Mental health is one of those topics that people don’t like to talk about much. We understand the impact of mental health conditions and how they happen, but we also know that it can be difficult to discuss them even around people that we feel comfortable around. Sometimes it can be embarrassing to talk about, and other times we don’t want people to look at us differently due to our mental health conditions. In many cases, those disorders can seriously hold us back from doing things in life, and it’s hard to identify when they happen.
So in this post, we’re going to cover some of the signs that will help you recognize when your mental health disorders are holding you back. We’ll talk about coping with the disorders, and also embracing the fact that you might have one.
1. Trouble focusing on various tasks
There are a number of mental health conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that could potentially cause you to have trouble focusing on various tasks. When this happens, it can be challenging to perform basic household tasks like washing, cleaning, or even cooking. In some cases, it can also make it harder to perform work or study-related tasks, such as reading books, finishing homework, or even enjoying your hobbies.
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Depression and anxiety-related disorders can also make it hard for someone to focus on their tasks. For depression, people might experience cognitive symptoms like difficulty making decisions or even trouble remembering things. Depression is also associated with having low energy levels and a poor mood, both of which can negatively impact your ability to focus on completing daily or work-related tasks. As for anxiety, the impact it has on daily tasks will generally depend on what your day involves. For instance, if you have to interact with a lot of people frequently, then anxiety can make it extremely difficult for you to stay focused.
If you’re having troubles with completing tasks, there’s no guarantee that it’s being caused by a mental health disorder. Sometimes it could just be due to a lack of sleep or a temporary bout of depression or anxiety. However, if you don’t take the issue seriously and focus on resolving the issue, then it can quickly spiral out of control and cause a whirlwind of problems. By evaluating your mental health and determining the appropriate treatments, you can address your mental health concerns and gain more focus when performing various tasks.
2. Drastic changes in your appetite
Some people that experience mental health disorders may occasionally notice drastic changes in their appetite. They might feel like they’re eating too much and putting on a lot of weight, or they might find it hard to eat in the first place. Even if your focus is on improving your health by cutting out certain foods, big drastic changes to your eating patterns can actually cause damage to your health, especially if you’re not getting enough of a particular nutrient.
Eating disorders can be a fairly common mental health problem that will lead to a drastic change in your appetite. It may be caused by consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time, but it can also be the opposite, such as eating too little food and losing an unhealthy amount of weight in the process.
Stress and anxiety disorders are common triggers for an eating disorder, but it can also be an eating-related disorder that is causing you to eat too little or too much. For instance, anorexia nervosa is a condition that is characterized by a fear of gaining weight. This leads to extreme dietary restrictions which ultimately lead to a lack of nutrition and significant weight loss over a short period of time. On the other hand, bulimia nervosa refers to excessive eating that goes so far that patients will perform self-induced vomiting or exercise to compensate for the increased caloric intake.
Eating disorders can have a massive negative impact on one’s life due to the financial, social, and health-related implications they carry. Overeating could result in spending too much money on food, or it can lead to difficult social situations which eventually lead to alienation or isolation. Both conditions will also lead to health-related difficulties the longer they are left untreated or undiagnosed.
3. Coping with intense anxiety and panic attacks
Anxiety and panic attacks can have a big impact on the way we live our lives. They can both directly interfere with our lives in numerous ways, impairing the way we carry out daily tasks and even isolating us from close friends and family members.
For example, anxiety and panic attacks can hinder one’s academic and professional career growth. It makes it hard for us to concentrate and make good decisions, and it can also slow down our productivity or even grind our thought processes to a halt. Any trauma we’ve experienced can also resurface at the most inopportune times as the condition is difficult to control. Having an anxiety or panic-related attack can be extremely debilitating, and will likely affect one’s chances of climbing the career ladder or reaching new academic heights.
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These types of mental health disorders can also place a strain on relationships. Friends and family members may find it hard to communicate with loved ones that frequently have anxiety or panic attacks, and it may be demanding for them due to the extra care and attention it might require to calm someone with a mental health disorder. There’s also a fear that certain discussions or situations can lead to misunderstandings, resulting in conflict and difficulties in building stronger relationships.
And lastly, we can’t forget that anxiety and panic attacks can ultimately harm our finances. Since it negatively affects our decision making, we can end up making poor financial decisions and impulsive decisions that put us in difficult financial situations.
Dealing with anxiety and panic attacks can be possible with the right solutions. For instance, PTSD treatment exists for those who have suffered serious emotional trauma, and there are professionals that can assist with anxiety-related panic attacks. By reaching out and attempting to treat the condition, you’ll be one step closer to bringing your life together.
4. Losing interest in things you once enjoyed
It’s not uncommon to feel like you’ve lost interest in the things you once loved if you’re facing a mental health disorder. People might find it hard to enjoy things they did on a daily basis, or they might experience large mood swings that take them from loving something to hating it within the space of hours. This kind of mental health disorder can have a profound impact on one’s daily life, academic pursuits, and even their career.
Having a passion for something is often at the core of what we do. If we have a passion for a hobby, then we pursue it. We find enjoyment in it, we meet other people because of it, and we can share it for social reasons and benefits. However, if you lose interest in the things that you used to love doing, then you might find yourself struggling to regain that kind of happiness, enjoyment, and also social connection to others.
It can feel extremely daunting to lose interest in the things that you once loved. If you don’t face the mental health disorders that you’re facing, then you’ll continue to struggle with these difficulties until you treat it. This will have a huge impact on your performance at work, your studies, and even your relationships.
5. The physical effects of a mental health disorder
Many people wrongly assume that a mental health condition only affects your mind. The reality is that even the slightest feeling of depression or anxiety can also have long-term effects on your physical health too. For example, mental health conditions like insomnia can lead to extreme fatigue, a lack of focus, and even difficulties with your breathing. Mental health disorders can also result in a loss of appetite and weight loss, or increased appetite which leads to weight gain. Drastic weight changes like this can negatively impact your physical health, making your life much more difficult.
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In some cases, mental health disorders can even weaken our immune system, making it easier for us to catch an illness or disease. This is due to the effects that a mental health disorder has on our body, but can also be influenced by a lack of enthusiasm and care for our body as a result of a mental health disorder. This leads to us forgetting about our personal health, potentially forgetting to take medication, or even self-harming due to our mental health condition.
In short, mental health disorders can have long-term and short-term effects on many different aspects of our life. It’s not easy to open up and talk about these, even to a professional, but doing so can have a huge positive effect on your life and will help progress further in whatever pursuits that you choose to follow.