Senior Living News

1. Your Emotions Have Changed

Emotional changes can be a sign of a mental health issue. You may want to seek assistance if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Crying spells, which may come on suddenly and might not have a particular cause
• Feelings of dread, fear or worry, which may be related to something specific or have no identifiable cause
• Changes in your self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Persistent irritability or anger
• Sudden, frequent changes in mood

2. Your Thinking Has Changed

If you’re coping with a mental health problem, you may experience changes in the way you think or experience the world around you, such as:

• Difficulty concentrating or focusing, especially on complex tasks
• Struggling to understand or relate to other people
• Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
• Confusion or disorientation
• Having persistent thoughts that trouble or bother you
• Thinking about self-harm or suicide

3. Your Habits and Daily Routine Have Changed

Mental health issues may cause changes in your behavior, habits and daily routine. Some changes to be on the lookout for include:

• No longer enjoying hobbies and activities as you once did
• Withdrawing from friends and loved ones
• Avoiding social situations
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Sleeping too much or struggling to get out of bed
• Changes in your sex drive
• Increases or decreases in appetite

4. You Have New Physical Symptoms

Due to connections between the mind and body, mental health disorders can cause physical signs. If you’re experiencing any of the following physical symptoms and have ruled out illnesses and diseases as potential causes, you may wish to consider talking to a mental health professional:

• Fatigue, which may make it difficult to perform everyday tasks
• Headaches
• Rapid heartbeat
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Stomach upset
• Back pain
• General aches and pains

5. Your Symptoms Have Lasted for More Than 2 Weeks

Many people will feel depressed or anxious at some point in their lives, and when these feelings resolve quickly, they may not indicate a mental health problem. Generally, experts recommend seeking treatment when emotional, mental, behavioral or physical signs of mental illness last for more than 2 weeks. However, you should consider seeking help sooner for more serious symptoms, such as hallucinations or thoughts of suicide.

6. Your Loved Ones Are Concerned

Some people with mental health challenges experience anosognosia, a condition where the brain isn’t able to recognize changes in behavior, emotions and thinking. Because of the possibility of this condition, you may want to consider talking to someone about your mental health if your loved ones have shared concerns about you.

7. You’re Turning to Substances to Cope

In some cases, people faced with symptoms of mental illness may use alcohol or illicit drugs to change how they feel. This practice is called self-medicating and can lead to substance use disorders. If you’re drinking, taking illegal drugs or misusing prescription medications to cope with your thoughts and feelings, a mental health professional can help you develop new strategies.

8. You’re Under a Lot of Stress

Stress can contribute to mental health problems like depression and anxiety. If you’re going through any of the following stressful situations or experiencing stress for a different reason, a mental health professional can help you manage:

• Death of a loved one
• New diagnosis of a chronic or terminal illness
• Serving as the primary or sole caretaker for a loved one
• Financial problems
• Loss of a romantic or friend relationship
• Major life events, such as moving

9. You Experienced Trauma

Trauma can negatively impact your mental health, even if it occurred years ago. A mental health professional can help you work through your thoughts and feelings related to traumatic events, such as:

• Being the victim of a crime
• Experiencing a natural disaster
• Physical, emotional or sexual abuse that occurred when you were a child or adult
• Witnessing violence
• Sudden death of a loved one
• Serving in the military, working or volunteering in a combat zone

Seeking Help for Your Mental Health

If you’re concerned about your mental health, talk to your primary health care provider. They can explore your symptoms with you and help you choose the right mental health provider based on your unique needs. At the senior living communities under the Bethesda Senior Living Communities umbrella, our residents can count on our caring teams to provide ongoing support as well as assistance with transportation to appointments for counseling and other mental health services. Contact us today to learn more about the services and care our communities provide.