There are still some people out there that believe mental health problems are best left behind closed doors. And then there are those who refuse to believe exist at all, the “if you can’t see it, it’s not there” approach. However, these people view illness to be a physical thing, like colds and flu. But, for these people, it’s important to educate them on mental health, and the fact that we are all susceptible to mental health problems in life. While there are extreme cases of mental health disorders, there are those which we can all suffer from. So, which are these?
Depression and Anxiety
Arguably, depression and anxiety are two of the most common disorders in the modern world. While each disorder can be broken down into specific disorders, from generalized anxiety disorder, to mild depression, major depression, and so forth; in terms of the disorders that we are all susceptible to, anxiety and depression are things that we can all suffer from, and the symptoms can spring out of nowhere. We are all prone to a low mood, and for those people who are going through a tough time, and they are being told to “man up”, or “pull their socks up”, can provoke a very negative effect. Because we all are susceptible to anxiety or depression, there are so many different options for us to go about solving this. For some people, it’s a lifelong illness, and for others, we can find ways in which to manage this. The first step in solving this issue is like in addiction, admitting you have an illness in the first place. For the generational divide, the older members of society who refuse to admit they have a problem can result in these feelings building up inside, and debilitating then at some point to come out in an emotional breakdown. For these people, opening up has never been easier, because of the various support systems around. For example, old age pensioners are more than likely susceptible to isolation, which can breed anxiety, and if left untreated, can morph into depression. For these people, there are support systems around, as well as professional help.
Addiction
From a non-psychologist’s perspective, addiction can be one of the ways someone can attempt to compromise their mental health disorders. If, for example, someone you know had a difficult childhood, or had some form of anxiety, addiction is a way in which channel a sense of distraction from the emotional problems that can result from a difficult childhood. Drug problems, gambling addiction, or alcohol, addictions have touched most people’s lives in one way or another. A dependency on a substance contain families apart, but by going back to the root cause of these, and to have help fighting addiction, it’s all about the opening up process. Understanding the root cause of the addiction can provide a solution, but with regards to an addictive personality, this could be something that stays with them for life. For example, alcoholics are classed as “an alcoholic” for life and it’s very difficult to enjoy a drink socially, when you’ve been at the other end of the spectrum. Addiction stems from a way to medicate specific emotional problems. When you look at it from your own perspective, you may have a specific vice that is not deemed to be unhealthy, especially in comparison to substances. And this is why we should hold the mirror up to ourselves, and look at what we have a mini addiction to, and even though it’s something that is small in comparison to substances, like sugar, in understanding why we feel a need to consume so much sugar, could stem from a deep rooted emotional reason. While addiction is classed as a mental health disorder and is only treated in extreme circumstances, if you have an over-reliance on anything, from food, exercise, to work, understanding that every practice in life can benefit from being enjoyed in moderation, will help form a more balanced personality.
Eating Disorders
And stemming directly from an addiction to sugar, eating disorders in all of their forms, are, again, rooted in our personality. Lots of eating disorders can stem from dysmorphia or a certain problem with our body image. This is very common in today’s society. Social media is a major culprit for promoting any specific benchmark on what should be the “perfect” body. But now, we are lucky to see this balance being reset, as there are more plus-size models, a yearning to talk about these problems more, but also, professional help that can provide real solutions. Eating disorders, in all their forms, from overeating (or binge eating) to anorexia nervosa are more common in younger people. It’s usually classed as something that is predominately in females, but men can suffer from it too. These eating disorders can go hand in hand with depression and anxiety, but those that have eating disorders in the extreme sense need to have professional help for the sake of their overall health. Because eating is something that we all have control over, lots of people develop a disorder as a way to regain some control over their body and their life. It’s dangerous now, especially with those people who are suffering from a low self image, the tendency to undereat can be a very simple method in which to lose weight. But, even less extreme circumstances can mean a specific problem with regards to eating. It’s not just about overeating and undereating, but eating unhealthily, because it makes us feel good about ourselves, can result in weight gain. But, also, for those people who have been through an emotionally tough time, turn to snacks and sweet treats to make them feel better. We’ve all been there, and it’s much more difficult for us to notice if we are overcompensating for something if we have a seemingly normal life, but are very keen on sweet treats.
Anger
Anger, in concentrated forms, is healthy, because it gives us an outlet. But so many people don’t have a proper way to concentrate it. You might find that you’re not a particularly angry person, and one day it comes out in a burst. Or on the other hand, you are angry all the time about the littlest thing. We all have issues with anger in one way or another. This could be due to repressing our thoughts and feelings, or we find that we are too quick to react and fly off the handle. Stress and anxiety are the root causes of anger, but anger is one of those emotions that need to be released in healthy doses. If you find yourself angry on impulse, it can result in strained relationships. Learning how to calm down is one of the best methods for anyone that is constantly angry. Learning how to slow down, counting to 10, or breathing exercises, or even meditating, have been shown to have a positive impact on those that suffer from extreme anger. On the other side of the coin, for those people who aren’t angry, or don’t have an outlet, could find that they are repressing their emotions too much. There are those who don’t have any form of anger, and this is the hallmark of a well-balanced life, but for those who repress their emotions, making sure that they have a healthy outlet is one of the best treatments. Having the opportunity to vent, either through counseling, or a sympathetic ear, is very effective. On the other hand, the ability to physically offload these problems, either by exercise or a pastime like boxing, is a great way for people who are excessively angry, or not angry at all. Anger is energy; but in excessive doses, it is unhealthy.
Suffering from a mental health problem is commonplace. Luckily now, we are more open and talk about these problems. For those people who are still reticent to discuss any form of mental health problem, it could be the hallmark of repression. As a result, this can have a devastating impact on everybody around, including themselves. We are not immune to mental health problems, and we all suffer from something during the course of our lives. But rather than view a mental health problem as a stigma, it is a far better idea to approach how it can be solved. This means opening up and admitting to it in the first place, but now, in the 21st century, there are still those that view it as a sign of weakness. Instead of viewing it as a sign of weakness, we should view mental health disorders as a sign that we’ve been too strong for too long. If anybody reading this knows someone who is going through a tough time emotionally, the most helpful thing can do at this stage is to offer your support, either emotionally or physically. Getting someone to open up and discuss these problems is difficult, and it’s their prerogative if they want to or not, but it’s important for those people to know that we are all susceptible to these problems in life. They are not alone, and the more we all discuss these issues, the better the solutions will be.
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