Premium Legacy Healthcare offers personal and group counseling, addiction management, DUI treatment, psychological support, creative therapy sessions, and much more for holistic behavioral health care.