Did you know 1 in 5?……..
Mental health problems are conditions identified by changes in thinking, mood or behaviour. But good mental health is more than simply the absence of problems.
One in five people in Northern Ireland will experience problems that affect their mental health, yet very few of us are willing to talk about the subject openly.
People with mental health problems often face stigma and discrimination, and fear of these can prevent people from getting help and hinder their recovery.
Early Warning Signs
There are some early warning signs that may indicate mental ill-health or a mental health problem. These include:
- mood swings or a consistently lower mood.
- lack of care for personal appearance or personal responsibilities.
- increased use of alcohol or other drugs.
- having difficulty following a conversation, remembering things or concentrating.
- a loss of interest in doing things you previously enjoyed.
- withdrawing from social activities or spending less time with family and friends.
- disturbed sleep, perhaps not getting enough sleep or sleeping too much.
- eating less than normal or overeating, perhaps losing or gaining weight.
- being more irritable, over-sensitive or aggressive.
- talking about not wanting to live.
- experiencing recurrent physical symptoms such as aches and pains or unexplained illnesses.
- a drop in work performance.
- doing things that don’t make sense to others.
- hearing or seeing things that no-one else can hear or see
If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the early signs,