You’ll find a wide variety of resources on these pages that will offer practical guidance, advice and support. But we have to start somewhere, don’t we? So, let’s begin by defining a few basic terms, so we know what we’re talking about.
Definitions and Explanations
Mental Health
I think of the term ‘Mental health’ as encompassing our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. How do you think, feel, and act as you deal with life? Our mental health also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
I believe that good mental health is not just the absence of ‘mental health problems’ but goes beyond that. It’s also the presence of positive emotions. These can be things like optimism, happiness, compassion or a sense of purpose. Of course, nobody feels these things all the time, but a good sign of improvements in our mental health is when we start to become aware of positive emotions more often.
Depression
All of us are familiar with feeling sad, but depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. It causes feelings of sadness and can make you lose interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are generally characterized by significant worry or fear that’s difficult to control and affects your daily activities. They can include things like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Symptoms can include restlessness, increased heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and fatigue. While it’s natural to feel anxious from time to time, an actual anxiety disorder is something that lasts much longer.
Stress
Stress is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Stress is, of course, a normal part of life. It’s part of our inbuilt ‘fight or flight’ response. You can experience stress from something in your environment, your body, or your thoughts. Even positive life changes such as a promotion, a mortgage, or the birth of a child can produce stress. We can never avoid stress, but we can change how we cope with it.
Common Signs and Symptoms
Depression
Symptoms of depression generally include a persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood; feelings of hopelessness or pessimism; irritability; feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness; loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities; decreased energy or fatigue; difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
Depression can also lead to difficulty making decisions; insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or oversleeping; appetite and/or weight changes; thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts; and aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment.
It’s also important to keep in mind that if you’re taking an antidepressant medication, particularly a new one, some of the symptoms may be related to the drug that you’re taking, so talk to your doctor about any new or worsening symptoms.
Anxiety Disorders
Common symptoms of anxiety disorders can include feeling nervous, restless, or tense; having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom; having an increased heart rate; breathing rapidly (hyperventilation); sweating; trembling; feeling weak or tired; trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry; having trouble sleeping; experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems; having difficulty controlling worry; and having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety (including reading this list!)
Stress
Common signs of stress include being easily agitated, feeling overwhelmed, having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind, feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), loneliness, depression, low energy, headaches, upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea, aches, pains, and tense muscles, chest pain and rapid heartbeat.
Prolonged stress may also lead to insomnia, frequent colds and infections, loss of sexual desire and/or ability, nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ears, cold or sweaty hands and feet, dry mouth and difficulty swallowing or a clenched jaw and grinding teeth.
When to Seek Help
Seek professional help if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of mental health issues that persist and interfere with daily life. It’s important to consult with a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Early intervention is crucial and you can get better. Mental health conditions are treatable, and many of us recover fully or learn effective coping strategies.