Lots of people experience the black dog at least once in their lives, but it's what you do to recover from it that can dictate how the rest of your life pans out. While the term "recover" might not be totally apt for this situation (seeing as depression isn't simply something you can shake off), there are steps you can take that help to alleviate the symptoms, particularly when you enlist the help of a professional. In this post, we are taking a look at why anyone struggling with their mental health ought to consider seeking help before it spirals into something more serious.
Recognizing When You Need Help
Just as with most things in life, you can only start to help yourself when you're able to recognize the signs of whatever it is that's holding you back. This Gold Coast psychologist notes various mental health conditions that could be contributing to your current state of mind, and speaking with a trained professional can help you reach the realization of what's going on with you and then help you come up with advanced plans to overcome them. These issues can include:
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Depression and Anxiety
- Psychosis and Schizophrenia
- Gender Dysphoria and other LGBTQIA+ questions
- Substance Use Disorder
- Dissociative Identity Disorder
Any of these mental health concerns can become debilitating and leave your quality of life in tatters if not adequately addressed. And, in most instances, you won't truly know if you're suffering from any of them without the correct diagnosis from a trained professional (which is absolutely not a quiz taken online).
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Signs That You're Feeling Overwhelmed
While you must always seek professional help, as discussed, there are often signs that could indicate that things aren't quite right. Mental health issues can rapidly cause you to become overwhelmed with life, and for many, this will result in viewing life and retreating into their shell. Some of the primary signs that you may already be in the throes of this include:
- Increased irritability or frustration: When a person starts to become irritable, it could be a sign that they are unable to process the usual stimuli that they face and lash out in an attempt to stop it in its tracks.
- Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness: We have all had moments in our lives when we feel hopeless, but when these moments become longer-lasting than usual or incredibly deep-rooted, that's when things may be taking a turn for the worse.
- Anxiety or panic attacks: Extreme anxiety and panic attacks are both hallmarks of a possible descent into mental health issues.
- Mood swings: Although not always related to your mental health, if these mood swings occur more often than not, you may want to seek help before you push away all those who love you.
- Withdrawal from social activities: A classic symptom of feeling overwhelmed and having mental health issues is retreating from society and opting to spend time alone. This is more than merely becoming introverted and is a sign that you're unable to handle the world as it exists.
- Difficulty concentrating: When your concentration takes a hit, it can be for various reasons. But if you have never previously had issues with focusing, it could be a sign you're overwhelmed with life.
None of these are immediate indications of anything serious, but when they start to affect your life, it could be time for help.
Benefits Of Seeking Professional Support
There are numerous advantages to seeking help rather than believing you can go it alone, not least of which is that it often takes an outside perspective to see what's happening and come up with unbiased solutions. It's easy to fall into the trap that you can simply wait things out, and you'll get better sooner or later. But your mental health is unlike your physical health in many cases; time left untreated will only result in it deteriorating even further. Professional help can provide you with the tools that enable you to regulate your emotions better and help you get to the core reasons why you're feeling the way you are. In some instances, it could be due to chemical imbalances that require medication to rebalance, while in other situations, it might be that you've had a traumatic experience in your life, and you need to speak about it in a clear and structured way. When you seek real help, you are opening the door to substantially improving your quality of life and coming to terms with why you're feeling a certain way.
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Types Of Mental Health Professionals
When it comes to the mental health profession, there are quite a few different disciplines that specialize in various areas.
- Psychiatrists: These are medical doctors (MD or DO) who specialize in mental health and can diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medication, and provide therapy.
- Licensed clinical social workers: These are advanced practice registered nurses with specialized training in mental health. They can diagnose and treat mental health conditions, prescribe medication (in most states), and provide therapy.
- Licensed professional counselors: A counselor is slightly different from the previous two in that they have a master's degree in social work and specialized training in mental health but are more focused on case management and connecting individuals with community resources.
- Marriage and family therapists: If your problems stem from family or marriage issues, these are the propel you see. They are trained to create a safe space where all parties can discuss their feelings, which should hopefully result in a resolution of conflict and the ability to get back to life.
How To Ensure Long-Term Recovery
As previously mentioned, the first step to recovery tends to be first realizing you have a problem. When you admit this, you can move on to the next steps designed to offer longer-lasting help. In some cases, this could involve medication to help regulate your emotions, while in other cases, it could be removing yourself from a toxic environment.
It becomes overwhelming pretty fast when you have mental issues you're dealing with every waking moment. However, as long as you seek the right sort of help, you should be able to better deal with it.
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