Mental Health: Knowing When To Get Help
Do you have feelings of sadness or irritability? Has there been a loss of interest in pleasurable activities that you once enjoyed? Have you noticed any weight loss or change in your appetite? Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern? Are you feeling guilty? Are you experiencing difficulty in concentrating, remembering things or making decisions? Have you had thoughts of suicide or death? If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, consider consulting your family physician as your mental health maybe at risk.
Mental health, as defined by the Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health, “refers to the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.” On the other end of the flow is mental illness, a term that refers to all “mental disorders.” Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress or impaired functioning. This notion of a continuum sees mental health on one end as “successful mental functioning” compared to mental illness on the other end as “impaired functioning.”