psychology
3 clear warning signals from your psyche that you should not ignore
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Not all people find it easy to take good care of their health – this also and especially affects mental well-being. You should pay attention – and sensitivity – to these warning signals from your psyche.
There are times in life when everything is somehow more difficult. We have little energy and feel exhausted more quickly than usual. Most of us go through phases like this from time to time, and as long as we are aware of them and take care of ourselves, we can usually deal with them. We can try to reduce stress, maybe cancel a date, go to bed earlier and do something good for ourselves with exercise, meditation and/or a balanced diet.
Sometimes we miss and hear the first subtle signs of our Psyche. We are so caught up in the hamster wheel of performance society and our everyday lives that we don’t even realize how mentally, emotionally and perhaps physically exhausted we are. And that can be dangerous because the longer we ignore our health, the more likely it will eventually make it clear to us that it needs a break. Maybe with a physical illness, maybe with burnout.
To prevent it from getting that far, it helps to be careful with your own feelings and thoughts, physical sensations and habits. Can you observe one or more of these changes in yourself? Then it might be high time to take care of your mental health.
Don’t ignore these mental health warning signs
1. You feel extremely stressed by little things
Maybe you know this behavior when you haven’t slept well or too little: little things upset you or make you emotional. You may have a very short fuse; for example, it drives you crazy how long the older lady takes to collect her change at the supermarket checkout. Or you might start crying the moment you drop something from the fridge.
And exactly such reactions, perhaps tenfold stronger, can be a clear signal from your psyche that something is very wrong. You may immediately feel fear and even panic arise if, for example, you miss your bus. Or you almost burst with anger when someone steals your parking space. If everyday situations stress and overwhelm you unnaturally and may provoke extreme feelings in you, this can be a clear sign that something is putting a heavy strain on your psyche or triggering you.
2. You withdraw from your social environment
How we deal with stress can be very different. Some people throw themselves into distraction, go to parties and just don’t want to be alone and deal with their negative feelings. Others intuitively choose the opposite strategy: They withdraw, rarely or not at all meet friends or family and generally avoid social contacts. Especially for introverted people, it can drain additional energy if they surround themselves too much with others. Knowing yourself and your own needs well can be a big help here.
But that doesn’t change the fact that we humans are social creatures. We need other people so that we can thrive in the long term. Treating yourself to a weekend for yourself is totally fine. However, withdrawing completely from social circles and being extremely stressed just by the thought of meeting other people is usually a mental health warning sign.
3. You are overwhelmed with everyday things
There are people who are not doing well psychologically – although hardly anyone would notice or notice that. “You always seem so clear and tidy,” they may often hear. In reality, they feel anything but in control of their lives. Maybe they find it difficult to keep their home clean and tidy and dirty laundry is piling up in their home. Or they appear well-groomed at first glance, but barely manage to muster the energy to maintain adequate personal hygiene.
Do you know such problems? Being overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life can be a sign of psychological problems. At first glance, however, you don’t notice that those affected are overwhelmed because they seem to have their lives so well under control. And the fact that others can’t see these difficulties may make it easier for them to ignore such warning signs.
Do you recognize yourself in one or even several of these points? Then it might be time to devote more attention to your mental health. You may want to talk to someone close to you and/or seek professional help to see what’s behind these symptoms and find ways to help you feel better in the long term.
Sources used: instagram.com/doc_amen, psychologytoday.com