If You're Worried About Your Mental Health, Ask Yourself These 20 Questions
Jul 26, 2018 by apost team
It's normal to feel down from time to time. However, there might be a time when you are worried that something more serious is going on. The questions below might help you determine whether you should seek help for your emotions.
Are You Crying More Than Usual?
We all have different thresholds for tears, but if you find that lately you've been bursting into tears about nearly everything, it may be time to seek professional help.
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Do Your Emotions Overwhelm You?
If you feel as though you frequently cannot regulate your emotions, this could also be a sign you need more help.
How Are You Sleeping?
Unmanageable levels of anxiety often leads to insomnia, which could mean you have trouble either falling asleep or staying asleep.
Are You Worn Out?
If your mental health is at risk, it may manifest as exhaustion. Fatigue often has a psychological component.
Are You In Pain?
Anxiety and depression may also be causing aches and pains throughout your body.
Have Your Eating Habits Changed?
Whether you are eating significantly more or less than usual or gaining or losing weight, if there is an unexplained change in your appetite, you may want to consider whether your emotions are at the root of it.
Have You Been Happy Lately?
Depression is not just about feeling sad. It is also about the inability to feel joy. If you no longer enjoy your normal activities, you might be depressed.
What Are Your Dreams Like?
Not every dream has a meaning, but if you are finding yourself plagued by nightmares, your anxiety could be getting out of control.
Have You Experienced Abuse?
Abuse doesn't have to be physical or sexual in nature to leave scars. Verbal and emotional abuse can also be damaging.
What Was Your Childhood Like?
All childhoods have their ups and downs, but if yours was mostly downs, it could still be causing you psychological distress today.
What Was The Predominant Emotion Of Your Childhood?
If emotions like guilt, shame and anger come to mind when you think of your childhood, this could also still be affecting you as an adult.
Do You Have A Guilty Conscience?
Being plagued by guilt is not psychologically healthy and could indicate a deeper problem.
How Is Your Self-Esteem?
Low self-esteem could be another indicator that your mental health is at risk.
Is Something In Particular Causing You Great Stress?
Whether it's a relationship, a job or simply certain topics, if you are feeling disproportionate stress in some area of your life, you might have an anxiety disorder.
Are You Worried About Loss?
Intrusive thoughts about the loss of loved ones is another indication that anxiety or depression could be an issue.
Does Death Preoccupy You?
If you find yourself ruminating on death a lot, you might be struggling with the idea of your own or someone else's mortality.
Do You Return Obsessively To The Same Thoughts?
Anxiety may sometimes manifest as an inability to set aside upsetting or disturbing thoughts.
Are You Compelled To Repeat Certain Actions?
If you cannot stop checking whether locks are secured or washing your hands, you may suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Are You Detached?
Trauma often leads to dissociation and a sense of not being a part of events around you.
Do You Think About Self-Harm Or Suicide?
You should take these thoughts seriously and speak to a hotline or a professional.
istockphotos.com/demaerreMost people experience many of the above symptoms at various times in their lives. If you are concerned about your psychological well-being, you should seek professional help.
Did these questions help you? Do you have any other ideas for questions someone struggling could ask themself? Show this to your friends and family in order to help someone who might be in need.
Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!