Five signs your loved one might be struggling with their mental health

Are you worried that a friend, family member, or colleague is behaving differently? Do you think you’re seeing some signs of mental health concerns in the person?

It is not unusual to see people struggle with their mental health due to daily life demands and challenges.

However, it isn’t always easy to tell if a person is truly struggling mentally, as these signs come gradually. Also, the fear of having a wrong assumption and offending your loved ones makes it even harder.

Regardless, here are some of the common warning signs you need to keep an eye out for.

• Emotional outburst

Emotional outbursts and mood instability are one of the most common symptoms linked to mental health struggles.

Although everyone has different moods and expresses them differently. But when a person’s emotion suddenly becomes more uncontrollable and intense than normal, it can be a sign of mental struggles.

Extreme anger, rage, and frustration should be looked at for as depression and anxiety can make it hard to self-regulate one’s feelings and emotions.

• Change in appetite

Mental struggle affects the stomach and digestive tract which might further affect one’s appetite.

Depression, anxiety, and stress could also affect one’s appetite and weight in various ways.

For some people, stress and anxiety may result in a loss of appetite. They become so overwhelmed with worries that they lose their desire to eat or feel hungry or have the energy to eat.

While for others, they overeat because they believe eating can provide temporary relief from stress and depressing thoughts and feelings.

So if you notice your friends or family members have been overeating or undereating to the point where there are dramatic changes in weight over a short period of time, it might be a sign they are battling with their mental health.

• Low energy/withdrawal 

The feeling of fatigue is quite common in people who are struggling with their mental health.

This makes it hard for them to focus, follow conversations or even think logically.

You should also be mindful if you notice the person start withdrawing from people and stop engaging in the activities they enjoy.

• Sleep problem/insomnia

Sleep deprivation can be a sign of someone experiencing depression and anxiety.

Several studies have shown that people who experience insomnia have a two-fold risk of developing depression compared to those who do not have problems sleeping.

Excess sleep can also be a sign of stress as it might mean the body is exhausted or burnt out.

So if you notice any of these, it should be addressed in order to help reduce the risk of depression.

• Change in physical appearance

Some mental health struggles can also manifest in physical health problems like constant headaches, dizziness, and accelerated heart rate.

So if there is a sudden change in the physical appearance of the person, it might infer the person is struggling mentally.

Studies have also shown that people with a diagnosis of physical illness, especially cardiovascular disease, and diabetes have a greater chance of developing a mental health problem.

If you eventually get to notice one or more of these signs in a person, you should help address it quickly and seek professional help.