Key points:
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Mental health is a fundamental pillar in people’s lives, it allows us to develop and live in harmony in society.
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When mental health is affected, all areas of life suffer an imbalance, therefore, it is important to detect them in order to seek professional help and deal with them to have a better quality of life.
Mental health makes up the general well-being of a person since it involves how we think, develop, and how we express our feelings.
It also helps us build good relationships, perform and develop in social and work settings, learn new things like a language, and maintain optimal overall physical health.
However, some temporary conditions affect mental health, these can be severe and be confused with a mental disorder, however, this is not always the case.
How do I know that I may have a mental disorder?
Some signs can give us a guideline to take action and go to a specialist since they are the only ones who can give you an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Warning signs:
- Your sleep is affected and you suffer from insomnia.
- You have lost the desire to socialize with people and perform activities that you used to like.
- Your alcohol and/or drug use increases.
- You have sudden mood swings that start to affect your relationships.
- Your daily energy level drops considerably and you stop performing in the same way.
- Your thoughts are unusual.
- You notice that your appetite decreases or increases from one moment to another.
- You feel sad, depressed, anxious.
- You have thought about killing yourself or hurting yourself.
There are thousands of mental disorders that can have similar characteristics, therefore, a professional must diagnose you.
What does an assessment to detect a mental disorder consist of?
- Own and family clinical history.
- Questions about the events that you think have changed your life.
- History of drug and alcohol use.
- Questionnaires to know your way of thinking and acting when facing typical or complex problems.
- Sometimes help from someone very close to the person is requested.
- Inquire about mistreatment, abuse, family crises, and other important life events.
What is life like when diagnosed with a mental disorder?
As with any disease when diagnosed, there are countless treatments to help regulate the symptoms caused by the disease.
People who undergo psychiatric treatment tend to lead a common life and enjoy it in the same way as someone who does not suffer from mental illness. The important thing is perseverance and commitment to yourself to face it. Having a mental illness should not cause shame, some people are never diagnosed due to the taboos that exist around this subject. Empathy and support of your close circles will be essential to recovering the quality of life.
At ABC Medical Center’s Neurology Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
Fuentes:
https://www.usa.gov/espanol/novedades/salud-mental-como-reconocer-que-hay-un-problema-y-donde-encontrar-ayuda
https://imss.gob.mx/salud-en-linea/salud-mental
https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/mental-health/art-20044098
