Warning Signs for your Mental Health
Our bodies communicate with us, but we don’t always catch the cues. Here’s some warning signs your mental health might need a tune up.
We all have to manage our mental health. In some seasons, this is a difficult balancing act, and in others, it comes a bit more easily. Regardless of your starting point, we all have to protect our mental wellness. When things start to get out of caliber, our bodies send some warning signs. It’s pretty easy to get distracted from these warning signs, though! So, here’s a call-out to some warning signs your body might be giving. The earlier you catch these, the more likely it is to correct easily.
Each of these may be harmless on their own, in seasons, or in response to life’s circumstances. But, if you notice several of them lasting for an ongoing period of time, it may be an indication that you need to evaluate your mental health.
1. Withdrawing from your people
One warning sign to be aware of is the desire to withdraw from people you love. Many people choose to stay away from the people they are closest to when their mental health declines. This happens for many different reasons. Sometimes it is to keep from having their negative mindset noticed. Some people are afraid to bring others down. Still others just don’t have the energy when their mental health declines. There are countless reasons why someone might avoid their people when mental health is not at its prime, but the key is to be aware of it and make note of your reasoning.
2. Change of pace
Another indicator that something may be out of balance is a change in your regular pace while going through life. Again, on its own this may just be a reaction to life’s curveballs. In conjunction with other symptoms, it may be something to make note of. If you find that you are unexplainably lethargic, slow, or gloomy, it may be your body’s attempt to tell you something is up. Or, maybe if you find that anxiety has your mind held captive, your pace might be more sped up. Either way, noticing that your pace of life is abnormal may be your clue to pay attention to your overall mental wellbeing.
3. Acting in ways you wouldn’t normally
Changes in behavior that even you can’t explain can be signs that something is off internally! This often stems out of big emotions that haven’t been noticed or handled. Some examples may include making your personality bigger or smaller than normal, picking fights, behaving impulsively, or having angry outbursts. These types of behaviors are often not only stemming from deeper, bigger emotions, but are behaviors that individuals can be partially aware of in themselves (although not usually understanding of).
4. Fluctuations in mood
Another sign to give your mental health some attention is mood swings. For many people, this just looks like life getting them down more easily than normal. This can look like dissatisfaction with life, quick temperedness, sadness, crying, or feelings of loneliness, among other things. If you are unable to experience the regular circumstances of life without feeling greatly affected, your mental health may need some attention.
5. Losing your vigor
Lastly, a loss of energy and drive for things that usually excite you could be a sign that your mental health is not at its best. If you no longer enjoy your work, stay away from social activities that usually fill you up, avoid that activities that make you feel fulfilled, or have low libido, as a few examples, you may want to consider if something feels off.
Observing any one of these things in your life is not necessarily cause for concern, as each can easily be explained by any number of other reasons. However, if you notice one or more of these and sense that something feels off inside of you, it may be reason to do a quick evaluation of how you are doing and have some grace with yourself.
If you notice that you’re not feeling like yourself, reach out to someone you trust. Tell them what you’re noticing, what you’re feeling, and your understanding of why these things are happening (if you have a hunch). See if your friend can support you as you make any changes necessary to get you to a better place. And of course, if you don’t feel that you have the support you need in seasons such as these, feel free to reach out. These are only seasons, not defining characteristics of your life.
