Mental Health Information You Might Not Know

Public attitudes towards mental health problems are still a long way from ideal and that is despite the large amount of information that is now available and the attempts by both government and charitable organisations to educate the public and to eradicate the stigma that still surrounds mental health in general.

The facts are that someone you know right now is suffering from depression or some kind of anxiety related disorder and because of a general lack of understanding in society they may be reluctant to speak about it or to seek help and this can seriously delay recovery times and may even result in more tragic consequences such as suicide.

What we need to be aware of is that someone who is suffering from depression or panic attacks, or phobias or an anxiety related disorder, is not able to control it, they are not being difficult or indulgent or weak, and they cannot just get a grip or pick themselves up and get on with it. What they need is treatment, support and understanding and if they get it, they have every chance of making a full and complete recovery.

It's important to remember that mental health problems can affect any one of us at any time. So how do you recognise if what you are experiencing is normal or if it is something more serious that may require treatment?

Recognising a mental health problem

All of us experience changes in our moods and go through periods where we feel fed up, disillusioned and down in the dumps. It is also normal to feel stressed at times, to feel anxious and fearful or to get emotional or angry. This is a part of life and things usually get back to normal after a short period of time.

However, when the symptoms are prolonged or particularly severe and are starting to hinder your ability to get on with normal daily routines, or are affecting your work or relationships or social life, then it could be that you need help.

The following is a list of symptoms that could indicate some kind of mental health problem however just because you are experiencing some of these symptoms it doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong.

Persistent sadness and low moods Disruptions to eating and sleeping patterns Hallucinations or delusions Extreme anxiety or agitation Panic attacks and excessive fearfulness Vague aches and pains with no obvious physical cause Feelings of isolation and loneliness Avoidance of social contact Loss of libido Inability to take pleasure in activities you used to enjoy Thoughts of suicide

Only a qualified health professional will be able to determine for sure if you need help or not. There is no harm whatsoever in approaching your doctor in the first instance in order to seek their advice. Your doctor will be able to assess your symptoms and rule out any other potential causes and advise you on what you can do to get well again.

It may be that you need no treatment other than a supportive ear and advice on self help techniques or it may be that you need a short course of anti-depressant medication to get you back on track. In a few cases where the symptoms are more severe, you may require more specialist treatment but the good news is that even more serious types of mental health problems are treatable.

Depression and anxiety are serious mental health conditions that can strike anyone at anytime. For more information about depression and self help please come and visit our site.