The biggest obstacle in solving a problem is not knowing it is there. It sounds crazy to be unable to notice that you have a problem, but many people don’t until it becomes really bad. This is especially common with mental illness, whether it is an addiction, mental disorder, or simple depression. If you feel that there is something not right with you, here are some warning signs that should help you identify how to know when something is wrong. Knowing these can also help you identify problems in your loved ones so that they can seek help, too.
Addiction
Many people who are addicts don’t know that they suffer from addiction. The association of addiction to drugs can confuse things since people can become addicted to other substances and behaviors.
Substance addiction is the one that most people are familiar with. While drug addiction is easy to detect, other substances can be much harder. For example, your medications can cause you to become dependent on them. Behavioral addiction is much more subtle. You may like to gamble a bit too much, or you use the Internet for far too long. Many people don’t see how to know when something is wrong with those activities, but they can be signs of addiction.
There are several main symptoms to look out for. One is that you are always seeking out places where the substance or the activity is present. This is your desire to feed your addiction. Second, you tend to binge or lose control when taking the substance or doing the behavior, but you don’t feel any regret later. If you don’t feel bad about it, then it normalizes the behavior for you, which can lead to deeper problems later. Finally, you make bad decisions to feed your addiction and ignore the negative consequences. For example, you spend too much money on a bet, and you don’t care at all.
Depression
Another common mental health issue that people don’t notice is depression. While feeling sad is a common feeling, depression is when those feelings don’t seem to go away. This can severely affect how you experience life and even your health.
Determining whether you have depression rather than just feeling sad hinges on how many of the symptoms you have and how long they last. The more you have and the longer they last, the higher the chance you suffer from depression. Some symptoms to look out for are feelings of helplessness and self-loathing. Feeling worthless and thinking that things are not going to get better are the hallmarks of depression.
Besides the mental symptoms, there are physical symptoms, too. If you lose interest in daily activities and start suffering from insomnia, you should feel some concerns. You may also end up suffering from various aches and pains. Migraines and stomach pains are common in those who suffer from depression.
Eating Disorders
There is a wide variety of eating disorders out there, and most people don’t realize they have them. Many think it is just natural eating behavior when you are trying to lose weight. But these disorders are far from normal.
The main symptom that you have an eating disorder is that you have body image issues. You think that your body is overweight even if you are looking normal or even underweight. If your friends and doctor think that you are fine when it comes to weight and you insist on dieting, then you likely have an eating disorder. You might also excessively exercise or use diet pills too much.
Eating disorders are subtle, and while people might look normal, they might be suffering inside.
How to Get Help
If you do detect any of the symptoms above, then you have to take action. Trying to solve things on your own is not going to work when it comes to mental health problems. Mental health professionals can be a big help to anyone struggling with these issues. Going to therapy is an excellent way to start your recovery. Additionally, there are inpatient mental health treatment centers that provide comprehensive help. For example, anorexia nervosa treatment centers can provide shelter to those who suffer from this eating disorder. 24/7 monitoring and assistance can go a long way towards helping you or a loved one recover.
The three above issues are only the tip of the iceberg. There are several other mental health problems that you might need help with, like personality disorders and behavioral ones. If you feel want to know when something is wrong, you should consider going to a doctor for further information.
