You can accept burnout, moodiness, or stress as a normal part of living. In fact, you probably have and simply plowed through it, coming out the other side with everything back to normal.
Sometimes, though, these same symptoms don’t lift. Despair replaces determination, and taking breaks no longer feels like you’ve recharged your batteries. This could be an early warning sign that you’d benefit from speaking with a mental health professional.
Often, your primary care physician is the starting point. In Soldotna, Alaska, this is certainly true, so Dr. Gladys Bailon and the team at South Central Family Practice Clinic are standing by to help you. We specialize in family medicine for all medical disciplines, including psychiatry.
When you cut yourself or injure a joint, it’s often easy to recognize. You’re bleeding, or you can’t put weight on a sprained ankle. Your injuries are obvious. It isn’t so simple when your mental health is injured.
Signs that you aren’t yourself can still be recognized, though. Subtle indicators could include:
When life seems to lose its sparkle, it could be time to talk with a mental health professional.
A normal part of life, stress is a strange condition. Not only can you feel the effects of stress differently than a family member or friend, but last month’s stress may also feel different this month, even when the stressors are the same.
You can experience signs of this in your physical condition, too. Chronic stress tends to create problems like:
Overall, you may feel emotionally numb. Everyone has down days, but during a mental health episode, these days may persist.
When the way you cope during downtime changes, it might be an indication of things getting overwhelming. Changes that often result from mental health issues include:
Seeking care for mental health doesn’t need to be a last resort. You don’t need to be actively in crisis, and there’s no need to wait until your problem becomes serious.
You can treat your mental wellness preventively, just as you can take proactive steps with other aspects of your health. Contact Dr. Bailon and the South Central Family Practice Clinic team. Call or click to book an in-person visit or to schedule a telehealth appointment today.
