How to Know If You Need Mental Health Treatment

Everyone encounters challenges and setbacks in their lives that affect how they feel and think. However, sometimes difficulties can become mental health conditions, or spark symptoms of a mental health condition that already existed. Mental health issues, however, can occur without a triggering event or circumstance. It’s important to be self-aware and recognize when mental health changes and symptoms that you’re experiencing may need treatment.

Understanding Mental Health

Mental health refers to the health of how you think, behave, and manage your emotions. If you have changes in your thinking, mood, or behavior that negatively affect your life, you may have a mental health disorder.

Examples of how a mental health condition can affect your life include:

• Difficulty with relationships, whether with family, friends, or a partner
• Declining work or school performance
• Not being able to handle daily responsibilities and activities
• Difficulty coping with stressful situations
• Withdrawing from social events and activities

This list is not all inclusive. Your mental health can impact all aspects of your life, even your physical health.

Defining Mental Health Conditions

There are hundreds of types of mental health disorders, which are formally defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. Each condition is defined by signs, symptoms, and certain criteria. Common mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia.

An example of a formal definition from the DSM is the definition of depression, which specifies 8 criteria used to determine if depression is present. The criteria are as follows:

1. Depressed mood most of the day, almost every day.
2. Significantly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
3. Significant weight loss when not trying, or weight gain, or a decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
4. A slowing down of thoughts and reduced physical movement.
5. Fatigue or lack of energy nearly every day.
6. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt nearly every day.
7. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or being indecisive, nearly every day.
8. Recurrent thoughts of death, suicide, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

Five or more of these symptoms in a two-week period, with one of the symptoms being either a depressed mood or a loss of interest and pleasure, indicate that depression is present.

Common Symptoms of Mental Health Conditions

Each mental health disorder has its own signs and symptoms, so the list of potential symptoms of a mental health issue is long. Some common examples include:

• Persistent sadness
• Excessive worry or fear
• Feelings of guilt
• Confusion
• Lack of concentration
• Extreme mood swings
• Significant personality changes
• Fatigue or insomnia
• Withdrawal from friends, family, and activities
• Delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations
• Detachment from reality and irrational beliefs
• An inability to deal with stress
• Sex drive changes
• Extreme changes in eating habits
• Excessive anger or violent behavior
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Suicidal thoughts

These are only examples, and you may have other symptoms, but if you feel as though you’ve changed in a negative way, or if you’re finding normal life difficult, you may need to seek help.

Diagnosing Mental Health Conditions

Only a mental health professional can formally diagnose mental health conditions. When you visit a professional, they will do a thorough evaluation of your mental well-being. This assessment will involve:

• A physical exam
• Family history assessment
• A discussion about your concerns
• Questions about recent events or changes in your life
• An assessment of your symptoms
• Questions about how you react or behave in certain situations
• Questions about your substance use history
• Questions about past trauma or abuse
• Questions about any thoughts of harming yourself or others

This assessment should bring a formal diagnosis, which will help your mental health provider to design a personalized treatment program for you.

How to Seek Help for Mental Health Conditions

Your first step should be to visit your primary care physician who can refer you to mental health treatment providers. If you don’t have a primary care provider, your insurance company can refer you to covered mental health professionals.

Many people fail to seek treatment for mental health disorders, sometimes due to fear, shame, or embarrassment. People may also have financial concerns about the cost of treatment. However, you should not feel alone or ashamed. Many people, more than you probably think, suffer from mental health conditions, but treatment can help tremendously.

Additionally, most insurance plans cover mental health treatment. If you don’t have insurance, many organizations provide mental health treatment regardless of your ability to pay.

In Closing

Self-awareness can help you to recognize signs that you need to seek help for your mental health. If you are struggling, don’t let anything stand in your way of getting the help that you need. Millions of people seek mental health treatment every day. You are not alone.

New England Medical Group provides a host of mental health services. Our professionals are dedicated to providing compassionate care and treatment so that you can get back to living the life you deserve. Give us a call today.