Speaking to someone about your mental health does not mean that you will be diagnosed with a mental health difficulty or that you will be put on medication. Instead, speaking to someone about your mental health can be a way to identify what might be causing these feelings and allow you to create a plan to work through them.
There are many ways to speak to someone about your mental health; on the phone, online or in person. Find out more about the different types of mental health supports and which one might be right for you.
Experiencing loss/increase in appetite
Experiencing a loss or increase in appetite can also be a sign that you may be experiencing a mental health difficulty. We can often feel unable to eat or overeat when we feel nervous or anxious about an upcoming event or something that is going on in our lives. Listening to what your body wants is important, but if these extremes in appetite continue it can be a sign that something else is wrong.
Speaking to your GP (doctor) about your experiences with eating can help you to figure out what may be causing the problems and create a plan to help you work through these issues.
Losing interest in socialising and hobbies
It is normal to go through periods where you may feel more social than others, or times when you feel more motivated to be active in your free time. If you find yourself not wanting to spend time with your friends or family for a prolonged period of time or feel that you just have no energy for life, it could be a sign that something might not be right with your physical or mental health.
Speaking to someone about how you are feeling can help to identify what might be making you feel this way and help to create a plan to move forward. At SpunOut.ie we offer a 24/7 free text support service that will listen to what you are experiencing and help guide you to the support services right for you. Free Text SPUNOUT to 50808 to begin.
Being unable to sleep or over sleeping
Your sleeping pattern can be an indicator of the health of your body. If you are having trouble sleeping for a prolonged period of time, or if you find that you feel constantly tired and need to sleep this could be a sign that there is something wrong and you should consider speaking to someone about what you are experiencing.
Sleep is extremely important for our bodies and not getting enough, or getting too much can impact on both your physical and mental health. Speaking to your GP (doctor) about your sleeping pattern can be a good place to start if you are concerned about the issue. They will be able to give you advice and refer you to a mental health service if they think it is necessary.
Find out more about speaking to your doctor about a mental health concern.
Increase in drinking alcohol or taking drugs
If you find yourself becoming dependent on alcohol or drugs in order to feel normal, this could be a sign that you are experiencing a mental health difficulty. Alcohol may provide temporary relief from feelings of sadness or anxiety, but it is a depressant and in the long term will only make any issues you are experiencing more difficult.
If you feel that you are no longer in control of your relationships with drugs or alcohol it is important to speak to someone about it. There are plenty of supports available if you are experiencing difficulties with drugs or alcohol, find out more about treatment and support for alcohol dependency.
