10 Mental Health Signs you should not ignore

There can be clear indicators that someone is suffering from a mental health disorder, but many times, the signs aren't that obvious. We have put together a list of mental health signs that you should not ignore if you come across them.

1. Feeling Consistently Sad or Overwhelmed

This can be a result of being being overworked, new life stresses or devastating life events. If symptoms go untreated, they can lead to insomnia, depression or erratic behavior.

2. Thoughts of Suicide

Not everyone suffering from suicidal thoughts will feel comfortable sharing. In this case identifying risk factors can be key to saving someone's life. For example, the individual may have been exposed to another person's suicide, or they themselves have history of suicidal tendencies. Other risk factors could be stressful life situations or even loss of a loved one.

3. Social Isolation

When an individual suddenly becomes withdrawn and starts to lose their interest in social activities, this can be a sign of declining mental health. A clear sign that someone is social isolating is they stop including themselves in outings and make no effort communicate with people closest to them. Another not so obvious sign is their loss of interest in their own well-being. They stop focusing on things such as diet, exercise and personal hygiene.

4. Mood Swings or Personality Change

Extreme mood swings can be associated with other afflictions like Bipolar Disorder. This illness can also be a sign of other, more severe disorders like schizophrenia or personality disorder.

5. Sudden Changes in Weight

If the weight change is accompanied by any other sign on this list, then it is possible the individual is not doing well. People who suffer from anxiety or depression are more likely gain weight over time. The chemical imbalance in the brain can lead to carbohydrate cravings, which also leads to less portion control and overeating. Studies also show that some individuals who become depressed start to lose a lot of weight in an unhealthy way. The key is any unhealthy gain or loss of weight in a short period of time.

6. Losing Sleep

Any of the signs on our list can also lead to trouble sleeping or insomnia. Sleep deprivation is one of the key factors when it comes regulating brain psychology.

7. Substance Abuse

Much like insomnia, drugs and alcohol can have a synergistic effect on a person and make matters worse. An individual abusing drugs and alcohol may be looking for relief but in reality, they could be worsening their symptoms.

8. Feeling Worthless

When an individual begins to have negative self-talk or begins contemplating self-harm, they may not be doing well. Individuals in this state of mind are typically fixated on their feelings of failure and cannot bring themselves to "snap out of it".

9. Emotional outbursts

This indicator is usually pretty clear as the outbursts can be violent or extreme. An external stimuli usually triggers an internal struggle the person is dealing with, and they lash out seemingly out of nowhere.

10. Chronic stomach Pain

When the brain feels extreme anxiety, it could temporarily shut down digestion to deal with the threat. That is why some people feel like their stomach is in knots and some even vomit when they become too anxious.

Conclusion

Recognizing symptoms of mental illness is an important step towards getting the proper treatment. If you or your loved one is at risk of hurting themselves or others, contact the National Suicide Prevention Line 800-273-TALK (8255).