{"id":12132,"date":"2020-10-09T14:01:05","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T14:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/29\/my-loved-one-is-struggling-with-their-mental-health-now-what\/"},"modified":"2021-03-08T04:50:30","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T04:50:30","slug":"my-loved-one-is-struggling-with-their-mental-health-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/29\/newjersey\/monmouth\/blog\/my-loved-one-is-struggling-with-their-mental-health-now-what\/","title":{"rendered":"My Loved One Is Struggling With Their Mental Health, Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Arnold Williams, M.D. Chair of Medical Staff for RJWBarnabas Behavioral Health Center<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Arnold Williams, M.D. Chair of Medical Staff for RJWBarnabas Behavioral Health Center in Toms River<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While we may be well versed regarding the signs and symptoms of mental illness, such as depression and anxiety, but when is it time to reach out for professional help?<\/p>\n

If you or your loved ones\u2019 mental illness is impeding their everyday life, and in a way that it is diminishing their quality of life, it may be time to contact a mental health professional.<\/p>\n

Some common mental health occurrences that may mean it\u2019s time to reach out for professional help include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Shutting off oneself from the outside world<\/li>\n
  2. Finding it hard to get out of bed<\/li>\n
  3. Finding it difficult to sleep, or sleeping in excess<\/li>\n
  4. Experiencing a decrease in appetite, or eating in excess<\/li>\n
  5. Thoughts of dying or suicide<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Why are these important to point out? Let\u2019s start by going through the realistic impacts of each, one by one.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. If you notice that you or your loved one is totally isolating from friends or family, or staying disengaged from the current reality of life, the symptoms are only going to worsen. It\u2019s better to be proactive when this type of behavior begins occurring to prevent any further difficulties in treatment and resiliency.<\/li>\n
    2. If you are having trouble getting out of bed, what are the chances that you are piling stress on top of stress? If you\u2019re still working, maybe you are late all the time, or even missing days of work. If there is grocery shopping, chores, and errands to be done, you are now compounding the issue of lethargy with the feeling of \u201cfalling behind\u201d.<\/li>\n
    3. Sleep is such a necessary component of mental wellness. Without sleep, we lose the ability to focus, we feel groggy, even \u201coutside oneself\u201d. Individuals struggling with anxiety may find it difficult to fall asleep due to constant worry and heightened fear of the unknown each day brings. On the contrary, those struggling with depression may experience Hypersomnia, or, sleeping in excess. Without proper sleep hygiene, it will be difficult for an individual to have emotional motivation and physical energy to get back in their daily routine.<\/li>\n
    4. Sometimes anxiety and depression diminish an individual\u2019s appetite. This poses many problems. For starters, when someone does not have the proper nutrition and sustenance to get through the day, much like proper sleep hygiene, they are not going to have the energy to participate in the day. Good nutrition is just as crucial as sleep. On the contrary, some may begin \u201cstress eating\u201d or eating in excess due to anxiety or depression. This may make someone feel sluggish, lack motivation, and end up adding feelings of guilt and shame worsening the person\u2019s condition.<\/li>\n
    5. If you or a loved one are having thoughts of suicide or dying, dial 9-1-1 immediately. Being in a hospital with mental health professionals is the safest place for someone struggling with suicidality. Staff will assess, treat, and set you up with an aftercare plan to help you manage your thoughts and symptoms. Sometimes further treatment is recommended depending on each individual\u2019s situation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      With that being said, what comes next? There are numerous ways to approach mental health treatment, and sometimes it takes trying more than one:<\/p>\n