What is Mental Health?

To answer this question, let’s first try to answer the following questions.

• Are you able to engage in productive life activities like self-care, socialization, learning and entertainment?
• Are you able to cope with normal life stressors without feeling overwhelmed easily?
• Are you able to engage and maintain healthy and stable relationships?
• Are you able to effectively adapt to changes in life routines?

If your answer is NO to any one of the above, then you may want to have a professional opinion if you need help with a mental health provider.

Although medications are an important integral part of mental health treatment but they may or may not be the only answer. Different types of talk therapies, behavioral modifications and supportive care might need be incorporated into the treatment plan in order to achieve a long term sustainable solution in some cases.

When a person should consult Mental Health Practitioners for Professional Help?

Most of us experience times when we need help dealing with problems or issues that cause emotional distress. If you are having a problem that is making you feel overwhelmed and/or interfering with normal daily life, you may benefit from the assistance of an experienced, trained professional.

While some people have been taught that seeking mental health (also called “behavioral health,” “psychotherapy,” and “counseling”) services is a sign of weakness, it can actually be a sign of strength in that you are using your resources. Some of the most common types of problems that move people to seek mental health services include:

• Feeling unhappy, sad, or irritable most of the time
• Feeling worried, nervous, overwhelmed, and/or anxious most of the time
• Having emotional struggles that are interfering with your ability to engage in healthy lifestyle habits (eating, sleeping, exercise) and/or your ability to function at work, at school, at home, or in relationships
• Having thoughts of harming yourself and/or others
• Struggling with substance abuse or other addictions – or struggling with a loved one who has an addiction
• Experiencing a significant life change or loss. Examples would be: illness or death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, or a job change.
• Having an eating disorder and/or struggle with body image
• Experienced abuse at any time in your life and are struggling with how that affects you now
• Having difficulty communicating effectively with people in your life
• Having difficulty with your own sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of someone in your life